皇家华人

Experts from UCL Laws have helped to define the UN鈥檚 SDG Target on civil justice and have provided guidance on ways to measure progress towards people-centred justice systems across the world.

Professor Pascoe Pleasence听(UCL Laws) and colleagues听have听played a pivotal role in developing one of the Targets for听SDG 16,听which听promotes听peaceful and听inclusive societies for sustainable development and听the provision of听justice for all.听Target 16.3 calls on countries to听鈥楶romote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all鈥�.听

鈥淭o meet this target,听countries must develop听justice systems听that consider the needs of the people they are designed to serve,鈥澨齟xplains听Professor Pleasence.听听

To听help them听achieve this,听Professor听Pleasence听has advised听on and听helped to听develop听clear guidelines and frameworks听to听enable听countries to provide better听access to civil justice, and听mechanisms to measure progress. These听include听providing a framework for听countries to carry out surveys that help understand people鈥檚 everyday legal problems and experiences of their local justice system.听

鈥�鈥淲e鈥檝e defined a target indicator, which measures whether people who have civil legal problems can obtain legal advice, assistance, or representation, and ultimately resolve their problems.鈥澨�

In collaboration听with colleagues at 皇家华人 and听organisations听around the world, Professor Pleasence听has听also听developed听guidance that听emphasises听the need for听measures听of听civil as well as criminal law听within global justice statistics.听His guidance听has been听published听in听a听chapter for听the听UN鈥檚听Handbook on听Governance Statistics听and听in听guidance听published by听the听Organization听for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Open Society Justice Initiative.听听

鈥淭o听help countries make progress towards听equal access to justice for all,听we鈥檝e defined a听target听indicator,听which听was officially approved by the UN in March 2020. It听measures听whether people who have civil legal problems can obtain legal advice, assistance, or representation, and ultimately resolve their problems.听This is vital听if we are to听meet human rights standards听ahead of 2030,鈥澨齈rofessor Pleasence says.听