Justice for All: The report of the Task Force on Justice

At the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development lies a vision of a “just, equitable, tolerant, open and socially inclusive world in which the needs of the most vulnerable are met.” Justice is a thread that runs through all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Without increased justice, world leaders will be unable to end poverty and reduce inequality. Nor will they be able to reach the furthest behind, create conditions for shared and sustainable prosperity, or promote peace and inclusion. SDG16.3 aims to ensure equal access to justice for all by 2030. Other SDG targets address the denial of legal identity, major forms of injustice such as corruption and illicit financial flows, and the promotion of human rights and gender empowerment. These targets provide a unique opportunity to accelerate progress towards justice for all. But to make progress, we first need to understand the scale of the task ahead.

The Task Force on Justice – an initiative of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies – has explored the delivery of these targets in a world where billions of people are not yet able to obtain justice.

Drawing on research by the world’s leading justice organizations and experts, this report provides a first estimate of the global justice gap. It makes the case for shifting from a model that provides justice only for the few, to one that delivers measurable improvements in justice for all.

In the past, justice reforms have often focused on institutions that are distant from people and fail to serve their needs. The Task Force proposes a different approach, putting people at the center of justice systems and justice at the heart of sustainable development.