Rule of Law in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Nick Booth, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub

FromMDGsto2030Agenda

MDGs

Limitedcoverageexcludinggoverance andrights

Limitedtargetsofaggregateachievement

Implementedandmonitored bygovernments

2030Agenda

Comprehensive,integratedagendaincludinggovernanceandrightsAchieved for all– leavenoonebehind,andinequalityasacross-cuttinggoalImplemented andmonitoredbyall– multi-stakeholderpartnershipofgovernments,parliaments,civilsocietyandprivatesector

SDGtarget16.3

Promotetheruleoflawatnationalandinternationallevelsandensureequalaccesstojusticeforall

RuleofLaw

• Aprincipleofgovernance• Accountabilityofall,includingtheState,

publicandprivateentities,individuals• Lawsarepubliclypromulgated,equally

enforcedandindependentlyadjudicated• Consistentwithinternationalhuman

rightsnormsandstandards• supremacyoflaw,• equalitybeforethelaw,• accountabilitytothelaw,• fairnessintheapplicationofthelaw,• separationofpowers,• participationindecision-making,• legalcertainty,• avoidanceofarbitrariness• andproceduralandlegaltransparency

ReportoftheSecretary-General:Theruleoflawandtransitionaljusticeinconflictandpost-conflictsocieties (S/2004/616).

FourdimensionsofROLin

Agenda2030

1. Ahumanrights-basedagenda:– Substantively:all

fundamentalhumanrights(socio-economic,civicandpolitical)arereflectedintheGoals,underpinnedbyfundamentalprincipleofequalityandnon-discrimination(leaveno-onebehind)

– Procedurally:principlesofparticipation,transparencyandaccountability,inalienability,indivisibilityanduniversality

– And,foreveryrighttheremustbearemedy…

• LeaveNoOneBehind• AllgoalsincludingGoal5(genderequality)andGoal10(reducing

inequality)• 16.3 Promotetheruleoflawatthenationalandinternationallevelsand

ensureequalaccesstojusticeforall• 16.6 Developeffective,accountableandtransparentinstitutionsatall

levels• 16.7 Ensureresponsive,inclusive,participatoryandrepresentative

decision-makingatalllevels• 16.9 By2030,providelegalidentityforall,includingbirthregistration• 16.10 Ensurepublicaccesstoinformationandprotectfundamental

freedoms,inaccordancewithnationallegislationandinternationalagreements

• 16.b Promoteandenforcenon-discriminatorylawsandpoliciesforsustainabledevelopment

Humanrightsprinciplesinthe2030Agenda

Anintegratedagenda:howROL-relatedSDGtargetsaddressdriversofGBV

GBV

Prevalenceof

communityviolence

Discriminatorynormsandpractices

Exclusionfromland

andproperty

Conflict

Discriminatorylaws

Weakjusticesystem

Lackofpoliticalparticipation,inclusion,

accountability

Lackofjobs,

livelihoods

16.1,16.2,16.a,5.2

16.316.a

16.b,5.1,5.c

1.4,5.a

5.3

8.5,8.816.6,16.7,5.5

10.2,10.3,10.4

FourdimensionsofROLin

Agenda2030

2. Development,justiceandpeace

– Freedomfromviolenceforall,includingwomen,children,victimsoftrafficking

– ROLunderpinsjusticeandsocialcontract– socialcohesion.HenceUNDPprioritisesvaluesofROL(tolerance,justice,equality)asastrategytopreventviolentextremism

– Transitionaljusticeasanintegralcomponentofpeacebuilding

FourdimensionsofROLin

Agenda2030

3. Financialcrimeandcorruption• Anti-corruption• Illicitfinancialflows• Anti-trafficking,organizedcrime

FourdimensionsofROLin

Agenda2030

4. Roleofprivatesector:– PrivatesectorasacriticalfactorforthesuccessorfailureoftheSDGs,especiallyinAsia

– TheSDGscannotbeachievedunless:

• governmentsprotecthumanrightsagainstbusinessviolations,

• businessproactivelyrespectshumanrightsand

• adequateremediesavailableforbreaches

(UNGuidingPrinciplesonBusinessandHumanRights)

OpportunitiesandChallengesofaTransformationalAgenda

• InnovatingROLandA2Jforthe2030agenda.1outof8peoplefaceseriouslegalproblemseachyear,andonlyone-thirdaresolvedintime.Justiceisnotworkingwellenough,especiallyfortheworst-off

• RoleoftechnologyincludingAI:technologycanincreaseaccesstojustice,butAIandmachinelearningposenewchallengesforaccountabilityandtransparency

• Weneedadatarevolution:toolittledataiscollectedabouthowwellROLandA2Jisworking,orevenwhatresourcesarespent

• Weneedaculturalrevolution:howtobuilda“cultureoflawfulness”(accountability,transparency,participation)atatimewhenliberalvaluesareunderthreat?

• Partnerships:Howtogetprivatesector,civilsocietyandgovernmenttoworktogetherinatimeofdecreasingmutualtrust?

UNDP,ROLandSDGsin

Asia-Pacific

• BusinessandHumanRights– promotingUNGPonBHRwithgovernments,privatesectorandCSOs(Bangladesh,India,Indonesia,Malaysia,Maldives,Myanmar,SriLanka,Thailand,VietNam…)

• PromotingaFairBusinessEnvironmentinASEAN(private-publicsectordialogue,transparentpublicprocurement,fairbusinesspractices,anti-corruption)– Indonesia,Malaysia,Myanmar,Philippines,Thailand,VietNam

• JudicialIntegrityChampionsinAPEC(Indonesia,Malaysia,Philippines,Thailand)

• SDGlocalizationincitiesandregionsacrossAsia• Preventionofviolentextremism(Bangladesh,

Indonesia,Maldives,Malaysia,Thailand,Philippines)

• N-Peace– networkofwomen,peaceandsecurityacrossAsia

• Innovationlabsinitiative• Pluscountry-specificprojectsin36countries

Wanttogetinvolved?

Nicholas.booth@undp.org+66909767369(whatsapp)@nickcongly (twitter)