Intervention by Deputy Permanent Representative of the Argentine Republic, Minister Alejandro Verdier
October 22
First, I would like to thank Global Citizen and the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies for hosting this meeting and giving me the opportunity to make some remarks on behalf of ARGENTINA regarding our efforts to close the justice gap.
In the international sphere, Argentina has worked in a close partnership with the Netherlands and Sierra Leone to contribute to close the justice gap. Our countries are very different and we come from different corners of the world. Nevertheless, we have created a strong partnership in leading the Task Force on Justice of the Pathfinders to accelerate the implementation of SDG16.
We believe there are three things we need to do to provide equal access to justice for all: 1) to place justice at the heart of sustainable development; 2) to put people at the center of justice systems; and 3) to move from justice for the few to justice for all.
To close the justice gap, we must challenge some basic assumptions about what justice systems must do and how they do that. Those challenges are:
Putting people at the center
Result-oriented management
Focusing on legal needs perspective and a “whole-of-person” approach
Supporting multi-stakeholder and inclusive partnerships
Optimize investment on access to justice
Develop unmet legal need studies.
In Argentina we have invested heavily in such a different approach with the creation of over 90 Centers of Access to Justice — which provide legal services to those who are furthest behind and serve as a gateway to other services provided by the state. Recently we have expanded their reach to the most remote provinces via mobile units.
A systemic approach in justice policies is fundamental to fulfill the 2030 Agenda, particularly for the SDG16 that sets forth the need to build more just, pacific and inclusive societies.
Policies of open justice and access to justice implemented by the Argentine Ministry of Justice are regional examples of an effort in which the justice traveled where the need of people was. By these means the Argentinian justice sector is building the institutional architecture to achieve a greater social inclusion.
I thank you