On September 26 and 27th, the UNDP along with the governments of Mexico, Denmark, Senegal, and Turkey hosted an event on integrating the rule of law into the post-2015 development agenda. Participants urged the inclusion of rule of law, justice and security to promote sustainable development and to decrease violence world-wide.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world's main development challenges. The eight goals are: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development. The MDGs are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 Nations and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000. The UNDP stated that some of the developing countries affected by widespread violence, conflict or lack of security will not achieve any of the MDGs by the target date of 2015. The main reason given was that targets relating to justice, security and the rule of law were left out of the original agenda. This may explain why some countries have begun the process of re-negotiating international development targets. Much more needs to be done to improve justice, security and rule of law around the globe as many countries still lag far behind. Helen Clark, at the event said that lack of a firm establishment of the rule of law will exacerbate poverty, suffering and marginalization in a nation.
The UN finds it crucial to establish the rule of law to ensure that governments are transparent and effective in promoting sustainable development, protecting human rights and maintaining peace in conflict-affected countries, where weak access to justice can increase the risk of violence. Helen Clark highlighted some impediments to access to justice. They include the biased or discriminatory nature of the justice institutions- formal and informal, slow untrustworthy or ineffective justice and security system, the people’s general lack of awareness of their rights, inaccessible legal assistance which leaves people with little recourse to formal mechanisms for protection and empowerment, a culture of impunity for criminal acts and other injustices and abuses in the family, or through deprivation and labour exploitation.
Sidiki Kaba, Minister of Justice of Senegal stated that there is a strong need to counter injustice and insecurity among the youth and the marginalized across the African continent. This is because good governance and observing the principles of the rule of law will secure a better future for the youth. Cevdet Yılmaz, Turkey’s Minister of Development stated that building infrastructure, increasing commerce, and improving health and education must be accompanied by good governance and observance of the rule of law. Turkey is the 16th largest economy in the world. According to Cevdet, taking the principles of rule of law and the virtue of justice into account in all layers of development, which can be formulated as peace, democracy and social and economic development, are the basic requirements for achieving sustainable growth and inclusive development.
Aside from ensuring that governments are transparent and effective in promoting sustainable development, protecting human rights and maintaining peace in conflict-affected countries the UNDP acknowledges that strengthening the rule of law can help place societies on a more sustainable trajectory. Timor-Leste, a nation slowly emerging from dire poverty, after decades of UNDP support have seen the country establish new justice and security institutions. Roberto Dondisch Director General for Global Affairs at the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also at the event stated that the rule of law plays a critical role in both poverty eradication efforts and the protection of fundamental rights of those marginalized and in greater need in our societies. He further stated that it is a driving force of progress for all countries – developed and developing alike and crucial to achieve success in reaching the current MDGs and countering social injustice. He concluded by emphasizing that the next development agenda must tackle the hard questions related to rule of law if the development gains are to be maintained and for purposes of building a more sustainable, peaceful future.