Justice for the Poor (Perspectives on Accelerating Access)

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Description
Access to justice is a core area of UNDP's Democratic Governance Practice. The focus of this book is on access to justice for human development through inclusion of the poor and marginalized. Within the broad context of justice sector reform, UNDP's niche lies in linking access to justice for the poor to the promotion of democratic governance. The book identifies the role of access to justice in securing accountability for the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in ensuring participation and non-discrimination in the development and decision-making processes which are geared towards the realization of such MDGs. It does that by an excellent collection of essays by scholars and practitioners, many of whom are, in their own right, globally recognized authorities in the field of law and justice. A functioning, accessible, and transparent justice system means the poor have protection of the law, can access rights and representation in the legal system, and can seek recourse to mechanisms that hold the duty-bearers accountable for the provision of basic social services included in the various MDGs or the national poverty reduction strategy. By promoting the effective use of public interest litigation and legal aid, for example, the disempowered can successfully use the formal legal system to ensure that corporations and governments deliver on commitments and actually pay compensation for violations of the rights of the poor as citizens.
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Table of Contents
I.     The International Context of Access to Justice
II.    Access to Justice in Plural System
III.   Access to Justice and public Interest Litigation
IV.   Democracy, Governance, and Justice Programming
V.     Regional Experiences: Developments and Obstances
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Author Details
Ayesha Kadwani Dias
Gita Honwana Welch