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, the world will not be able to end poverty, reduce inequality, reach the furthest behind first, create conditions for shared and sustainable prosperity, or promote peace and inclusion.

​

SDG16.3 promises to ensure equal access to justice for all by 2030. Other targets cover legal identity, injustices such as corruption and illicit financial flows, and the promotion of rights and gender equality.

​

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.