The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recognizes a pressing challenge in the Asia-Pacific region: millions of people face significant barriers to accessing basic justice. Vulnerable populations, including women and children, were particularly affected, encountering obstacles in areas such as land rights, environmental hazards, household debt, and family conflicts. Systemic inefficiencies and resource limitations exacerbated these challenges.
The regional conference, “Achieving Just Societies: Inclusive Justice Pathways for People and Planet in Asia and the Pacific,” took place from November 11 to 13, 2024, at the United Nations Building on Ratchadamnoen Road, Bangkok. Hosted by UNDP and co-hosted by UNEP, UN Women, the World Justice Project, IDLO, UNICEF, Pathfinders, and the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), the conference gathered leading experts, policymakers, and innovators to share evidence-based solutions and successful initiatives for creating people-centered justice systems.
TIJ actively participated and organized multiple sessions throughout the event. On November 11, 2024, from 9:45 to 11:00 a.m., Dr. Phiset Sa-ardyen, Executive Director of TIJ, delivered a keynote address during the opening plenary titled “Access to Justice for All: Bridging the Justice Gap and Exploring New Frontiers of Justice in Asia and the Pacific.” Later, from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m., Chontit Cheunurah, Director of the Office for the Bangkok Rules and Treatment of Offenders at TIJ, spoke in a concurrent session titled “From Institution-Centered to People-Centered: Redefining Justice in the Criminal Justice System.”
Session Summaries: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15NkDi8hJW/
On November 12, 2024, from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Ukrit Sornprom, Senior Manager at TIJ, participated as a speaker in the concurrent session, “Diverse Pathways to Justice: Engaging with Customary and Informal Justice Systems, Including Community and Collaborative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms,” hosted by IDLO.
Session Summaries: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B2sUwdq4k/
During the same time slot, TIJ and Yunus Thailand hosted a session titled “Justice Reimagined: Fostering an Ecosystem for People-Centered Innovation.” Following this, TIJ and Yunus Thailand conducted a World Café session, “Ecosystem for Justice Innovation,” from 1:15 to 3:00 p.m.
Session Summaries: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15XAaVgsnH/
Additionally, the regional conference covered a wide range of crucial topics, including data and justice innovation, environmental justice, women's access to justice, and justice in crisis and fragile contexts.
