Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
To the UN Crime Congress Side-Event
Video link: https://youtu.be/v6PKzGKngy8
UNODC Executive Director, Ms. Ghada Waly,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank the Executive Director of the UNODC, as well as the Governments of Japan and the United Arab Emirates, respectively, for co-organizing today’s event.
The calamitous suffering in the Middle East, Ukraine – and indeed all conflict settings across the world – rightly demands our utmost attention and bold action, if we are ever to achieve what might be regarded as the highest priority of the Charter, that is, lasting Peace.
Against the backdrop of this solemn recognition, – and as preparations for the 15th Crime Congress are underway, – I greatly appreciate the opportunity to participate virtually in today’s important discussion.
For more than half a century, the UN Crime Congress has served as the preeminent platform for fostering global cooperation to advance and further strengthen crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law.
The 15th Congress affords us yet another opportunity to catalyze action across these pivotal dimensions – and to set the stage for major policy decisions in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice in the digital age.
To that end, the theme of the 15th Congress highlights the link between crime prevention, climate change, sustainable development and digital transformation.
As a practical matter, it is extremely important to take a holistic approach to crime prevention, criminal justice and the promotion of the rule of law. Access to justice and the rule of law enables societies to resolve conflicts, claim rights and to seek and secure remedies.
These are embedded in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – that is, in SDG 16.
Yet – as we slowly transit the halfway point to 2030 – it is disappointing to be reciting the commonly known mantra of justice delayed is justice denied, for far too many across our societies.
Alarmingly, the latest SDG progress report finds that citizens – across all regions – are still denied equal justice, basic services and legal guarantees by ineffective institutions and discriminatory laws.
Structural injustice, inequalities and human rights challenges are keeping the prospect of creating fair societies out of reach for billions of people around the world.
We, the United Nations, cannot let this stand. We must take action to address it.
To build a fairer, more just, more peaceful and inclusive societies, critical action is needed, to:
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- strengthen the capacity and independence of judicial institutions,
- facilitate the transitions that truly drive sustainable development, and
- urgently restore trust in the fraying social contract between the States or Governments on the one hand and citizens on the other, so that no one – I say again, no one – is left behind.
Let us remember that lady justice wears a blindfold.
The moral and legal force of judicial systems must extend inter alia, to women, children, indigenous peoples, persons living with disabilities, people of African descent and countless other marginalized individuals and groups, alike. The real power of justice lies in its universality.
As we prepare to mark 75 years since the historic adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in the lead-up to the Summit of the Future in 2024, and the 15th Crime Congress in 2026, let us engage all stakeholders – from policymakers and practitioners to civil society, academia and the private sector – to inspire and engender real and impactful transformational change.
As I close, I take this opportunity to thank the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for facilitating multistakeholder discussions and working to improve action to combat crime.
Let us close the gaps between our aspirations and our reality.
Let us build just and resilient frameworks to nourish the holistic well-being of our societies and thus place them on a firm footing for sustainablitiy.
Let us lose no more time.
I thank you.
