Diverse pathways to people-centred justice- Report of the Working Group on Customary and Informal Justice and SDG16+

Delivering equal access to justice for all requires governments, development partners and civil society to engage with the empirical reality of CIJ and factor this into justice delivery and programming The case for greater recognition of CIJ systems is straightforward: most people resolve their problems and claim their rights outside of national statutory courts or formal justice systems.

This report sets out a constructive way forward to achieve greater engagement with the empirical reality of CIJ and – in appropriate cases – engagement with CIJ. It is timed to inform the second SDG Summit in September 2023, which will provide a key moment for the international justice community to reflect on and revitalize progress towards achieving SDG 16.3. Section 1 illustrates the breadth of actors that CIJ encompasses and key features of CIJ systems. Section 2 demonstrates why CIJ is integral to achieving justice for all. Section 3 sets out a spectrum of practical approaches for gathering data on and engaging with CIJ systems. Section 4 makes the case for mobilizing financing to support CIJ systems. Section 5 reframes some commonly cited risks of engagement (and non-engagement) with CIJ. Finally, section 6 details recommendations to progress this agenda and capitalize on the potential of CIJ to assist in delivering justice for all.