Rule of Law and Human
Rights Global Programme
Impact
Thematic focus
 = Global Focal Point

Africa

Arab states

Asia-Pacific

Europe and Central Asia

Latin America and the Caribbean

Justice Futures CoLab

The Justice Futures CoLab was launched to promote new ways of thinking and approaching complex justice and rule of law challenges. The CoLab illustrates UNDP’s commitment and strategy to do more and do better (and differently). A more strategic, people-centred and rights-based approach is taken to ensure meaningful access to justice for all, starting with those most at risk of being left behind.

Human rights systems

UNDP continues to support strengthening national human rights systems (NHRIs). Independent, effective and pluralistic NHRIs are cornerstones of national systems to promote and protect human rights.

Anti-racism

In 2021, after racial justice protests and movements emerged in the United States and other parts of the world, the United Nations and its various funds, programmes and other entities also took up a renewed commitment to fight against racism and racial discrimination both within the organization and also through their approaches.

Business and human rights

UNDP has been supporting the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) since 2016. This support has involved programming across the three pillars of the protect, respect and remedy framework, engaging with states, business actors and civil society.

Community security

The global context has become ever more challenging with ongoing war, coups d‘état, attempted coups d‘état, turmoil and instability in several countries. In the midst of such widespread political tension and fragility, UNDP has stayed the course towards people-centred security by promoting solutions that strengthen state institutions in line with people’s needs.

Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law

The UN Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law (GFP) is a joint arrangement for delivery of the rule of law in fragile settings. Co-chaired by UNDP and the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), GFP reinforces One-UN approach at the global and national levels to address violent conflicts, protect human rights and restore justice and security for people affected by crisis and conflict.

Regional overview - Africa

Regional overview

Impact by Regions,
Countries & Territories
Asia-Pacific

In 2022, the Asia-Pacific region witnessed increased geopolitical unrest and polarization. Several countries experienced democratic and rule of law backsliding, which was exacerbated by vulnerability to climate risks and natural disasters, economic crises fueled by pandemic-related recession, and armed conflicts within and beyond the region, including the spill-over effects of the war in Ukraine. The region is home to about 10.7 million refugees, internally displaced and stateless persons, which is more than 60 percent of all refugees globally and up to 80 percent of those internally displaced by conflict or violence.

Levels of corruption remained high, with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and Pakistan ranking in the bottom 10 percent of the annual Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project, underscoring the rule of law and justice gap in the region. While the situation with freedoms in the region saw slight improvements in 2022, the space for civil society remained restrictive. Political and environmental activists, human rights defenders, and journalists faced increased safety threats, with many being harassed, detained and/or killed. Indigenous Peoples, ethnic and religious minorities and LGBTQI+ groups continued to face widespread discrimination. Despite legislative changes adopted, for example in China, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to combat sexual and gender-based violence, discrimination and violence against women and girls in the region persisted.

In Afghanistan, where UNDP data suggest that the number of poor increased to 34 million in 2022, the devastating rollback of the rights of women and girls was exacerbated by the Taliban's decree barring women from working in national and international non-governmental organizations. In Myanmar, two years after the military coup d’état, human rights violations escalated in all parts of the country. Crimes against women remained under-reported and under-investigated. The human rights situation of the Rohingya remained dire. Systemic discrimination persisted with no progress on the restoration of citizenship rights.

Leaving no one behind

Against this backdrop, which presents a complex range of situations, including emergencies caused by both natural and human-made disasters that require urgent humanitarian response, to settings that call for mid- and long-term sustainable solutions, UNDP led people-centred initiatives aimed at fostering the rule of law, justice, security and human rights protection for affected communities, including in the context of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus.

In Myanmar, UNDP stepped up its support to civil society organizations (CSOs) and continued to develop people-centred and gender-responsive initiatives that improved access to justice and social cohesion. In Pakistan, UNDP's Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development (the Global Programme) supported a project that allowed for the extended support of the Afghan refugees, including during and in the aftermath of the devastating floods.

Environmental justice and human rights

At the regional level, informed by UNDP’s global policy piece that shapes the environmental justice strategy, and in partnership with the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), the Global Programme supported the establishment of a diverse and inclusive Youth Advisory Group on Environmental and Climate Justice (YAG).

The YAG seeks to build a common understanding and approach to environmental justice and to empower young environmental activists to be active players in claiming, enforcing and defending their environmental rights through increased capacity. Inclusion and meaningful participation of Indigenous youth, LGBTQI+ and stateless youth, and young persons with disabilities is a priority across the entire scope of UNDP’s work on environmental and climate justice.

The fulfillment of human rights and protection mechanisms for environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) is crucial to environmental justice. In 2022, UNDP developed two toolkits to support and empower the EHRDs in the Asia-Pacific region. In collaboration with UNEP and UN Human Rights South-East Asia, the Environmental Human Rights Defenders toolkit was launched to provide a set of resources for the protection, promotion and realization of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The Routes to Remedy toolkit provides step-by-step guidance on how to access remedy in seven jurisdictions in Asia: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Women’s rights and gender justice

UNDP continued to strengthen the Judicial Integrity Network in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (JIN ASEAN) by promoting court excellence through peer-to-peer networking, knowledge sharing and country-level capacity-building initiatives. A Gender Working Group was established to develop leadership across national judiciaries in response to identified gender related issues affecting judicial performance with regards to women's rights and gender justice. An issue brief on Gender and Judicial Excellence was published.

Business and human rights

In the field of business and human rights (B+HR), UNDP extended its support to governments and companies in 14 countries. In partnership and with financial contributions from the governments of Japan, Sweden and from the European Union, UNDP's Business and Human Rights Academies provided training on human rights due diligence (HRDD) to over 1,000 companies across the region. In Myanmar, these trainings also included a component on conflict sensitivity. In addition, UNDP supported the processes of drafting or implementing National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam. These plans will set the policy framework for companies operating in these countries to do so in accordance with the standards set by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). To enhance access to remedies for people whose rights were abused as a consequence of business operations, UNDP B+HR team in Asia built capacities and provided technical support to national human rights institutions in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Maldives and Mongolia.

Looking forward

In 2023, UNDP will enhance its development portfolios on e-justice, legal aid and empowerment, and civil justice, including for displaced communities. A key focus will be on strengthening gender-responsive judicial practices and addressing discrimination based on behavioural insights that affect women, including survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and women with disabilities. UNDP will expand its engagement on environmental rights and justice. Additionally, under the Tripartite Partnership framework, UNDP will provide technical assistance to NHRIs in partnership with OHCHR and the Global Alliance of NHRIs (GANHRI). In the field of business and human rights, the geographical and thematic scope will be expanded, with more resources allocated to support companies exploring their negative impacts on the environment and to promote an integrated approach to human rights and environmental due diligence.

  1. UNHCR - https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr/where-we-work/asia-and-pacific

  2. Transparency International, “CPI 2022 For Asia Pacific: Basic Freedoms Restricted as Anti-Corruption Efforts Neglected, (31 January 2023). Available at https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2022-asia-pacific-basic-freedoms-restricted-anti-corruption-efforts-neglected.

  3. World Justice Project Rule of Law Index. Available at https://worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/global.

  4. Freedom House, “New Report: Freedom in the Asia-Pacific Region Improved Slightly in 2022”, (9 March 2023). Available at https://freedomhouse.org/article/new-report-freedom-asia-pacific-region-improved-slightly-2022.

  5. https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/

  6. Amnesty International, “Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview 2022”. Available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/report-asia-and-the-pacific/.

  7. United Nations, “UN and top aid officials slam Afghan rulers’ NGO ban for women”, (29 December 2022). Available at https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/12/1132082.

  8. United Nations A/HRC/52/21: Situation of human rights in Myanmar since 1 February 2022 – Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights” (3 March 2023). Available at https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/country-reports/ahrc5221-situation-human-rights-myanmar-1-february-2022-report-united.