Access to Justice

All people have access to justice processes that are meaningful to them

CGP strives to ensure that individuals who seek a remedy for a justice problem may engage with their local legal systems where they are treated in a fair, non-discriminatory manner. The local legal system may be a formal legal system, a traditional or informal legal system, or, in post-conflict settings, a system of transitional justice. CGP seeks to understand people’s legal needs and make legal information and services available to all who need them, ensuring that rights are respected—from fundamental civil and political rights to health and environmental protection. Though  broadly referring to the right of all people to have access to the legal systems of their countries, at CGP, access to justice more specifically includes a mandate that all people have access to justice processes that are meaningful to them and that all people feel empowered to use such justice processes, particularly in the face of environmental, gender-related, land, or other often stigmatized crimes. CGP facilitates access to justice for local constituencies by working with judiciaries to improve physical accessibility of justice centers, supporting traditional and informal justice mechanisms’ capacities, and contributing to documentation of abuses.