Raising Awareness and Improving Access to Justice : Lessons from Serbia
The importance of ensuring access to justice is universally acknowledged as a global priority. A system that does not ensure effective access leaves citizens in situations where they are unable to exercise their fundamental rights and protect their...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2019
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/107731576690611336/Raising-Awareness-and-Improving-Access-to-Justice-Lessons-from-Serbia http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33107 |
| Summary: | The importance of ensuring access to
justice is universally acknowledged as a global priority. A
system that does not ensure effective access leaves citizens
in situations where they are unable to exercise their
fundamental rights and protect their best interests. The
European Union (EU) places the rights to an effective remedy
and to a fair trial at the heart of its member states'
priorities. Access to justice is a prerequisite for states
wishing to join the EU (EU 2012). Around 4 billion people
worldwide live outside of the legal system, without enough
knowledge about their rights and the legal tools available
to protect them (OECD and OSF 2016). As a result, insecurity
and lack of trust in the judiciary dissuade citizens from
engaging in economic activities. Communities experience
negative impacts, and the situation worsens for low economic
status and socially excluded groups (UNDP 2005). Every state
has an obligation to ensure access to justice in a way that
protects and promotes the right to a fair trial and
effective legal assistance. Better access to information is
one way of improving access to justice for citizens. This
Governance Note shares lessons learned from a technical
assistance package implemented in partnership with
stakeholders and the government of Serbia that could be
applied in other countries. |
|---|