I Choose Sport
June 22, 2021

"I Choose Sport"

Shakhnoza Mirzayeva was always an active child: dancing, drawing, knitting - her mother encouraged her a lot. "I dreamed of becoming a doctor," says Shakhnoza. "However, at the age of 10, I had a serious accident and had part of my leg amputated. Somebody told me I would not be able to pass the medical examination to become a doctor. Now I know it is not true, but back then I gave up on my dream." Shakhnoza's rehabilitation took one year. "As soon as I got used to my prosthetic leg, I continued my active lifestyle. I learned to ride a bike again and played with the kids in my neighbourhood."

Thanks to her teacher's support and motivation, Shakhnoza discovered her aptitude for sports. First basketball, later rifle shooting.

The Russian Judiciary in the Pandemic
June 18, 2021

The Russian Judiciary in the Pandemic

Much has happened in 2020, and the novel coronavirus pandemic was the main change that caused a major restructuring of social life. Social and political institutions and, of course, the judicial system were forced to swiftly adjust the ways in which they worked, and the life, health and safety of every person became the main criteria and values that guided them. During that whole period, the court system never halted its activities and continued administering justice at a high level while meeting the requirements of reasonable time of proceedings.

Empowering youth champions of life: Partnering with the sport sector to build youth and community resilience to violence and crime
June 2, 2021

Empowering youth champions of life: Partnering with the sport sector to build youth and community resilience to violence and crime

While preventing crime is often considered the responsibility of law enforcement, for efforts to succeed a much more comprehensive approach is required. This includes building strong  partnerships with a wide diversity of sectors - including education, social, health, youth, civil society and sports - to tackle the root causes of violence and crime and promote positive youth development and wellbeing, with a focus on early prevention, and investing on young people and local communities.

The contribution of the sport sector in the context of holistic crime prevention approaches was explored further during the 30th session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). 

The need for independent judges and a free press in a democracy
May 3, 2021

The need for independent judges and a free press in a democracy

The rule of law is arguably the most basic requirement of any civilized society, and an independent judiciary, to which access is available to all citizens, is an essential ingredient of the rule of law. Freedom of expression is also fundamental in a democratic society, in which the courts and the media have vital and complementary institutional roles. Together, they hold power to account, enforce the rights of individuals and shed light on matters of public interest - and they also monitor each other. The media have been described as the watchdogs of democracy, highlighting democratic deficits and demanding accountability from elected officials. And judges have no more important role than to hold the Government to account when it does not adhere to the law and to uphold the rights of individuals. And there is no more vital right than freedom of expression.

Progress towards Parity: The Representation of Women in the Judiciary
April 30, 2021

Progress towards Parity: The Representation of Women in the Judiciary

The representation of women in the judiciary is significant for many reasons. Besides ensuring that the legal system is developed with all of society in mind and that in turn a representative perspective is brought to adjudication, the inspiration it provides to the next generation of female judges gives them continued motivation to achieve their goals. And while equality in the judiciary has been historically uneven, steps are being taken to remedy this, as evidenced by the acceptance of a new United Nations General Assembly Resolution marking 10 March as the International Day of Women Judges. This Resolution, drafted by the State of Qatar, is tangible proof of an evident positive shift underway in several geographic regions.