Judicial Integrity: An Issue for All Legal Professionals
September 23, 2021

Judicial Integrity: An Issue for All Legal Professionals

No industry, sector, or profession is immune to misconduct. And while the vast majority of judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and other legal professionals are law-abiding and honest, some are not. Unfortunately, those exceptions can often threaten the integrity and the perception of the judicial system as a whole and undermine the public's trust in it.

Few things can be more destabilizing than corruption of and in the judicial system, including its damaging consequences to ordinary citizens and the insidiousness with which it can taint the highest levels of power. Judicial corruption undermines public confidence in the judicial system, in particular, and in public institutions, more broadly, and operates as a gateway or free-pass for other types of wrongdoing. That is precisely why judicial integrity is a common goal across all jurisdictions and has been among the priorities of the International Bar Association (IBA) in recent years. 

Training judges in judicial ethics and conduct against corruption: a priority for judiciaries
August 25, 2021

Training judges in judicial ethics and conduct against corruption: a priority for judiciaries

Combating corruption effectively is essential to guarantee human rights, as citizens' confidence in the judicial system, judicial independence and access to fair justice is at stake. As Anne Peters emphasizes, "corruption in the administration of justice jeopardizes basic rights to judicial protection"

Access to Information and Justice in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for the Defence of Human Rights during the Pandemic
July 30, 2021

Access to Information and Justice in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for the Defence of Human Rights during the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed new and severe challenges for the defence of human rights, affecting especially the most vulnerable groups of people and revealing the profound inequality of the world in which we live.

Latin America is one of the most unequal areas on the planet, and, therefore, the impact of the pandemic has placed human rights severely at risk. For instance, millions of people are left with no daily sustenance to survive or healthcare, and children's access to the right to education now depends exclusively on their internet connection.

In Uzbekistan, UNODC continues to use sport as a tool for youth resilience and post-COVID-19 recovery
July 12, 2021

In Uzbekistan, UNODC continues to use sport as a tool for youth resilience and post-COVID-19 recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic has had harmful effects on young people and communities across the world, with factors such as the loss of education and employment opportunities leading to increased risks of crime and stress associated with isolation. In Uzbekistan, where schools have been closed for much of the time since last year March, sport is being used as a powerful tool to bring educators and children back to normal school life. In this context, the Uzbek Ministry of Public Education and UNODC recently initiated a comprehensive sport-based campaign among young people in Kokand city, Fergana Valley. This campaign brought together educators from 40 schools in the region in several gatherings and saw a diverse range of people receive new, interactive tools to address issues around corruption, human trafficking, violent extremism, and integrity and ethics.

Preventing violent extremism through sport: UNODC launches new tools in Central Asia
July 2, 2021

Preventing violent extremism through sport: UNODC launches new tools in Central Asia

Many parts of the world, including countries in Central Asia, have faced a surge in extremist ideology and radicalization in recent years, particularly among young people, posing a direct threat to peace, stability and development. Given the youthful population across the region and the vulnerability of young people to recruitment by violent extremist groups, it is essential to cater to their needs and put in place preventive actions that will address the root causes of violent extremism.

To counter these challenges, Government and other experts in many countries have developed national policies to address the root causes of violent extremism and devise effective responses.