Director General/Executive Director
Distinguished participants,
Welcome to panel two of the General Assembly Thematic Debate on "Ensuring Stable and Peaceful Societies".
Allow me to begin by thanking the President of the General Assembly for his robust leadership in convening this and other important initiatives to promote engagement and consensus to help define the post-2015 development agenda.
A dynamic, inclusive dialogue on how we can best build on the Millennium Development Goals and elaborate a shared vision for a sustainable future for all people is exactly what is needed.
Since world leaders gathered in the year 2000 to agree the visionary MDGs, there has been growing understanding that justice and the rule of law matter when it comes to achieving sustainable development outcomes.
At the 2005 World Summit, Member States expressed "grave concern at the negative effects on development, peace and security and human rights posed by transnational crime".
In 2012, the General Assembly reflected further on these issues in an important thematic debate on "drugs and crime as a threat to development".
And most recently in Resolution 68/188, this General Assembly reaffirmed that "the rule of law and development are strongly interrelated and mutually reinforcing and that crime prevention and criminal justice elements that support the rule of law should therefore be considered in implementing the post-2015 international development agenda".
As the Secretary-General emphasized this morning, the UN's "My World" survey, drafted in support of the discussions on the post-2015 development agenda, shows that protection against crime and violence ranks high among all population groups and in all regions of the world.
We have seen the devastating consequences to health, security and development caused by drug trafficking and other organized crime activities, which know no borders.
We have seen that corruption and lack of good governance pose a major threat to social and economic development.
Weak institutions make it easier for crime, violence and corruption to prevail. Ineffective and inaccessible criminal justice systems fall short in the protection of human rights.
By affecting all of society, and vulnerable individuals and communities in particular, these challenges ultimately put at risk our efforts to attain the MDGs.
Therefore, in order to lay the foundations for truly sustainable and equitable growth, we must work to strengthen and make more effective, national, regional and international institutions promoting security, justice and the rule of law.
There are two basic elements that are required for strengthening national institutions.
The first is a sound legal foundation, based on the rule of law and international commitments.
The second is increased effectiveness, accessibility and accountability.
Since the MDGs were launched, governments have agreed on landmark instruments addressing major threats to peace, security and good governance, including the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, along with its three protocols; and the UN Convention against Corruption.
While much work remains to be done for Member States to effectively implement their commitments, the conventions, as well as the criminal justice standards and norms, offer a solid basis to address challenges to the rule of law and justice, and to strengthen national institutions in their fight against corruption, in support of sustainable development for all.
It is important to emphasize that any post-2015 development framework will only be valuable if there is genuine national ownership, underpinned by solid mechanisms for monitoring progress.
With respect to justice and the rule of law, this entails finding the tools so that meaningful goals and targets can be defined, agreed and - most importantly - customized and owned at the national level.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime led consultations last year with a broad coalition of experts to develop a technically sound and solid measurement framework to this end, which has guided us in our work with the UN family, when providing inputs to the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is now widely acknowledged that responsive, transparent and strong institutions that operate in accordance with the rule of law and promote justice are essential for overcoming poverty, and realizing human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Promoting justice and the rule of law, while combatting the threats that undermine them, in particular transnational organized crime, drugs, and corruption, must therefore be reflected in any post-2015 development agenda.
Our courts need to be efficient, effective and accessible; law enforcement agencies need to keep communities safe from crime and violence while protecting the rights of individuals and communities; and public services and institutions need to be accountable and free from corruption.
Thank you.