High-Level Judicial Dialogue: Building People-Centered Justice Across Africa and Iberoamerica
- May 06, 2026
- 14:00–16:00 (CET)
- Van Bylandt Huis, Benoordenhoutseweg 46, 2596 BC, The Hague, The Netherlands
Organized by: The African Alliance for People-Centred Justice and the Ibero-American Alliance for Access to Justice
In partnership with: The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL), Pathfinders for Peaceful Just and Inclusive Societies (NYU Center on International Cooperation), Red Internacional de Justicia Abierta (RIJA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UN Women.
Convened as a side-event to the Justice Matters 2026 Conference, the High-Level Dialogue seeks to create a high-level judicial space for collective reflection between judges from Africa and Ibero-America on how courts can strengthen stability and public trust through people-centered justice.
The dialogue is expected to produce strengthened cross-regional relationships and networks among judiciaries, and a platform for sustained collaboration, research, and knowledge exchange on people-centered justice, with this inaugural session laying the groundwork for an ongoing inter-regional judicial community.
The dialogue will be conducted with simultaneous interpretation in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. This will enable inclusive participation and reinforce the session’s commitment to accessibility and cross-regional exchange.
Agenda
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Welcoming Remarks and Framing
Moderator: Fernando Marani, Program Director, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, NYU Center on International Cooperation (CIC) -
Opening Remarks
Anneke Zwetsloot, Senior Policy Officer, Security and Rule of Law, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs -
Messages from the Regional Alliances
Maria Fernanda Rodriguez, Senior Fellow (CIC)—Secretariat Lead, Ibero-American Alliance for Access to JusticeThemba Mahleka, Associate Director, Pathfinders (CIC)—Secretariat Lead, African Alliance for People-Centered Justice
Full Agenda
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Part I: People-Centered Justice and the Strategic Use of Data
Brazil - Hon. Justice Jaceguara Dantas da Silva, National Council of Justice & Justice of the Court of Mato Grosso do Sul
Uganda - Hon. Justice Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza, Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda
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Part II: Open Justice, Transparency, and Institutional Legitimacy
Costa Rica - Hon. Justice Gerardo Rubén Alfaro, JSupreme Court Justice, Costa Rica
Nigeria - Hon. Justice Catherine Ogunsanya, Justice of the High Court of Ogun State
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Part III: Integrating Formal and Informal Justice Pathways
Kenya - Hon. Justice Diana Rachel Kavedza-Mochache, Justice of the High Court of Kenya
Mexico - Hon. Justice Mariela Ponce, Justice of the Supreme Court of Justice of Querétaro State
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Q&A
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Closing Remarks
Colombia - Hon. Magistrate Alexandra Sandoval, Judge of the Amnesty and Pardon Chamber & Coordinator, Gender Commission, Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP)Fernando Marani, Program Director, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies (CIC)
Speakers
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Hon. Magistrate Alexandra Sandoval
Judge of the Amnesty and Pardon Chamber & Coordinator, Gender Commission, Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), Colombia
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Hon. Justice Diana Rachel Kavedza-Mochache
Justice of the High Court, Kenya
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Hon. Justice Mariela Ponce
Supreme Court of Justice of Querétaro State, Mexico
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Hon. Justice Catherine Ogunsanya
Justice of the High Court of Ogun State, Nigeria
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Hon. Justice Gerardo Rubén Alfaro
Supreme Court Justice, Costa Rica
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Hon. Justice Jaceguara Dantas da Silva
National Council of Justice and Justice of the Court of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
View All Speakers
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Hon. Justice Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza
Supreme Court Justice, Uganda
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Anneke Zwetsloot
Senior Policy Officer, Security and Rule of Law, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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Fernando Marani
Program Director, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies (NYU Center on International Cooperation)
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Maria Fernanda Rodriguez
Senior Fellow (NYU Center on International Cooperation) — Secretariat Lead, Ibero-American Alliance for Access to Justice
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Themba Mahleka
Associate Director, Pathfinders (NYU Center on International Cooperation) — Secretariat Lead, African Alliance for People-Centered Justice
