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Justice • Oct 07, 2025

Telling a Story for why Justice Matters: People-Centered Justice as a Pathway to Better, More Accountable Governance

This Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit side event will explore why justice matters for broader governance priorities and how it connects to areas such as transparency, service delivery, and trust in institutions.

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October 7, 2025 | 8:30–10:00 a.m. (GMT +2) | In-person only

Hotel NH Canciller Ayala Vitoria (Ramón y Cajal, Araba Kalea, 5, 01007 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain)

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​Across the world, and to varying degrees, Open Government Partnership members face governance challenges such as declining trust in institutions, persistent inequalities, and public services that do not always meet people’s needs. Meanwhile, justice systems are not always equipped to respond effectively – they may be underfunded, difficult to access, or distant from the issues people encounter in their daily lives. A people-centered approach offers a constructive path forward by showing how justice can strengthen broader governance efforts.

​This session brings together governance practitioners who may not work explicitly in the justice sector but whose agendas intersect with it. Through joint brainstorming, we will explore why justice matters for broader governance priorities and how it connects to areas such as transparency, service delivery, and trust in institutions. Participants will also consider practical tools, from digitalization to inclusive policymaking, that can help link justice with the wider governance agenda.

Objectives

  • Formulate a compelling narrative that links people-centered justice to governance objectives of OGP members
  • Support participants in conceiving entry points for integrating people-centered justice into OGP Action Plans and national governance strategies.

Agenda

Framing and Opening Panel (20 minutes)

  • Dr. Reyson Lizardo, Director of Coordination and Monitoring of the Digital Agenda, Government Office for Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC), Ministry of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic
  • Mr. Shahid Korjie, Coordinator, Justice Sector Coordination Office, Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone
  • Mr. Fernando Marani, Program Director, Justice, Inclusion, and Equality, Pathfinders, Center on International Cooperation at New York University
  • (Facilitation) Ms. Zainab Z. Malik, Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL)

Interactive Group Work (40 minutes)

All participants will be divided into small groups for this portion of the event

  • (Facilitation) Mr. Roman Meier, Justice Analyst, UNDP
  • (Facilitation) Ms. Zainab Z. Malik, Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor, HiiL
  • (Facilitation) Mr. Nate Edwards, Program Officer Justice for All, Pathfinders, Center on International Cooperation at New York University

Presentation of Group Work and Plenary Discussion (25 minutes)

Small groups will be given the opportunity to present their ideas back to the larger group.

​This is a side event during the 2025 OGP Summit. It is hosted by the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL), Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just, and Inclusive Societies, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

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