Call to Action on Strengthening Diverse Pathways to People-Centered Justice

Customary, informal, and other community-based systems are used by the vast majority of justice  seekers to claim their rights, seek redress for grievances, and resolve disputes; these systems tend to be  more affordable, faster, and more proximate than formal justice pathways, and enjoy high levels of local  legitimacy. This form of engagement is a cost-effective, evidence-based solution for delivering justice at  scale.  

Effective interface and coherence between formal justice systems and customary, informal, and  community-based actors and practices can deliver people-centered justice solutions, not only enhancing  access to justice and the rule of law and adherence to international human rights norms and standards,  but also contributing to stability and sustaining peace, and advancing land and climate justice, among  other aims.  

Building on momentum generated at the Global Convening for Strengthening Customary and Informal  Pathways to People-Centered Justice, we invite States, international organizations, civil society, the private  sector, and knowledge institutions to support the following Call to Action:  

1. We recognize the centrality of customary and informal justice (CIJ) actors and practices in  achieving people-centered justice, and that engagement with CIJ actors represents a key  opportunity to leverage and scale-up existing people-centered justice solutions  
2. We reiterate the importance of ensuring adherence to international and national human rights  norms and standards, as well as procedural safeguards and jurisdictional boundaries  
3. We affirm the urgent need to empower justice seekers, especially people from marginalized  constituencies, to actively participate in and fully benefit from customary and informal justice  systems  
4. We affirm the specific need to advance women’s and girls’ participation and leadership and  ensure the protection of their rights in customary and informal justice systems 
5. We call for development of an enabling policy environment that integrates customary and  informal justice into official frameworks and policy processes at global, regional, national, and  sub-national levels to ensure that these community centered solutions gain the recognition and  support needed to thrive  
6. We call for increased investment in justice and in customary and informal justice specifically, by  States, international organizations, private sector, civil society, and knowledge institutions, with  sustained and targeted funding to scale up diverse justice systems in ways that meet local needs,  bridge justice gaps, and foster resilience in communities  
7. We call for efforts to strengthen local leadership and capacity in CIJ systems, ensuring that  financing and institutional support recognizes and empowers local justice leaders, fostering  national ownership and sustainability  
8. We welcome high-ambition commitments to the global campaign launched at the World Justice  Forum 2025 on June 27, 2025, with commitment-makers invited to register specific, measurable  pledges to promote transparency, monitoring, and accountability  
9. We encourage stakeholders worldwide to join this Call to Action.

Endorse the Call to Action here ➝