6 Jul 2017
Dr. Andreas Baumgartner, Executive Director of DRA, will host a forum on “The Justice Goal of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: An Invitation to Excellence for Justice Systems” at this year’s IACA-NACM Conference in Washington, D.C. 09:15 AM 10:15 AM Conference Theater on Wednesday July 12th 2017
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), officially known as “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” including Goal 16, the “justice and peace” goal, were hailed by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon as nothing less than “a defining moment in human history.” Critics called the SDGs “a mess.” This session will explore why the SDGs, especially Goal 16, demand the attention of NACM and IACA members.
Q&A:
Andreas, why is it important that justice is part of the Sustainable Development Goals?
The Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs as they are known, specify 17 goals that – taken together – can and will make a real difference to the lives of all of us, current and future generations. They span from fighting poverty and hunger via education all the way to economic development and climate action. At the end of the day, they aim for a new model of development, and of cooperation across the globe. Justice, and the rule of law, are essential enablers for achieving this aspiration. As it says explicitly in the SDGs: “An integrated approach is crucial for progress across the multiple goals.”
So, what do the SDGs actually say about justice and rule of law?
SDG 16 states, and I quote in excerpts: “Peace, stability, human rights and effective governance based on the rule of law are important conduits for sustainable development. […] The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to significantly reduce all forms of violence, and work with governments and communities to find lasting solutions to conflict and insecurity. Strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights is key to this process.” This assigns even more weight and importance, yet also responsibility, to the important work of the judiciary, and hence all of us.
Why should people join your session in Washington DC?
Ingo Keillitz, the main speaker, is a true expert in this matter, with very interesting perspectives. He combines practical experience in advising courts and other judicial institutions with a strong World Bank and research background. And he has done so on a global scale.
Together with my own global background at the overlap between business, law, and politics, including at McKinsey, then the Office of Tony Blair, and now the DRA, I promise: This will be a very practical session, focused on what can be done, and how. To put it in the words of Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway: “a little less conversation, a little more action”.
For more on United Nation’s Sustainable Development go to their website:
