“Although Covid-19 initially led to a public health crisis in Latin America and the Caribbean, it soon also became a crisis of governance with unprecedented economic, social, and political consequences for a region already experiencing deep pre-existing structural inequalities. The pandemic has increased social tension and conflicts, creating a strain over social cohesion. This situation has been exacerbated by the limitations faced by judicial systems, as they have had to reduce their services and limit access to justice, significantly affecting the implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

According to the report by Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, published under the name ‘Justice for all and the public health emergency’, “it is more critical than ever that we transform justice systems, support the independence of justice institutions, bring justice services closer to the people that need them the most, encourage constructive engagement between the formal system and local alternatives and tackle the root causes of injustice that have left people and societies vulnerable to the broader impacts of the pandemic”. An institutional transformation is necessary to guarantee that access to justice, both in the context of COVID-19 and in the future, is held as a way to promote and protect human rights, and to bring to life the UNDP motto of “leave no one behind”.”

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