In this interview Professor Chandra Lekha Sriram and Global Policy discuss the state of play for rule of law and access to justice programming in conflict affected and transitioning countries. The interview begins with a discussion of the contemporary shift towards the provision of justice as a mechanism for human development as opposed to economic growth. It is suggested that although this move has been embraced by notable state based development agencies, major international institutions are only beginning to explore this trend. The discussion then moves onto the tensions between the need to work with local, informal justice providers and the desire to uphold international human rights standards; a difficulty compounded by the lack of contextual knowledge among the mainstream literature on justice provision. The discussion shifts towards the challenges posed by criminals that use borders to their advantage, and the pressing need to further understand the interface between political economies and the specific justice needs of post-conflict societies. The interview concludes with advice for academics and early career practitioners interested in exploring the rule of law field.
For more on these issues please see Professor Sriram’s Column for Global Policy and latest book: Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding on the Ground Victims and Ex-Combatants.
