Governments urged to ensure access to justice for poor

Access to justice is a human right in itself and everyone, including the poorest and marginalized should enjoy it.

That's what the United Nations independent expert on extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda says in a proposal ahead of a major meeting at the United Nations.

She is urging governments to commit themselves to improve access to justice for the poor at the international high-level meeting on the rule of law, to be held in the General Assembly on 24 September.

She says that the rule of law is meaningless for people living in poverty without effective access to justice.

Ms Sepúlveda is urging states to make concrete pledges at the forthcoming meeting to improve access to justice by the poorest in their societies.