Readout of Justice Department Officials Participation in UN High Level Political Forum to Highlight UN Sustainable Development Goal 16

This past week, Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer and Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice participated in the United Nations (UN) High Level Political Forum in New York as part of the official U.S. delegation to the Forum. The UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is a platform for the review of progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Goals of the Agenda at a global level. This year, the Forum focused on UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), among other goals. The Office for Access to Justice is mandated to assist the United States with the implementation of SDG 16, which focuses on establishing peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

On July 11, Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer delivered the United States National Statement on UN SDG 16, where he highlighted the efforts of the United States to advance equal access to justice. During his time at the Forum, Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer met with a range of stakeholders to discuss cooperation on access to justice, including foreign officials and civil society organizations working to advance equality for all.

On July 16, Director Rossi engaged in an informal listening session, convened by the Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights at New York University School of Law. The listening session provided a unique opportunity for Director Rossi to connect with community leaders in New York and hear their reflections on how the goals of SDG 16 relate to their vision of peace and justice. Organizations participating in the listening session were the Bernstein Institute for Human Rights at NYU Law, Jailhouse Lawyer Initiative, Common Justice organization, Hour Children, Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice, Cardozo Law School, Women Who NEVER Give Up, Center for Institutional and Social Change, Columbia Law School, Defying Legal Gravity, Paralegal Pathways Initiative, Columbia Law School, Bronx Defenders, and the Columbia Center for Justice CUNY Law, Formerly Incarcerated Law Student Association.

Following the listening session, Director Rossi gave welcoming remarks for the official United States side event "Turning the Tide: Scaling SDG for the Future, Reinforcing Access to Justice, and Advancing Democracy." This side event elevated the sustainable, resilient, innovative, and people-centered approaches that governments and stakeholders are employing to advance implementation of SDG 16.

The Office for Access to Justice also hosted a convening to initiate discussions on how the office can best serve as a connector of cross-sector stakeholders to better advance access to justice through the implementation of SDG 16. Convening attendees, including cities, counties, systems impacted individuals, civil society organizations, and federal government partners, discussed how regular engagement going forward can assist to generate knowledge, ensure visibility across efforts, inspire action, and connect data to policy to advance equal access to justice for all. Director Rossi provided remarks for the session which shaped the role of the Office for Access to Justice and the intention of the office in support of SDG 16.3, to promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure access to justice for all.

Director Rossi also met with the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers to discuss SDG 16 and legal empowerment in advancing human rights at the international level.

Acting Associate Attorney General Mizer delivered the United States National Statement on UN SDG 16.Director Rossi giving welcoming remarks for the official United States side event Turning the Tide: Scaling SDG for the Future, Reinforcing Access to Justice, and Advancing Democracy. Director Rossi and participants of the informal listening session convened by the Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights at New York University School of Law.Director Rossi engaging participants in discussion at the Access to Justice and SDG 16: Building Together Towards the 2030 Agenda in the United States.

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