Rule of law, justice, security and human rights

The protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms is highly inconsistent across the region. Effective rule of law, weak national human rights protection systems, lack of democratic policing, politically compromised judicial systems, and a general lack of access to justice are some of the most significant challenges.

While most countries and territories in the Western Balkans have relatively stable democracies, several countries elsewhere in the Europe and Central Asia region continue to be highly restrictive politically.

A legacy of armed conflicts and violence, prevailing impunity for perpetrators of serious crimes, lack of access to justice for victims, and a high number of available and untracked weapons are big challenges to stable development and sustainable peace.

Rates of sexual and gender-based violence remain high, and effective options for accessing immediate protection are often lacking.

In Albania, identifying missing persons is a necessary step to the healing of the nation’s past crimes.

Increasing women’s presence in police and military means better and more inclusive security responses.

A “Bus of Solidarity” brings legal aid into remote regions of Kyrgyzstan.

UNDP works for improved rule of law. justice, security and human rights by:

supporting governments in strengthening national systems of human rights protection;
developing more effective justice systems together with national authorities;
supporting governments to improve legal frameworks and increase people’s access to justice;
promoting a participatory approach to citizen and community security;
supporting efforts to prevent and reduce sexual and gender-based violence; and
enabling societies to recover from the legacy of violence.