Your Excellency, Mr. Ken Saitō, Minister of Justice of Japan, 

Your Excellency, Ms. Azalina Othman Said, Minister of Law and Institutional Reform of Malaysia,

Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Japan for inviting the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to participate in this first-ever gathering of ASEAN and G7 Ministers of Justice.

It is a timely moment when our world is facing a myriad of interlinked crises, fromviolent conflicts to a climate emergency that is leaving a devastating trail of destruction in its wake.

Worryingly, it is estimated that just 12% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets are currently on track.

That includes a stalling progress in SDG 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions.

Today, I would like to outline three key directions of change informed by the recent evaluation of UNDP's work on access to justice by our Independent Evaluation Office.

First, there is a need for international cooperation to promote investment in people-centered justice as one of the cornerstones of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

This meeting is a notable step in building Member State coalitions across regions and countries to this end -- an effort to be applauded. 

This is also the aim of a related global initiative, the Justice Action Coalition, a growing multi-stakeholder group that aims to close the global justice gap.

Its members include several countries represented here today including Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, and the United States.

In line with these efforts, in 2022, UNDP's Global Programme on Rule of Law and Human Rights provided tailored assistance to over 100 countries, including ASEAN Member States.

UNDP globally supported approximately 85 million people to gain improved access to justice.

To take just one example, consider looking to Thailand, where UNDP is working with the Court of Justice, to make justice process more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly --especially for marginalized groups.

Second, to achieve greater justice in our global economy, it is essential that the private sector integrates human rights into its operations.

UNDP is proud to work across the globe to provide tailored support to enable the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.  

This includes supporting Ministries of Justice and the judiciaries to foster effective remedies and accountabilities when injustice is done.

With the support from UNDP, Thailand became the first country in the region to adopt a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights with more in the pipeline including Indonesia, Viet Nam, and Malaysia. 

Through these plans, governments across ASEAN, the European Union and beyond are sending strong signals to trading partners that assign the highest importance to human rights.

Business and human rights is therefore a vital area for further cooperation amongst ASEAN Member States, the G7 and beyond.

Third, the growing climate emergency requires a new approach to justice

UNDP is placing increasing emphasis on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, including the rights of future generations, 

That includes our first-ever global strategy on environmental justice.

We are working with countries and communities to ensure that national legal frameworks put the new recognition of this right into action. 

For example, in the Asia-Pacific region, UNDP is supporting the Youth Advisory Group on Environmental and Climate Justice to empower young environmental activists.

Excellencies, Distinguished Ministers, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is an immensely challenging moment for human rights and the rule of law. I would like to congratulate ASEAN and Japan for adopting the workplan yesterday outlining cooperation on law and justice and UNDP looks forward to supporting its implementation.

As part of the UN family, UNDP is proud to be able to support countries to directly confront these challenges through our Global Programme on Rule of Law and Human Rights that is generously supported by Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. 

Yet closing the justice gap requires more sustained investments at national and international levels at a time when Official Development Assistance towards justice represents only 1% of bilateral aid -- compared to 7% allocated to education and 13% to health.

Indeed, we mark the 75^th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2023.

Three-quarters of a century since its adoption, the Declaration not only inspires, but obligates us to continue to ensure dignity, freedom, and justice for all. All countries shoulder an inherent responsibility to actively nurture it.

Thank you.