Context and Evolving Challenges
The global landscape for justice, rule of law, and human rights is facing compounding
challenges amidst rising authoritarianism, political instability and declining international
solidarity. The contraction of official development assistance (ODA), significant cuts in foreign
aid, the significant reorientation in U.S. foreign aid and a diminishing commitment to
multilateralism have placed justice institutions and human rights protection systems under
extraordinary strain. These pressures undermine ongoing efforts for peacebuilding, access to
justice, and the protection of human rights in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
Indeed, ODA has experienced notable shifts. In 2023, ODA from Development Assistance
Committee (DAC) member countries reached an all-time high of USD 223.3 billion,
representing a 1.6% increase from 2022 in real terms. Only a small fraction—less than 2%—
was allocated toward justice, rule of law, and human rights programming. Since 2023, 17
OECD DAC members reduced their ODA contributions and shifted priorities away from
institution-building and governance reform1. The termination by the United States of over $27
billion of USAID grants and contracts has added to the strained financial context for
development actors.
Tests to the Global Peace Architecture and Human Rights Protection Mechanisms
The erosion of multilateralism is evident in the weakening of international institutions and
frameworks that have historically facilitated coordinated global responses to development
challenges.
UN member states are notably and increasingly retreating from peacekeeping commitments,
leading to a decline in global support for UN peacekeeping: the number of deployed
peacekeepers dropping by nearly 25% between 2015 and 2020 2. In addition, there is growing
disunity among member states, which undermines the collective political backing essential for
effective missions.
This coincides with rising constraints on civil society. As of 2024, 118 countries imposed
restrictions on civic actors, with legal repression and arbitrary detentions increasingly
unchecked due to weakened support for national human rights institutions. In several states,
donor-supported legal aid systems have been suspended, removing lifelines for marginalized
populations facing discrimination and arbitrary arrest.
1 OECD (2024). Slight Increase in Official Development Assistance in 2023.
2 Source: UN Peacekeeping
These trends are even more worrisome as global peace continues to deteriorate. The 2024
Global Peace Index reported a 0.56% decline in peacefulness, marking the twelfth
deterioration in the last sixteen years. Moreover, despite gains in some countries attributed to
anti-corruption measures, judicial reforms, and efforts to improve government transparency,
the rule of law has weakened in 59% of the 142 countries assessed – the seventh consecutive
year of global decline3.
In recent multilateral fora, the foundational principles of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs)—such as universality, indivisibility, and leaving no one behind—have increasingly
come under strain. Deepening geopolitical rivalries, growing economic nationalism, and
divergent national priorities have led some member states to question the relevance or
applicability of certain SDGs, particularly those related to climate action, gender equality, and
governance. This has contributed to a fragmented multilateral landscape, where consensus
on shared global goals is becoming more difficult to maintain.
The United Nations reaffirmed its approach to peace with the Pact for the Future, adopted in
2024 at the UN Summit of the Future and reiterating member states' commitment to national
ownership, inclusive participation, and strategic partnerships with regional organizations and
financial institutions to support peacebuilding efforts. The upcoming 2025 Peacebuilding
Architecture Review aims to operationalize these commitments by improving coherence
across UN bodies, ensuring adequate and predictable financing, and reinforcing the support
to national prevention strategies and post-conflict transitions. This review presents an
opportunity to address challenges such as shrinking peacebuilding budgets and to explore
innovative funding mechanisms to sustain peacebuilding initiatives worldwide.
Conclusion and Call to Action
The erosion of support for justice, human rights, and the rule of law is not merely a funding
issue—it is a global governance crisis. Without renewed political commitment and financial
investment, the world risks a rollback of fundamental freedoms and democratic gains.
UNDP recognizes the urgent need to reimagine partnerships to ensure that rule of law, justice,
security, and human rights remain central to global development efforts. Traditional alliances
with member states, the UN system, and civil society are increasingly complemented by more
recent engagements with non-state actors, including the private sector, technology firms, and
regional organizations, broadening the base of entry points to protect, promote and advance
the rule of law and human rights.
For UNDP’s Global Programme and its partners, 2025 is also a pivotal year. UNDP is currently
preparing its new Strategic Plan – the draft was recently submitted to the Executive Board for
review.
In addition, the Global Programme is closing its fourth phase and preparing the fifth one,
amidst structural changes within UNDP aiming at fostering multidisciplinary approaches,
programmes and policies across the rule of law, conflict prevention and governance fields.
Annual Meeting Objectives
The 2025 Annual Meeting will serve as a critical platform to:
• Reflect on and close the Phase IV of UNDP’s Global Programme for Strengthening the
Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and
Development.
3 World Justice Project, Rule of Law Index 2024
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• Prepare Phase V of the Global Programme, contributing to its definition, priorities and
ensuring it is fit for purpose.
• Harness collective intelligence to anticipate the future evolutions of the Rule of Law
and Human Rights field, and devise strategies, approaches and partnership modalities
that can best mitigate risks and maximize impact.
• Discuss the role of non-traditional stakeholders and explore the best way to engage
them in the promotion of the rule of law, justice, security and human rights.
• Build horizontal ties across the Global Programme team members, partners,
champions and friends.
What to expect
Through the opening session and three thematic plenary sessions, the Global Programme
team and its partners aim to explore the impact of the current transformations of the
development landscape on its main portfolios. More precisely, we aim to:
• Anticipate the future of security and justice programming, in particular while navigating
hybrid governance systems in crisis and conflict-affected contexts;
• Examine best practices for the safeguarding of democratic and human rights principles
and values;
• Devise an approach to de-risking finance and how human rights due diligence, data
and disclosure can limit risks in finance markets.
Format and Participation
The 2025 Annual Meeting will take place over three days, from 10 to 12 June 2025, in a hybrid
format. The in-person segment will be held in New York, with the option of remote participation.
UNDP is committed to providing a space for frank conversations, ensuring that the dialogue
remains solution driven. The goal is to collectively define what is achievable and identify the
best pathways to reaching our shared objectives. Alongside these discussions, select public
sessions will showcase best practices, case studies, and innovative approaches to tackling
global justice and security challenges.
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Agenda
Day 1: Tuesday 10 June 2025
08:00 Breakfast and registration
High-Level Opening Session
Location: Doha Room, 11th floor, UNDP, FF Building, 304 E 45th St, New York and
online
Welcoming Remarks and Moderation: Ms. Shoko Noda, Assistant Secretary-General,
Assistant Administrator and Director, UNDP Crisis Bureau (in person)
Opening Remarks: Mr. Haoliang Xu, Under Secretary-General and Associate
Administrator, UNDP (in person)
Opening Remarks: H.E. Ms. Katja Lasseur, ECOSOC Ambassador, Permanent
Representation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations in New York (in
person)
09:00-
10:15 Speakers:
• H.E. Mr. Mohammed El Habib Belkouch, Inter-ministerial Delegate for Human Rights,
Inter-Ministerial Delegation for Human Rights, Kingdom of Morocco (virtual)
• H.E. Dr. Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande, Permanent Representative of the Republic
of Malawi to the United Nations, Republic of Malawi (in person)
• Mr. Alexandre Zouev, Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security
Institutions, United Nations Department of Peace Operations (in person)
• Ms. Jan Beagle, Director-General, International Development Law Organization (in
person)
• Hon. Syed Refaat Ahmed, Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Supreme Court of
Bangladesh (video recording)
Statements from the floor: If representatives from Member States would like to register,
please contact [email protected] and [email protected].
10:15- Coffee break
10:45
10:45- Plenary 1 – Justice & Security – Secure Futures: Forging the Future of Rule of
12:00 Law, Justice and Security: Inclusive Pathways for a Turbulent World
Location: Doha Room, 11th floor, UNDP, FF Building, 304 E 45th St, New York and
online
Moderator: Ms. Katy Thompson, Co-Director, Governance, Rule of Law and
Peacebuilding Hub, UNDP (in person)
Opening Remarks: Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Assistant Secretary-General and
Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination and
Programme Results, UN Women (in person)
Speakers:
• H.E. General Ahmad Hajjar, Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Government of
Lebanon (Virtual)
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• Amb. Nathalie Chuard, Director, Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance
(DCAF) (Virtual)
• Dr. Alejandro Ponce, Executive Director, World Justice Project (virtual)
• Ms. Elsie Attafuah, Resident Representative, UNDP Nigeria Country Office (virtual)
• Ms. Angela Yasmith Cerón, Director, Colombian Women's Initiative Alliance for
Peace (virtual)
12:00- Lunch for in-person participants
13:00
17:00- In-person networking cocktail
19:30
Location: Ophelia Lounge, Beekman Tower, 3 Mitchell Place, 26th Floor, New York
Day 2: Wednesday 11 June 2025
08:00 Breakfast
09:00- Plenary 2 – Business and Human Rights – D-Risk Investment: how human rights
10:15 due diligence can help investors mitigate risks
Location: Doha Room, 11th floor, UNDP, FF Building, 304 E 45th St, New York and online
Moderator: Mr. Valentijn Wortelboer, Senior Policy Officer on the Rule of Law and
Peacebuilding, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (in person)
Opening Remarks: Ms. Chambu Mwavita Chantal, Minister of Human Rights,
Democratic Republic of the Congo (virtual)
Speakers:
• Ms. Amanda Zillig, Global Human Rights Programme Lead, ING Group (virtual)
• Ms. Kiran Aziz, Head of Responsible Investments, KLP Kapitalforvaltning (virtual)
• Ms. Alreem Kamal, Legal Officer, Human Rights and Business Unit, Syrian Legal
Development Programme (virtual)
• Dr. Kerstin Waltenberg, Human Rights Officer, Volkswagen Group, Member of the EU
Global Gateway Business Advisory Group (in virtual)
• Ms. Nalori Chakma, Transition Minerals Advocacy Coordinator, Investors-
Indigenous Peoples Working Group or “Yethiya Wihe” (in person)
10:15- Coffee Break
10:30
10:30- Plenary 3 and Closing Session – Human Rights – Upholding Human Rights &
11:45 Dignity: Practical Safeguarding of Democratic and Human Rights Principles and
Values in Development
Location: Doha Room, 11th floor, UNDP, FF Building, 304 E 45th St, New York and online
Moderator: Ms. Marina Walter, Deputy Regional Director for the Regional Bureau for
Arab States, UNDP (in person)
Speakers:
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• Ms. Chiara Adamo, Deputy to the Director in DG INTPA - Directorate of Human
Development, Migration, Governance, Peace and Security, European
Commission (virtual)
• Ms. Ilze Brands-Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the New
York Office, UN Human Rights Office (in person)
• (Ret.) Judge Maria Amifaith S. Fider-Reyes, Commissioner, Commission on
Human Rights of the Philippines (in person)
• Mr. Damian Mama, Resident Representative, UNDP Democratic Republic of the
Congo Country Office (virtual)
11:45- Lunch for in-person participants
12:45
Day 3: Thursday 12 June 2025
08:30- Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Partners Advisory Group Meeting – By
11:30 Invitation Only
11:30- Lunch for in-person participants
12:30
