The Global Judicial Integrity Network is one of the key results of the efforts of the UNODC Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, which aims to assist Member States in implementing key areas of the Doha Declaration adopted at the Thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2015.
The Global Judicial Integrity Network was launched in April 2018 in Vienna at a high-level event that brought together over 350 high-level participants, including 35 Chief Justices and other senior representatives of judiciaries, from 106 countries and 40 judicial associations, thus representing the largest gathering of judges ever organized under the auspices of the United Nations.
The launch event concluded with the adoption of the terms of reference of the Network and a landmark Declaration on Judicial Integrity. In addition, the launch participants endorsed the composition of the first Advisory Board of the Network and UNODC was tasked with the secretariat role.
As set out in the terms of reference, the Network assists judiciaries in strengthening judicial integrity and preventing corruption in the justice system, including through the promotion of networking opportunities, facilitation of access to resources and concentration on existing and emerging challenges related to judicial integrity.
Within a little over one year of existence, the Global Judicial Integrity Network has successfully created a global movement for the strengthening of judicial integrity and the level of participation and interest from judiciaries and other stakeholders continues to grow. The Network’s work and activities have been guided by an ambitious 2018-2019 Workplan developed by the Advisory Board, and some of the concrete achievements include the finalization of the widely applicable Judicial Ethics Training Tools; the development of several knowledge products; the organization of meetings and networking opportunities; and the provision of peer-support and guidance.
The purpose of the second High-Level Meeting of the Network is to:
i) take stock of the achievements of the Network since its launch and discuss the work conducted in the priority areas of the 2018-2019 workplan of the Network;
(ii) discuss existing and emerging challenges related to judicial integrity and explore the efforts made by judiciaries to address them; and
(iii) identify priority areas for the Network going forward.
Judicial Integrity Network Advisory Board
