An effective and accountable security and justice system is fundamental to protecting individual rights, preventing violent conflict and providing a foundation for economic development.
The UN estimates that up to four billion people globally live outside fair and functioning justice systems, denying them property rights, redress for abuses or protection from violence. Poor people themselves cite insecurity and powerlessness as some of the biggest impediments to a better life. Women and children are disproportionately affected, particularly in conflict and post-conflict situations where they face high risks of sexual violence.
The UK treats security and access to justice as a basic service, on a level with health and education, and a fundamental right as recognised in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The UK also recognises that to achieve sustainable peace, a functioning economy and sound public services, the state needs to be able to protect itself and its territory from internal and external challenges by establishing a monopoly over the legitimate use of force.
DFID supports the development of more effective and accountable security and justice providers, both state (such as police and judiciary) and non-state (informal, often community-based authorities such as village chiefs and other traditional leaders).
For example, DFID is helping Sierra Leone build faster, fairer and cheaper security and justice services and to hold service providers to account. This £19m programme will:
- Increase access to justice for ordinary people by broadening the breadth and depth of formal and informal justice provision;
- Help implement the Criminal Procedures Act, to enforce the constitutional rights of criminal suspects and defendants, and national justice strategy;
- Address violence against women through Family Support Units;
- Reduce prison overcrowding;
- Provide access to paralegal services for 50% of the population; and
- Ensure security around the 2012 elections.
In Bangladesh, the Acid Survivors Foundation received £850,000 of support from DFID (2004-11) to provide medical treatment, counselling and support to hundreds of acid attack survivors. The Foundation's work has led to a 65% drop in acid attacks per year as well as securing new legislation creating serious penalties for perpetrators of acid attacks.