At the UN General Assembly High-Level Debate on Equal Access to Justice For All on June 15th, 2023, Richard Arbeiter, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, spoke about Canada’s proposal of the historic resolution on equal access to justice for all, adopted at the 32nd UN CCPCJ in late May. This resolution is a crucial step in working to end the criminalization of poverty and status around the world.

A full statement was also given by Leah Conklin, from ILF, on behalf of the Campaign, drawing on issues raised in the Cape Declaration and emphasising the necessity of an inclusive expert group on the decriminalisation of poverty and status.

Watch the full debate here:

(Part 1) High-level debate of the General Assembly on “Equal Access to Justice for All: Advancing Reforms for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies

(Part 2) General Assembly: High-level debate on “Equal access to justice for all: advancing reforms for peaceful, just and inclusive societies”, 77th session