LocationsJustice beyond the courtroom: Local solutions that make a difference
September 17, 2025
Where courts and other formal institutions are distant or too costly, customary and informal mechanisms make it possible for people to access justice.
More than 5 billion people, around two thirds of the world’s population, lack meaningful access to formal justice systems. But justice doesn’t always come from a courtroom. In remote villages or in areas where traditions and customs define the lifestyle, including communities affected by crisis or conflict, people often turn to elders, religious leaders, women’s groups or local mediators. These community actors listen, negotiate and help resolve problems in ways that are familiar, accessible and culturally grounded, with solutions offered in local languages.
Customary and informal justice pathways have their challenges. They can reflect and reinforce existing inequalities, particularly for women and marginalized groups. Questions around fairness, accountability and alignment with human rights standards remain pressing. Yet, for many, turning to elders, mediators and other local offerings is the only viable path to justice, especially where formal justice avenues are distant, costly or simply out of reach.
Recognizing both the potential and the pitfalls, UNDP works with governments, civil society, international partners and local communities to support customary and informal justice systems with justice delivery that upholds the rights and dignity of all people.
In Somalia, over 95 percent of disputes are resolved by traditional elders using Xeer, the country’s centuries-old customary legal system. The elders help resolve land disputes or inter-clan conflicts, playing a central role in governance and peacebuilding. Through the Joint Justice and Corrections Programme, funded by the European Union and the Netherlands through Somalia Joint Fund, UNDP has supported elders, as well as women and youth, to gain knowledge and tools of non-violent communication, alternative dispute resolution and rights protection, engaging them in participatory and inclusive peacebuilding, reconciliation and mediation efforts. The work is aligned with Somalia’s National Justice Sector Strategy and aims to better connect customary and informal justice with formal institutions to build a justice system that works for all.
Halima Ahmed Said uses her non-violent communication skills to help settle disputes within families and neighbourhoods.
In its earlier phase, the Joint Justice Programme supported the establishment of alternative dispute resolution centres across the Federal Member States to increase access to justice for marginalized groups, in particular women. Halima Ahmed Said, a Vice Chair of the Dhusamareb Women’s Committee, became adept at non-violent communication, which she calls a powerful tool that turns conflict into connections, especially when dealing with disputes within families and neighbourhoods.
“As we unpacked their pain, it became clear that both families were yearning for the same things: respect, understanding and peace at home. When they felt heard, their anger softened. By the end, not only had they forgiven one another, but they agreed on steps to move forward together. This experience reminded me of how essential women are in building peace within our communities,” Halima said.
Through the UN Women, Peace and Protection Joint Programme, supported by the Peacebuilding Fund and Somalia Joint Fund, Fatuma Ali Iman engaged in women-led peace advocacy in Somalia’s Baidoa district. In this region, where political rivalry caused violent clashes, the Women's Peace Network was campaigning to bring the ruling party and the opposition to the negotiating table. It is one of the 17 women's networks spread across the country.
“As a grassroots network, our goal has always been to empower women in Baidoa to take active peacebuilding roles," Fatuma said. "The ripple effects have been incredible. Women now actively participate in local councils and are often the first points of contact in preventing and resolving conflicts. Our involvement has fostered a culture of peace and cooperation, demonstrating that grassroots efforts led by women are essential for community-wide stability.”
Fatuma Ali Iman works to empower women to take active roles in peacebuilding.
In Burundi, community leaders known as notables collinaires, who hold limited judiciary authority in civil matters, have long helped mediate local disputes. In 2024, UNDP worked with more than 320 of these leaders, including 100 women, strengthening their skills in peaceful conflict resolution and fostering access to justice in rural areas.
In Bangladesh, Khadija Begum, from Putia Union, Shibpur Upazila in Narsingdi, turned to a village court after her neighbour refused to repay a loan.
“The justice I received through the Village Court in just 22 days could never have been achieved elsewhere,” Khadija said.
She recovered the money, bought a cow and improved her livelihood. Accessible and affordable village courts became a reality in over 4,450 union parishads in Bangladesh due to the joint initiative of the Government, UNDP and the European Union.
In Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh, UNDP revived Mediation Forums in six unions, resolving over 160 disputes in 2024. More than 200 women completed training in mediation, with 45 undertaking specialized training in gender-sensitive approaches and gender-based violence.
UNDP supports women mediators and paralegals in Yemen, where 80 percent of disputes are resolved through customary and informal channels.
In Myanmar, UNDP’s Collaborative Dispute Resolution initiative supported 59 villages across 24 townships in 2024. In partnership with civil society organizations, more than 1,200 people were trained in mediation and community-based resolution methods. It helped reduce tensions while also creating safer, more inclusive justice spaces for women and marginalized groups.
Amidst conflict in Yemen, women struggle to access fundamental rights, including opportunities to study, work and achieve justice. As 80 percent of disputes in Yemen are resolved through community-based mechanisms, UNDP supported women mediators and paralegals to provide services though these customary and informal networks. In 2024 alone, women mediators and paralegals resolved over 1,300 grassroots disputes, primarily family-related, in partnership with local civil society organizations such as the Youth Horizon Foundation, making this initiative a critical lifeline for those most in need.
In addition, UNDP strengthened cooperation between civil society and the government, enabling community-based platforms to play a recognized role in delivering people-centred justice.
“Yemen now has 160 community justice workers, more than half of them women, embedded within police stations and local courts. Women paralegals are receiving cases not only from community members but also from police stations, local courts and prisons, contributing to workload reduction of formal rule of law institutions,” said Judge Abdulkarim Ba Abad, Deputy Minister of Justice in Yemen.
In June 2025, on the sidelines of the World Justice Forum, UNDP and partners co-hosted a Global Convening on Strengthening Customary and Informal Pathways to People-Centred Justice to spotlight the role of customary and informal systems in delivering justice for all. The event launched a global advocacy campaign, reinforcing the message that justice must be inclusive, accessible and rooted in the realities of people’s lives. This strategic innovation on customary and informal justice work, done in collaboration with national partners, is made possible by the support of the governments of Germany and the Netherlands.
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