MEDIA INVITATION: Commonwealth Secretary-General available for interviews on justice issues

Media Invitation: Commonwealth Secretary-General available for interviews on justice issues Secretary-General Patricia Scotland is available to speak about the importance of ...access to justice for all. The biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Meeting (CLMM) will be taking place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 4 to 7 November on the theme ‘Equal access to justice and the rule of law’. Law Ministers and Attorneys-General from 53 countries will gather to discuss how to tackle barriers to access to justice, such as costs and poverty, distrust of the justice system, and corruption. Some 1.4 billion people are left with unmet civil and administrative justice needs, with the poorest and most marginalised people suffering most. The consequences of these issues, if not addressed, can be severe. Commonwealth law ministers will discuss potential solutions that look beyond dispute resolution, to equality of outcomes. These include developments in technology, citizen-focused approaches and specialised justice delivery. The Commonwealth also helps countries tackle these issues through technical assistance, legal tools and specialised networks. To requests an interview with the Secretary-General [in person or remotely], please contact: Josephine Latu-Sanft Senior Communications Officer Communications Division Commonwealth Secretariat Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6476 Email: j.latu-sanft@ commonwealth.int