Latha Poonamallee, Ph.D.’s Post

What if we could know—really know—what works to reduce violence and strengthen justice systems? IPA is excited to launch the Rule of Law Initiative (RLI). By bridging the gap between research and action, RLI aims to equip decision-makers with evidence-based solutions to reduce violence, strengthen justice systems, and ensure safer communities. RLI will drive change by: 1️⃣ Building a knowledge-sharing network 2️⃣ Developing a global learning agenda 3️⃣ Synthesizing what works for actionable insights 4️⃣ Investing in cutting-edge research Learn more about our activities in our blog post: bit.ly/rliblog #PeaceAndRecovery #MoreEvidenceLessPoverty #RuleofLaw

📈 WP1 results Research report Normative, policy, legal and organisational contexts shaping the responsiveness of social services to citizen participation The main findings of this report are based on an analysis of four different dimensions of citizen participation in personal targeted social services in each country: • Narratives about citizen participation in policy, practitioner and activist sources for the four types of social service. • Legal frameworks for participation. • Policy guidance (mandatory or advisory) on how to implement citizen participation in social services. • Organisational structures for citizen participation in social services, both at sector-level and within individual social services. The report is part of the Horizon Europe research and innovation project ‘Increasing responsiveness to citizen voice in social services across Europe’ (RESPONSIVE) that runs from 2023-2026. For more click 👉 [https://lnkd.in/d7rtiTHw]

❗ WP1 results Executive Summary Normative, policy, legal and organisational contexts shaping the responsiveness of social services to citizen participation 🔎 This report analyses the existing legal, policy and organisational frameworks in six EU countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Poland, Portugal, Romania) for incorporating the voices of citizens into the development and implementation of personal targeted social services. It focuses on four different types of social service: • Community-based disability services • Mental health services • Child protection services • Services for young people at risk of social exclusion ➡ The analysis is part of the Horizon Europe research and innovation project ‘Increasing responsiveness to citizen voice in social services across Europe’ (RESPONSIVE) that runs from 2023-2026. For more click 👉 [https://lnkd.in/dibkYmXT]

The title of this new report from Social Justice Ireland contains a very important message for policy and decision- makers everywhere. As the international community increasingly focuses on how to respond to the existential threat of climate change, it is inportant that necessary climate action is embedded in a wider pilicy approach, prioritiizing social justice amongst other issues. Over the past few decades, the internationally dominant, free- market, neoliberal, economic model has focussed principally on wealth creation. This era of neoliberal economics is drawing to a close , not least because of the undeniable and damaging impacts of such economic policies on the viability of our natural world and on the stability of our climate. Part of the challenge in trying to reimagine how humanity can engage differently with the world at the start of the twenty- first century is the need to fundamentally rethink our economo model. A “ Wellbring Economy” is a popular concept that is now gaining currency. This approach places a much greater emphasis on promoting human and planetary well- being and moving away from a preoccupation with the maximisation of economic growth. If the Wellbeing Economy is to become a reality, the way in which economic policy and decision - making happens will also need to change. This new Wellbeing economic paradigm will call for policy and decision-making to take place within more integrated policy frameworks ( such as the SDGs) where social, environmental, economic, cultural and governance dimensions are all considered as part of processes involving diverse and representative stakeholders before decisions are made or policies adopted. It is certain that societies , especially in developed countries, will struggle to decarbonize their lifestyles and to make the behavioural and other changes necessary to avert the possibility of catastrophic climate change. But if policy- makers can ensure that a strong commitment to social justice and to addressing existing social inequalities form part of the way in which climate action programmes are implemented, the inevitable public resistance to new climate measures will be significantly alleviated. This is particularly true where working class communities are involved, as concerns about issues of poverty and inequality tend to dominate these communities, and climate action is often understood to further penalise the less well off. A Global Green New Deal has the potential to give governments everywhere the financial respurcez to ensure the prioritization of social justice and the ability to address existing economic deprivation and inequality as part of future global decarbonization efforts undertaken. And where the Global South/ Majority World is concerned, a Global Green New Dealand the resources it would mobilise could begin to address historical inequities and injustices between the developed and developing worlds. Social Justice Matters!

Don’t miss out on our upcoming webinar! Join this webinar to learn about the current state of restorative justice, emerging trends and how organisations like Restorative Justice For All (RJ4All) International Institute can help support the justice sector. Learn more and register to attend: https://ow.ly/Wfmn50TPV0z #RestorativeJustice #Webinar #JusticeEvents #Justice

"Implementation is different from advocacy—advocacy gets you airborne; it’s implementation that lets you stick the landing. But to succeed, effective implementation must be just as relentless, just as fortified against resistance, and just as rooted in the local context and players as the most effective advocacy campaign." Fantastic report from the Center for Justice Innovation on an often under-looked topic: how we ensure successful implementation of justice reform legislation. As a field, we often struggle to find the right balance between being broad ("let the agencies figure it out") and prescriptive ("here are all the mechanics and rules" ) in our policy making. The result can yield unintended consequences. Lots of great recommendations for addressing this challenge including more funding to support implementation, better data reporting, and high-levels of vigilance, among others. My two cents in the report: center directly impacted people in policy development and implementation. Their expertise can help anticipate and address challenges of turning legislation into practice. And kudos to the CJI team: Courtney Bryan, Matt Watkins, Julian Adler, LCSW, Esq. and all others who worked on this.

MAPPING CIVIL SOCIETY PERSPECTIVES ON THE WSIS+20 PROCESS APC and IT for Change survey: Mapping civil society perspectives on the WSIS+20 process APC and IT for Change, as part of the Global Digital Justice Forum, have developed a survey to map civil society perspectives on the WSIS+20 process and a way forward for the broader digital justice agenda. The survey specifically requests your perspectives on the WSIS Action Lines, global internet governance, and strategic imperatives for civil society at this critical juncture. Both civil society organisations and individual activists. https://lnkd.in/gDFf5Y_z

Democratic Resilience and Political Trust An insightful session presented by the University of Birmingham on Building Democratic Resilience and Political Trust looking beyond the limited definition of the survival of the democratic system. Democratic Resilience is about ‘building back better’. This means generating out of a crisis a more resilient form of democracy that is more inclusive and representative. Strengthening institutions and building trust constitute key factors to achieving democratic resilience. Having more robust and more inclusive institutions will result in building trust in these institutions, which in turn will legitimate them and help them perform more efficiently. Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD)#democracy#resilience#political trust#democraticresilience.

"The MBTA Communities law represents a relatively modest reform that channels, rather than displaces or preempts, local decision-making. Other states have instead directly constrained local control, particularly around the regulation of single-family districts, parking mandates, and transit-oriented developments. Massachusetts should take note. It will take more than MBTA Communities to build the hundreds of thousands of new homes Massachusetts needs." - John Infranca, Professor of Law, Suffolk University https://lnkd.in/d7ZAMEqk New Upzone Update out today featuring a guest post from John Infranca!

The National Academy of Public Administration has identified 12 grand challenges in public administration. They are launching a competition for students in public policy schools to propose solutions. I look forward to seeing what the students come up with. https://lnkd.in/e6Fjw2Fc