New Global Organisation Launched to Advance Justice Reform, Human Rights, and Inclusive Governance
25/07/23, 15:00
PRESS RELEASE
The Centre for Development and Justice International (CDJI) has officially launched today as an independent, non-profit, and non-governmental organisation headquartered in Madrid, Spain. CDJI is dedicated to strengthening justice systems, promoting human rights, and fostering inclusive reforms that prioritise fairness, dignity, and accountability.
CDJI brings together an international board of experts from seven countries and is guided by three Honorary Presidents – Baroness Vivien Stern, Professor Andrew Coyle, and Justice Renate Winter, who are globally recognised for their leadership in justice reform.
“CDJI is a very welcome addition to international efforts to establish and maintain criminal justice systems which serve to protect society, increase public safety and encourage individuals who are caught up in these systems to become law abiding citizens who contribute to the public good. We are honoured to be honorary Presidents of CDJI.” — Baroness Vivien Stern and Professor Andrew Coyle, Honorary Presidents of CDJI
CDJI’s establishment coincides with three major global milestones: the 10th anniversary of the Nelson Mandela Rules – the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Bangkok Rules on the treatment of women prisoners and non-custodial measures for women offenders, and the 10th anniversary of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The organisation is committed to supporting the realisation of SDGs 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 16, and 17 through practical reforms and strategic advocacy.
“To become Honorary President of an association that has in its statutes to make stakeholders listen to children in difficulties is a privilege for me. Children and women in conflict with the law are even less seen and certainly less heard than men in the same situation. It is so important that CDJI plans to help professionals who work with these persons as well as the public to hear the real reasons and ask the right questions in order to come up with the best possible solution. I am honored and happy to be Honorary President of the CDJI.” — Justice Renate Winter, Honorary President of CDJI
The global prison crisis highlights the urgent need for reform. According to the World Prison Population List 2024 (ICPR, Birkbeck), more than 11.5 million people are held in penal institutions worldwide, with incarceration rates continuing to rise sharply in many regions. This crisis is exacerbated by the widespread overuse of pre-trial detention impacting over 3.7 million people globally, according to data from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In several regions, a majority of detainees are held without conviction, contributing significantly to overcrowding and undermining the right to a fair trial. UNODC also reports that custodial deaths, including suicides and homicides, remain disproportionately high and are often preventable. These trends underscore the urgent need for independent oversight, strengthened mental health responses, and rights-based justice reforms are core pillars of CDJI’s mission.
CDJI envisions a future where justice systems are transparent, rights-based, and responsive to the needs of all individuals, particularly the most vulnerable. Its work focuses on gender-sensitive justice reform, the prevention of torture and ill-treatment, mental health in detention settings, and the promotion of fair and humane investigative practices such as the PEACE Model, Mendez Principles, and the UN Manual on Investigative Interviewing.
The organisation’s five thematic pillars include:
1. Justice Reform and Human Rights Protection
2. Innovation and Digital Transformation in Criminal Justice
3. Social Protection and Support for Vulnerable Groups
4. Civil Society Development and Strategic Dialogue
5. Mental Health Support and Awareness
“We are living in a time of profound transformation, where widening inequalities and rising threats to human rights call for new thinking and inclusive solutions. At CDJI, we believe justice systems must evolve to not only protect the most vulnerable, but to empower them with dignity and opportunity. We are committed to building future-oriented institutions that are transparent, humane, and responsive, where mental health is recognised, technology is used ethically, and communities are active participants in reform. Together with governments, civil society, and international partners, we aim to support sustainable, rights-based change that promotes fairness, trust, and resilience in societies around the world.” – Azamat Shambilov, Executive Director, CDJI
Through partnerships with governments, civil society organisations, academic institutions, and international donors, CDJI will implement rights-based programmes, promote non-custodial alternatives such as probation, and advance legal standards aligned with the Nelson Mandela Rules, Bangkok Rules, Tokyo Rules, and other international norms.
By 2030, CDJI aims to improve justice outcomes for thousands, strengthen oversight of places of detention, and ensure that institutional justice system reforms are inclusive, sustainable, and grounded in international law.
For furher information and press communications plaese contact at info@cdji.org
Headquarters: Glorieta de Quevedo 9, Madrid 28015, Spain
Website: www.cdji.org
E-mail: info@cdji.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cdji
NEWS
New Global Organisation Launched to Advance Justice Reform, Human Rights, and Inclusive Governance
PRESS RELEASE
25 July 2025,
Madrid, Spain
Human Right Watch (HRW), the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) also took the floor to condemn threats and attacks against the Court, its officials, and those cooperating with it, including the sanctions imposed by the United States: “Sanctions against its officials (…) are a threat to the protection of human rights and the rule of law around the world. These deplorable acts (…) obstruct the course of justice, jeopardising victims’ access to justice, and their right to remedy and reparation.” The organizations concluded that “[n]o one is above the law and that the international community “must stand with victims and those who seek justice” and “must stand united against impunity.” Sanctions are a tool to be used against those responsible for the most serious crimes, not against those seeking justice on behalf of victims. States should take concrete action to mitigate the effects of any coercive measures aimed at hampering the Court’s work, including the adoption and implementation of national and regional blocking statutes.
These statements were made on the occasion of the HRC annual discussion with the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Professor Margaret Satterthwaite. She has repeatedly warned against such attacks on the ICC and other international courts.
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
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At the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN independent human rights experts, States and civil society firmly condemned the United States (US) retaliatory sanctions and threats against International Criminal Court (ICC) officials and other persons supporting the Court.
Example of a link: International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
“I am therefore deeply disturbed by attacks on the international institutions that underpin our rights, including the International Criminal Court. Sanctioning judges and prosecutors at national, regional or international levels, for doing their jobs, is an assault on the rule of law and corrodes justice,” the High Commissioner added.
The executive order appears designed not only to intimidate Court officials and staff involved in the Court’s critical investigations, but also to have a chilling effect on broader cooperation with the ICC, including by victims themselves and civil society organizations supporting them. Victims, survivors and witnesses, as well as human rights defenders and members of civil society organizations supporting and cooperating with the Court, may fall within the order’s scope. The sanctions risk undercutting cooperation from various quarters, potentially resulting in the Court losing access to information and evidence necessary to investigate, arrest, detain and prosecute perpetrators of atrocities. It could also result in the Court losing access to essential goods and services necessary to carry out its global mandate.
These statements were made on the occasion of the HRC annual discussion with the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Professor Margaret Satterthwaite. She has repeatedly warned against such attacks on the ICC and other international courts.
The executive order appears designed not only to intimidate Court officials and staff involved in the Court’s critical investigations, but also to have a chilling effect on broader cooperation with the ICC, including by victims themselves and civil society organizations supporting them. Victims, survivors and witnesses, as well as human rights defenders and members of civil society organizations supporting and cooperating with the Court, may fall within the order’s scope. The sanctions risk undercutting cooperation from various quarters, potentially resulting in the Court losing access to information and evidence necessary to investigate, arrest, detain and prosecute perpetrators of atrocities. It could also result in the Court losing access to essential goods and services necessary to carry out its global mandate.
