Jeroen Ouwehand, Clifford Chance

The senior partner of Clifford Chance has signed a briefing calling on the legal industry to "pull together" to resolve the justice problems the coronavirus pandemic is creating.

Jeroen Ouwehand is one of three leading lawyers to have co-penned the call to action in a briefing by the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies — an organisation aimed at helping the UN achieve its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global emergency," says the introduction, which was co-written by Ouwehand as well as Hina Jilani, Pakistani Supreme Court advocate and human rights lawyer, and Willy Mutunga, the former Chief Justice of the Kenyan Supreme Court.

"It is not only a health crisis but also a human rights crisis," the statement continues. "Justice actors face daunting responsibilities as they design, implement, and enforce new measures to prevent the spread of infection. Measures that heighten the risk of human rights abuses can undermine trust, at a time when the justice system most needs to maintain the public's confidence.

"For better or for worse, justice systems and justice workers are on the frontline of this pandemic. If we get our response right, societies will be better able to confront the pandemic effectively and fairly. That will build the foundations for reset and recovery. If we get it wrong, it is no exaggeration to say that people will die unnecessarily."

It adds: "We call on everyone working for justice – globally, nationally, locally; in government, civil society, community organizations or the private sector – to pull together to resolve the justice problems the pandemic is creating, to prevent injustices from occurring, and to use justice as a platform for people to play the fullest possible role in their economies and societies."

The report urges ministers of justice and senior judges to implement a series of new measures, including scrutinising new emergency coronavirus measures and holding political leaders to account, and protecting people from violence by "targeting hotspots where insecurity is growing".

They also ask that leaders look to reduce the demand on justice systems by focusing on essential services, releasing prisoners wherever possible and ceasing to arrest people for minor offences, and also commit to protecting justice workers by "making them a priority for testing programs" and "providing them with counselling and support".

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