DAVOS, Switzerland,
Jan. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Gary Haugen, President and CEO of
International Justice Mission is meeting with thought leaders from
around the world at the 2015 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in order to raise the
profile of the justice agenda among participants, and emphasize the
importance of including a justice element in the new Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
"Combatting everyday violence against the poor is of critical
importance if we want to win the global fight against poverty,"
said Haugen. "When the poor aren't safeguarded from violence
by the basic benefit of law enforcement, not only are individuals
and families robbed of their freedom and cut off from basic needs,
but the broader work of development is severely undermined."
Haugen is a member of the WEF Global Agenda Council on Justice,
which aims to improve the delivery of justice in a nation-based
justice system, particularly in countries with weak public justice
systems. The Council also works to identify emerging and
innovative mechanisms and technologies to assist countries with
weak legal systems in order to enhance the rule of law and deliver
justice to its people.
The 2014 World Economic Forum marked the launch of Haugen's
latest book, The Locust Effect: Why the End of Poverty Requires
the End of Violence. The book which garnered endorsements
by WEF founder Klaus Schwab,
President Bill Clinton, Professor
Muhammad Yunus and other thought
leaders, paints a bleak picture of how the hidden plague of
everyday violence against the poor—including gender violence,
forced labor, land theft, and human trafficking—is one of the most
urgent issues facing the developing world today.
"It's not going to be possible to end poverty until we
end violence," Haugen explained. "If we share this great
global dream of ending poverty we have to understand that everyday
violence is pulling the rug out from underneath about 2 billion of
the world's poorest."
This year, the post-2015 UN development agenda will be
solidified in the SDGs. In December, 2014, Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon released a report called
"The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All
Lives and Protecting the Planet," where he outlined justice as an
essential element to include on the agenda. Over 11k
supporters have signed IJM's petition, asking that protection for
the poor from violence be incorporated in the SDGs.
About International Justice Mission
International Justice Mission is a global organization that
protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world.
IJM partners with local authorities to rescue victims of violence,
bring criminals to justice, restore survivors, and strengthen
justice systems. The largest non-profit organization of its kind,
IJM combats slavery, sex trafficking, property grabbing, police
abuse of power, and sexual violence, working in 18 communities
throughout South and Southeast
Asia, Africa and
Latin America. www.ijm.org.
Julie Eckert (Washington, DC)
jeckert@ijm.org
(443) 878-5996
Mindy Mizell (Davos, Switzerland)
mmizell@ijm.org
(202) 355-3690
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SOURCE International Justice Mission