Justice in a Pandemic, Briefing Three: Justice for All and the Social Contract in Peril

Publication: Policy Brief

The social and political dislocations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic threaten to break the social contract between states, communities, and people. Actions taken now — or a failure to make needed reforms — can have consequences that will be felt for decades. Justice is a critical sector in the relationship between states and people. Too often, justice systems have been responsible for fueling distrust and weakening this relationship.

If justice actors are to play a central role in the recovery from the pandemic, helping their societies to rebuild in a fair, inclusive and sustainable way, people-centered justice is needed more than ever.

This Pathfinders briefing, drafted by lead authors David Steven, Maaike de Langen, Sam Muller, and Mark Weston, together with more than 30 partners from around the world, publishes its third and final briefing on Justice in a Pandemic, a series examining the role of justice sectors in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. This briefing focuses on the role of justice in combating the negative social impacts of the pandemic.

  • Download the briefing here
  • Read the intro blog on this brief on Medium.

Check out all the publications in the Justice in a Pandemic series here.

More Resources

  • Blog October 12, 2026 Global Governance

    Electing ICJ Judges: The Complex Battle for a Seat on the World’s Highest Court

    This piece utlines the process for electing five new judges to the International Court of Justice that is forthcoming next month (November 2026) at the United Nations. The International Court of Justice was established as a principal organ of the United Nations at the same time that the UN itself was established in 1945, and its statute was adopted when the UN Charter was adopted.

    Headshot of a person with gray/white hair and a collared shirt.
    Mark Simonoff
  • Foreign Policy in Focus uses analysis from Thibault Camelli and Ronny Patz's policy brief, How to End the United Nations’ Current Financial Crisis… and Prevent Future Ones, published earlier this year to inform this piece on the United Nations' current financial state.

    Source: Foreign Policy in Focus, October 6, 2026

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