As countries grapple with the coronavirus crisis, its implications for justice and the rule of law are becoming clearer.
The pandemic is creating a host of new legal challenges, just as more courts and legal aid services across the world are closing, reducing or adjusting their operations. Inevitably, the most vulnerable groups in society are suffering the harshest consequences.
In this article, ODI experts outline domestic and international responses to these pressures. Drawing on ODI research and emerging best practice from some of our partners, they emphasise the importance of flexible strategies, broader pathways beyond statutory systems and procedures, and seizing the opportunity to reform entrenched institutions.