Access to Justice

Navigating Legal Landscapes around the World

By Dan McCarey

Access to justice is a fundamental human right, yet its availability varies significantly across the globe. In collaboration with the World Justice Project, I had the opportunity to develop a data portal aimed at visualizing global access to justice. This project was designed to provide an in-depth look at various aspects of legal systems worldwide, from the experience of legal problems to the resolution process.

The main components of the data portal included an interactive map and detailed country profiles. These elements were crafted to represent critical data points effectively, offering insights into the experiences of respondents with legal systems in different countries. The portal was designed to be both informative and user-friendly, ensuring that the data was accessible to a wide range of audiences, including legal professionals, policymakers, researchers, and the general public.

The data visualized in the portal covered several key aspects:

Experience of Legal Problems: Showcasing the percentage of respondents who encountered legal issues. This metric provided an overview of the prevalence of legal problems in various regions.

Knowledge of Legal Advice: Illustrating the proportion of respondents who knew where to seek legal advice. This data point was crucial in understanding public awareness of legal resources.

Access to Legal Help: Depicting the ability of respondents to access legal help when needed. This aspect highlighted the availability and accessibility of legal assistance.

Resolution of Legal Problems: Demonstrating the percentage of respondents who successfully resolved their legal issues. This information shed light on the effectiveness of legal systems in delivering justice.

Duration of Resolution Process: Displaying the average number of months it took to resolve legal problems. This metric offered insights into the efficiency and timeliness of justice delivery.

Hardships Due to Slow Response: Presenting the percentage of respondents who experienced hardships due to delayed responses in legal matters. This aspect highlighted the impact of prolonged legal processes on individuals' lives.

The development of this data portal was a complex yet rewarding endeavor. The interactive map and country profiles were designed to allow users to easily navigate through the data, providing a clear and comprehensive understanding of access to justice across the world.

Upon its launch, the data portal received a positive response, serving as a valuable resource for understanding and improving global access to justice. It underscored the importance of data-driven approaches in assessing and addressing legal system challenges.

I extend my gratitude to the World Justice Project for entrusting me with this significant project and to all the contributors who made this comprehensive visualization of global justice access a reality.