The 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the European Convention on Human Rights: Could the reform of its protection system influence the implementation of SDG 16 (“peace, justice and strong institutions”)?

Abstract

Beyond the human rights approach adopted by the 2030 Agenda, it seems possible to connect the SGD 16 about “Peace, justice and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions” with the ongoing reform process of the European Convention on Human Rights, since this process enshrines the right of individual application to the European Court of Human Rights as a cornerstone of the system and develops in such a way the principle of subsidiarity that States are committing themselves to institutional strengthening for the effective protection of human rights. On this basis, the reform of the ECHR may contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda may be conceived. In this scenario, the ongoing reform process of the ECHR is analyzed briefly as a previous step required to understand the two elements identified. After a general contextualization of SDG 16 in the 2030 Agenda, the targets and indicators of this Goal are examined from the perspective of the right of access to justice and the institutional strengthening of the states, in order to verify the possible connections between this Goal and the two highlighted developments concerning the reform of the Convention. The goal is to find new solutions to achieve collective aspirations of human development represented by 2030 Agenda and to ensure its universal and transformative character.