Emerging Technologies and Judicial Integrity in ASEAN [UNDP, December 2021]

Title:

Emerging Technologies and Judicial Integrity in ASEAN: Judicial perspectives on the use, opportunities, challenges and impact of technologies on the rule of law, access to justice and court administration

 

Published:

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2 December 2021

https://www.undp.org/publications/emerging-technologies-and-judicial-integrity-asean

 

Focus of report:

The digitalization trend and use of new technologies has accelerated in the judiciary in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many courts adopting online hearing capabilities and transitioning to online forms. Artificial Intelligence, digital platforms, Open Justice all continue to transform justice systems around the world.   

 

As part of the Judicial Integrity Network in ASEAN initiative, UNDP conducted a research to examine these developments from the lens of protecting judicial integrity. The research seeks to better understand how emerging technologies affect judicial integrity, both positively and negatively. 

Towards a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index relating to Small Island Developing States [United Nations Development Programme Publication, Feb 2021]

Title:

Towards a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index

 

Published:

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),  2 February 2021

https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/poverty-reduction/development_cooperationandfinance/Towards-a-Multidimensional-Vulnerability-Index.html

Description of this report:

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face severe structural challenges due to their remoteness, economic concentration, and dependence on external flows such as remittances, foreign direct investment and tourism revenues. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly exacerbated these vulnerabilities by restricting travel, collapsing investment and tourism, and weakening the economies from which remittances are sent. However, most SIDS are still not eligible for concessional financing due to their classification as middle or high-income countries.  

 

This paper constructs a multidimensional vulnerability index (MVI) to account for both long-term structural vulnerabilities as well as the recent weaknesses uncovered by the pandemic. Using 11 indicators for 128 countries (including 34 SIDS), the MVI demonstrates that all but five SIDS are far more vulnerable than their income level would suggest. Using the MVI, non-LDC SIDS could save close to 1.5% of their GDP per annum in interest payments. It contributes to the debate on vulnerability measurement by contrasting a narrow focus on economic or environmental vulnerability with a multi-dimensional approach to assessing countries’ structural vulnerabilities to a variety of shocks. This analysis implies the urgent need to reconsider eligibility for concessional financing to SIDS on vulnerability rather than just income criteria.