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SDG #16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Writer: Model United Nations UPD
    Model United Nations UPD
  • Oct 16
  • 3 min read

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Sustainable Development Goal #16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions


Promoting inclusive and peaceful societies, ensuring that everyone has access to justice, and creating responsible, and efficient institutions at all levels are the objectives of SDG 16. No matter one’s sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity, people should be able to live their lives without fear of violence or discrimination. Ensuring SDG 16 in the Philippines remains a major challenge for the country as it struggles with the weakness of its rule of law, prison overcrowding, extrajudicial killings, and corruption.


Philippine Statistics:

  • According to the World Justice Project’s 2024 report, the Philippines ranks 99 out of 142 countries on the Rule of Law Index, reflecting flaws in the country’s legal systems.

  • The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes’ SDG indicator of unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population shows fluctuating rates for the Philippines. For example, 69.1%  was shown for 2015, with increases to 74.7 % and 72.2 % from 2016 and 2018, as well as a decrease to 59.2 % in 2019.

  • According to Human Rights Watch, 332 people were reportedly killed in drug-war–related operations or extrajudicial shootings between January and November 2024. Security forces were implicated in over half of those cases.

  • Despite having a 6,345 capacity, the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa is severely overcrowded, housing over 29,204 convicts as of 2022.

  • In the 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI), the Philippines ranked 105th out of 163 countries, marking a six-place improvement from the previous year and its best placement in eight years.


Philippine Initiatives and Policies:

Despite a controversial period of human rights violations during the Duterte administration, as well as facing various rebellions throughout its history, the Philippines has always aimed towards strengthening its democratic institutions to ensure lasting peace and equitable justice within its society. 


  • The 1987 Philippine Constitution enshrines principles of justice, rule of law, and civilian supremacy over the state’s non-civilian elements, such as the military, therefore establishing the legal foundation for peace and institutional governance for its people.

  • The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (RA 8371, 1997) recognizes and protects the rights, customary justice systems, and self-governance of indigenous communities, who may be susceptible to marginalization.

  • The Bangsamoro Basic Law (RA 11054) was made to ensure peace and stability within the southern region of the Philippines by granting autonomy to the country’s Muslim majority areas, where armed rebellion often occurs.


Sources:


Bolledo, J. (2022, November 21). Even behind bars, prisoners take part in crimes. Here’s why. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/even-behind-bars-prisoners-take-part-crimes/

Human Rights Watch. (2025). Philippines: Events of 2024. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/philippines


The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997, R.A. 8371, Republic of the Philippines, 10th Congress, 1997.


Institute for Economics & Peace. (2025). Global Peace Index 2025. Institute for Economics & Peace. https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Global-Peace-Index-2025-web.pdf


Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, R.A. 11054, Republic of the Philippines, 17th Congress, 2018. 


Republic of the Philippines. (1987). The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Official Gazette.


United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies. United Nations. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/


United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2024). 16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. https://dataunodc.un.org/dp-sdg-16-3-2


World Justice Project. (2024, October 23). Philippines Ranks 99 out of 142 in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index. World Justice Project. https://worldjusticeproject.org/sites/default/files/documents/Philippines_2.pdf

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