ДА ЛИ ЈЕ ПРАВДА ПРИВИЛЕГИЈА (САМО) РАЗВИЈЕНИХ ДРУШТАВА? ЈАВНЕ УСЛУГЕ КАО ФАКТОР ДОСТУПНОСТИ ПРАВДЕ ЗА ГРАЂАНЕ И ДРУШТВЕНОГ РАЗВОЈА

This article examines the fundamental question of whether access to justice is structurally tied to conditions that predominantly exist in developed societies. While justice is proclaimed as a universal human right, its realization is often hindered by state capacity, public infrastructure, and the quality of public administration. The paper argues that justice cannot be separated from the material and institutional context in which it operates. Rather than viewing justice solely through legal formalism, the article frames it as a developmental issue - one that is enabled or obstructed by the availability of essential public services. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from Amartya Sen, John Rawls, and legal empowerment frameworks, the author situates justice within broader concepts of social investment and inclusive development. Public services such as civil registration, legal aid, transport, digital access, and education are presented not as auxiliary supports but as core elements enabling effective legal protection. Through comparative case studies including Rwanda's Gacaca courts, Brazil’s mobile judicial units, and Estonia’s fully digital legal system - the paper illustrates diverse policy innovations that have successfully expanded justice access in resource-constrained settings. The analysis identifies major structural barriers to justice - lack of legal identity, geographic isolation, legal illiteracy, overburdened court systems, and digital exclusion. It proposes five policy levers to bridge these gaps: community-based legal aid, infrastructure expansion, digital inclusion strategies, legal literacy initiatives, and cross-sectoral policy integration. In conclusion, the author advocates for a shift in development metrics to treat justice as a central indicator, measured not just by institutional presence but by real-world accessibility, legal awareness, and equality of outcomes. The paper calls for justice to be recognized and resourced as a public good, essential to sustainable and inclusive development.