World Justice Project

We're thrilled to announce the winners of the World Justice Project Challenge 2024! At the American Bar Association's annual meeting in Chicago, we unveiled five outstanding projects that embody this year's theme: "The Rule of Law: Foundation of Democracy." These initiatives are making significant strides in strengthening democratic institutions worldwide. Our winners: Justice Institutions: Judicial Reform Foundation (Taiwan) Media and Information: Media Foundation for West Africa(MFWA) (Ghana) Youth Engagement/Alumni Vote: Politize! Civic Education Institute (Brazil) US Building Trust: Common Cause Electoral Processes: Pacto pela Democracia (Brazil) Each winner demonstrates exceptional commitment to advancing the rule of law in their respective fields. From enhancing judicial accountability in Taiwan to promoting civic education among Brazilian youth, these projects are shaping the future of democracy. We're inspired by the innovative approaches these organizations are taking to address critical challenges in their communities and beyond. Their work reminds us that a strong foundation in the rule of law is essential for thriving democracies. Join us in congratulating these champions of justice and learn more about their impactful work on our website. https://bit.ly/4dF16er Are you involved in projects promoting the rule of law? We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments below! #WorldJusticeChallenge #RuleOfLaw #Democracy #ruleoflaw #GlobalJustice

We’re excited to celebrate the 2024 #WorldJusticeChallenge finalists in the justice institutions category! These exceptional organizations are at the forefront of defending and enhancing the independence, impartiality, accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct of justice systems worldwide: Serbia: Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM), Pravda za sve - Otvorena vrata pravosuđa works to strengthen citizens' trust in judicial institutions by fostering dialogue and communication between citizens and judiciary representatives. Latin America: Association of the Bar of the City of New York Fund, Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice mobilizes the legal community to protect judges from threats. Taiwan: Judicial Reform Foundation ,following crackdowns on the studentSunflower Movement, offers legal support to citizen protesters, urges judicial actors to uphold democratic values, and engages Taiwanese society in dialogue about the importance of a robust legal system for safeguarding democracy. Nigeria: Kimpact Development Initiative monitors post-election dispute resolution processes to promote reforms in the electoral justice system and enhance transparency. Mexico: Mexico Evalua assesses the criminal justice system and fosters collaboration among authorities, justice professionals, and local communities to create shared agendas for change. Poland: Fundacja Wolne Sądy, The Free Courts Foundation combats the politicization of independent courts through strategic litigation, education, and communication. Learn more about these Challenge finalists' impactful work and contributions to justice reform: https://bit.ly/3JZApDJ

We’re just days away from “Meeting the Challenge!” happening on August 1 in Chicago! Join us as we celebrate the incredible finalists of the 2024 #WorldJusticeChallenge, showcasing their innovative solutions for advancing the #RuleofLaw in the United States and around the world.

Venezuela's presidential election is today. #Venezuela ranks last in the WJP #RuleOfLawIndex for "Lawful transition of power" with a score of 0.19 out of 1. The country's overall #ruleoflaw score is 0.26, indicating steep challenges in upholding democratic principles and the rule of law. In contrast, neighboring countries Colombia and Brazil have Index scores of 0.58 and 0.63, respectively, reflecting stronger adherence to rule of law. For more insights, visit: https://bit.ly/4cZ8Kji

The United States currently ranks in the lower half of high-income countries in the WJP Rule of Law Index, placing 26th out of 142 countries globally. As the country approaches a contentious election, there is a profound need to bolster democratic resilience and the rule of law. In this year’s #WorldJusticeChallenge, we are recognizing U.S. projects making noteworthy impact in any of our four thematic categories: youth engagement, electoral processes, justice institutions, and media & information. Common Cause combats partisan gerrymandering by advocating for an inclusive and transparent redistricting process. Fair and Just Prosecution facilitates collaboration among elected prosecutors to combat disinformation and educate constituents. Government Accountability Project addresses corruption within government agencies and advocates for accountability and reform through whistleblowing. IssueVoter informs citizens about current legislation, facilitates constituent communication with lawmakers, and promotes civic engagement. LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation empowers citizens with online information and analysis of U.S. federal and state voting and election laws. VoteRiders works to ensure that all eligible voters can participate in elections regardless of onerous voter ID laws. Congratulations to all our finalists! Learn more about the 2024 World Justice Challenge: https://bit.ly/4dG30LZ

At the World Justice Project, we believe in the power of legal professionals to lead their communities in standing up for the rule of law. We're excited to share this inspiring call to action from E. Leigh Dance in ALM Law.com

At a time of deep division in the United States, there is one thing about which Americans overwhelmingly agree: the rule of law.    World Justice Project surveys of people in the United States consistently reveal widespread commitment to rule of law values. This commitment holds across party lines. Democrats and Republicans agree that ours is a system of government bound by law, that no one regardless of position or privilege should be above the law, and that we should settle our differences peacefully under the law.     The attempted assassination of former President Trump Saturday challenged those values, pitching violence against our law-bound electoral process. In the aftermath, it is critical that we remember our shared commitment to the rule of law. Everyone has a role to play in strengthening the rule of law in the context of the elections.   For more analysis and 6 ways to take action today, please read on:  https://lnkd.in/eYFxUpEq 

It was a great pleasure participating in the The World Bank's recent "Justice and the Rule of Law Global Forum" in Washington, D.C.! The event focused on the critical role of the rule of law in economic development and how to advance justice reform.    The nearly 300 online and in-person participants included senior government and judicial officials, international, private sector representatives, academics, and civil society organizations, including a great contingent from the World Justice Project. It was gratifying to hear many speakers refer to the WJP Rule of Law Index and our justice gap research as key tools for policymaking, and proud of my colleagues who presented, including Alejandro Ponce on the "Measuring Justice: Leveraging the Power of Data" panel and Daniela Barba presenting on "The Link between Poverty and the Justice Gap." As our legal needs surveys of over 100,000 people in 104 countries show, women and people living in poverty disproportionately experience barriers to justice.   Grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the World Bank and partners in this crucial dialogue! The World Bank Roby Senderowitsch Erica Bosio Lara Saade Manuel Ramos Maqueda Kathryn Grace Hulseman Hannah Rigazzi

I had the privilege of co-creating and convening the Asia Pacific Research Conference on Advancing the Rule of Law in the region in Singapore last week. The event brought together top scholars from Asia Pacific and internationally to delve into crucial topics like judicial independence, justice, and accountable governance. The high-quality papers and engaging discussions underscored a shared commitment to translating knowledge into actionable policy recommendations for societal benefit. A special thank you to the World Justice Project and the National University of Singapore's Centre for Asian Legal Studies for their invaluable contributions in making this event a success. It is inspiring to witness our joint effort to make knowledge serve society better. #RuleOfLaw #ResearchConference #AsiaPacific #Justice #Accountability

With #ruleoflaw front and center in U.S. news coverage this week, our executive director, Elizabeth Andersen spoke about the WJP Rule of Law Index with Chance Seales of Scripps News. The Index shows that constraints on government powers have been eroding around the world, including in the United States. Andersen said there is work for all of us to do to strengthen checks and balances, which include the courts, the legislature, and the media. And she noted that in a democracy, citizens hold the ultimate check on authority through elections. Explore our data and join the conversation on strengthening the rule of law both locally and globally: https://bit.ly/4cTOrnA