Statement by the Director-General, Ms. Jan Beagle
Closing Plenary
‘Collective Action to Advance the Rule of Law’
Warsaw, 26 June 2025
Thank you, Alejandro,
This has been an energizing week, at a time when we really need energy.
My special thanks to our hosts Poland and to Minister Bodnar for their warm welcome and inspirational example.
As always, it has been great collaborating with the fantastic WJP team - first under Betsy and now with you, Alejandro.
We will have our own takeaways.
For me it personally it has been encouraging to be with so many like-minded people – to share experiences, to listen and to learn, to see old friends and meet some new ones.
From IDLO’s perspective, as Sheika Al-Misnad said, the Forum has reaffirmed our view that one of the most pressing challenges to accountability, governance, and the rule of law is the deepening “crisis of trust.”
We know that the rule of law is the immune system of democracy, which is why it is targeted first by aspiring authoritarians.
But as people grow sceptical that democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are relevant to their daily lives, resistance is weakening.
We see this in popular support for coups, and democratic backsliding through the ballot box.
To tackle the rule of law recession, we need the people outside this room to stand up for the rule of law.
The Warsaw Principles are a timely and much needed articulation of what we must do. As Udo said, collectively they respond to the challenges of our time.
Let me highlight three areas that resonate especially strongly with IDLO’s mandate and experience, in over 100 countries, over the last 40 years.
First, the Forum reaffirmed that we must bring justice closer to the people.
As noted in Principle 6, a people-centred approach is essential to address the mismatch between the rising demand and limited supply of justice.
Reforms should be grounded in lived realities, and support the varied pathways that people take to resolve disputes, and claim their rights, from courts and digital spaces to customary, faith-based and Indigenous systems.
I invite you to join tomorrow’s event hosted by the Working Group on Customary and Informal Justice and SDG 16+, which will explore the critical role of these systems.
We must also recognize the widening gender justice gap.
At IDLO we focus on addressing discriminatory laws and practices.
Second, to rebuild trust, we need to prioritize the issues that people care about most.
When we talk about the rule of law, our focus as a community has traditionally been on civil and political rights.
I am proud of IDLO’s work in contexts like Afghanistan, the Sahel, Somalia and Ukraine to counter corruption, protect the safety and integrity of judiciaries, and preserve space for civic engagement. And we will continue this work.
But social and economic rights, like food security, access to land, and secure livelihoods, are often the most pressing in people’s lives.
Delivering visible progress on these fronts helps makes the rule of law real. And here, we also need to energise business.
For this reason, promoting the rule of law as a driver of sustainable development, as emphasized in Principles 8 and 9, is a major focus in IDLO’s new Strategic Plan.
Third and finally, at a time of scarce resources and escalating needs, we must make better use of what we have, and focus relentlessly on results.
Principle 10 reminds us that “No single actor can address today’s complex governance challenges.” Partnerships are key.
IDLO partners with countries and organizations across sectors and borders, including many of you in this room.
We need to up our game.
We need better coordination, but also more compelling narratives and sharper data to make the case for justice, rights, and the rule of law — not just as ends in themselves, but as essential elements of global priorities such as climate action, economic growth, and digital governance.
In the weeks and months ahead, we look forward to working with you to elevate these issues — at the Financing for Development Conference, the High-Level Political Forum, the World Social Summit, and our own SDG 16 Conference.
As Maria Ressa said at the opening: “Let this be our Warsaw uprising — not with weapons, but with words, thoughts and ideals.”
To take it one step further, our shared challenge is to turn principles into tangible improvements in people’s lives and to convince them that the rule of law is not an abstraction — it is worth believing in and fighting for.
Thanks to all of you, l will leave this Forum with renewed resolve and optimism that we are equal to this task.
IDLO commits, as always, to be your partner in this mission, through our programming, research and policy advocacy.