Efficient, equitable and accessible justice systems are the lifeblood of the rule of law. For many years, building judicial capacity in the developing world was IDLO's sole area of intervention.
Today, while our mission and expertise has greatly expanded, we remain faithful to that early purpose. Building capacity in the judiciary is still the bulk of what we do, and what we are most recognized for. We do this in a variety of legal systems and traditions, working with local and international partners, with a strong emphasis on transition societies.
In the words of Kyrgyz Supreme Court Chair and IDLO interlocutor Feruza Z. Djumasheva, "Without successful judicial reforms, there will be no economic or social reform."
IDLO Somalia Country Director Adam-Shirwa Jama told a Washington roundtable hosted by the United States Institute of Peace that reform of the justice system had begun in Somalia. While it would take time for justice institutions to reach the whole of the country, Mr. Jama said, IDLO was encouraged by the international support given to these nascent institutions.
(Kabul, Afghanistan) A delegation of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), led by its Director-General Irene Khan, has concluded a visit to Kabul, Afghanistan where she met President Ashraf Ghani and the leadership of the country’s justice institutions to discuss the importance of justice sector reform i
As Tunisia’s new government marks 100 days in office, cementing the transition to democracy, the focus for international intervention now moves to a longer-term perspective. With this in mind, IDLO has conducted a mission to Tunis to assess emerging needs and discuss the support the organization could offer.
Experts from nine countries have gathered in Lima, Peru to create a regional access-to-justice model for vulnerable groups. Held over the three days to May 28, the meeting is the first step in a process facilitated by IDLO under the EU-sponsored EUROsociAL II program.
by Stephen Mubiru, IDLO Lead Trainer, Juba
I first travelled from Uganda to Juba in 2009, as part of the IDLO team conducting justice sector training there. South Sudan itself did not yet exist as an independent country, there was an interim constitution and peace negotiations were ongoing.
The Attorney General of Myanmar, Tun Shin, has expressed an interest in IDLO further developing the capacity of his office.
At a meeting with senior IDLO staff in New York, he praised IDLO's approach to capacity development and stressed the importance of building on – and modernizing – systems and skills that already exist in Myanmar.
Following the April 2010 Revolution in the Kyrgyz Republic, an interim government came to power promising to end many of the injustices that had prompted the overthrow of the country’s previous two presidents. Many reforms carried out during the interim period were focused on improving the foundation and application of the rule of law. Despite initial steps made towards progress in this area, the political events of 2010, including ethnic violence, significantly undermined potential progress in the rule of law.
by Christopher Kerkering
Kenya's 2010 Constitution, whose implementation benefited from IDLO expertise, had helped build trust and confidence in the country's judiciary, IDLO Director of Global Initiatives Ted Hill said at a public lecture in The Hague this week. The subsequent Kenyan elections, in 2013, were the first in which disputes were resolved in court rather than in the street.
Good laws are one thing; implementation is another. Texts and statutes are critical instruments in advancing the rule of law -- but their benefits are limited if those tasked with their application, let alone their intended beneficiaries, fail to understand them. Where a gap develops between the law and what the legal profession makes of it, abuse and injustice will thrive.
 Policy Statements
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