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What is happening to the rule of law? Unpack the Key Global Findings: Discover the most significant shifts in judicial independence, accountability, and fundamental freedoms this year.

WASHINGTON (October 21, 2026) – The global rule of law recession persists, according to the new WJP Rule of Law Index® 2026, released today by the World Justice Project (WJP). While fewer countries declined this year compared to last, the global balance remains deeply uneven. Declines continue to outnumber improvements for the ninth consecutive year (62% vs. 38%).

We create a press release for every country considered in the WJP Rule of Law Index, available in different languages. To find a specific press release, go to the relevant region and select the country of interest from the drop-down menu.

Discover how the rule of law relates to economic prosperity, GDP growth, inflation, and sovereign credit risk based on 2026 WJP Index data.

While justice institutions in the Dominican Republic have mostly consolidated transparency practices, there is still room for improvement regarding accountability, participation, and collaborative practices.

WJP Rule of Law Index data reveals why legal reforms must be measured by ground-level outcomes, featuring Moldova's EU accession case study.

WJP's innovative approach to Human Rights Measurement tracks institutional performance and lived experience across 20 indicators including due process, labor rights, and free expression.

Mark your calendar! On October 28th, the World Justice Project will release the 2026 WJP Rule of Law Index®, our flagship measure of how the rule of law is experienced and perceived around the globe.

Thailand has had positive milestones in privacy, personal security, and religious freedom. In contrast, a shrinking space for political expression has resulted in a "grand fatigue" among civil society actors. Justice and labor protections have come to function effectively for routine matters but fail vulnerable populations.

Mongolia maintains overall rule of law stability, leading the region in personal security and workplace protections, while simultaneously facing significant decade-long contractions across core civil liberties and privacy.

Businesses have become increasingly sophisticated at measuring financial, operational, geopolitical, and climate risk, but they still lack equally sophisticated tools to measure key sources of institutional risk. This institutional risk is the uncertainty businesses face from the lack of predictability, integrity, effectiveness and resilience of legal and governance institutions. It is also becoming a key determinant of investment decisions, supply-chain resilience, and long-term competitiveness

Judge Jacqueline Kamau sat down with In the Robe to explore how out-of-court settlements advance women’s rights, clear court backlogs, preserve relationships, and protect vulnerable litigants from public scrutiny in Kenya. She analyzes the intersection of formal judicial rulings and customary traditional justice systems, and dispels the myth of the emotionless judge.