Impact Update: Inspiring Rule of Law Reformers

In the first quarter of 2024, WJP leveraged data and evidence to advance rule of law reforms and capture lessons learned.  

Inspiring rule of law reform in Thailand  

In January, Thailand’s new prime minister committed to putting rule of law at the center of his government’s priorities. His announcement came at a WJP co-hosted rule of law forum and follows concerted engagement by WJP and our in-country partners to catalyze a national rule of law reform agenda. We are now developing a research support package for the Thai justice minister, who is leading the team tasked with raising Thailand’s standing in the WJP Rule of Law Index. 

Recognizing rule of law changemakers worldwide 

As authoritarian trends threaten democracy worldwide, WJP has scoured the globe for rule of law champions worth watching. Over 400 organizations from 109 countries heeded our calls to apply for the 2024 World Justice Challenge. In the coming months we’ll announce 30 finalists and launch a campaign to spotlight their innovative approaches to reinforcing the rule of law foundation of democracy through youth engagement, election protections, trust-building, and more.  

“WJP Shaping the Conversation” 

Throughout the beginning of the year, WJP leaders traveled the globe, highlighting our data and the urgent need for rule of law reforms.   

• At the Borneo Rainforest Law Conference, WJP Asia Pacific Regional Director Srirak Plipat shared WJP advances in assessing countries’ rule of law readiness to fight climate change.  

• At the National Judicial College’s “Democracy’s Last Line of Defense” symposium in Boston, WJP Executive Director Elizabeth Andersen shared lessons learned from jurisdictions resisting authoritarian trends.  

• Andersen explained how international business lawyers can capitalize on WJP Rule of Law Index data during a meeting of the associations representing Japanese and Korean in-house counsel. After expanding the WJP Rule of Law Index to include Kuwait in 2023, WJP’s Chief Research Officer 

• Alejandro Ponce addressed the country’s anti-corruption authority and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in February.  

• WJP co-founder William Hubbard asked legal education leaders to ponder new ways to teach aspiring lawyers about the rule of law at the American Association of Law Schools’ annual meeting in Washington, DC.  

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