Joyce Hakmeh
Arab Center for the of the Rule of Law and Integrity (ACRLI)
The excerpt below comes from our Innovations in Rule of Law - A Compilation of Concise Essays report produced by WJP and Hiil. To read the full essay, click here.
 
Legal information building and sharing maximises justice and the rule of law; citizens become knowledgeable about the law, while those working in the legal system are better able to enforce the rule of law. Many Arab governments have been “sharing” information by increasing access to legal information through increasing access to public laws, court documents, government forms, etc.; they have been also “building” information by digitalising and automating records and processes to increase internal efficiency; this is commonly referred to as “e-government”.
 
However, the information building and sharing movement has not been without its challenges; illiteracy, public sector inefficiencies, a lagging IT industry, and other elements have hindered optimal success in the region, yet, they did not stand in the way of achieving several successes due to the cooperation of governments with the international community, NGOs, and the private sector.
 
While there are success stories, the region as a whole has not reached its full potential regarding legal information building and sharing. It is critical that the international community maintains its support to countries that are willing but not able to reach their optimal provision of access to information. The international community needs to encourage a collaborative international environment and assist in both knowledge and finances. Effective information building and sharing cannot occur without the dedication of individual governments and the cooperation of the region, international community, NGOs, and the private sector. 
Joyce Hakmeh Arab Center for the of the Rule of Law and Integrity (ACRLI)
title bar

Read More

title bar
Otomí spiritual leader Lucina Hernández Reyes leads a walk in a forest with community leaders in San Miguel Almaya, Capulhuac

As part of a multidimensional project funded by the Canadian Embassy in Mexico, WJP has produced a new report that seeks to increase the visibility of Indigenous mediation programs. It comes as a growing number of governments, donors, and communities are embracing a paradigm shift to people-centered justice. That global movement prioritizes identifying people’s legal needs and fostering accessible solutions to address them, rather than primarily investing in established institutions that are missing the mark. 

Read More
WJP Executive Director Elizabeth Andersen speaking at the National Judicial College's March conference

Authoritarianism and weakened justice systems continue to erode the rule of law globally–but not universally. Taking cues from the communities resisting these trends can pave the road forward, according to the World Justice Project (WJP) Executive Director Elizabeth Andersen. On March 13, Andersen addressed judicial, legal, and academic leaders at the National Judicial Conference’s symposium on “Democracy’s Last Line of Defense: Preserving an Independent Judiciary.”     

Read More
Alejandro Gonzalez Arreola addresses a panel of experts at WJP Mexico's Open Justice Metric launch

The World Justice Project (WJP) is pleased to announce that WJP Mexico Country Office Director Alejandro González Arreola has been named the global organization’s next Chief Engagement Officer. In his new Washington-D.C.-based role, Alejandro will build, strengthen, and support WJP’s global network of rule of law stakeholders; lead global policy engagement, advocacy initiatives, and campaigns on rule of law topics; and spearhead WJP’s work to advance the rule of law through strategic convenings, including the World Justice Forum.  

Read More