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May 6, 2014
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WORLD JUSTICE PROJECT RATES EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES ON OPEN GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE
Regional findings are presented at Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia-Pacific Regional Conference
NUSA DUA, BALI, INDONESIA – On 6 May, the World Justice Project (WJP) formally presented its open government findings for the East Asia & Pacific region at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia-Pacific Regional Conference. The ratings draw from the recently published WJP Rule of Law Index 2014, released in March 2014.
According to the WJP Rule of Law Index 2014, New Zealand led the East Asia & Pacific region in open government performance, with especially high marks for its “right to information” sub-factor score. Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, and the Republic of Korea were completed the list of the 5 best open government performers of the 15 countries assessed by the Index. Myanmar came in 15 out of the 15 countries measured.
Indonesia was ranked 7 out of 15 countries in the region for its open government performance, but notably scored first out of 24 countries when compared against income peers (lower middle income countries).
The WJP Rule of Law Index 2014 relies on over 100,000 household and 2,400 expert surveys to measure how the rule of law is experienced in everyday life around the world. Adherence is assessed using 47 indicators organized around eight themes: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice. More than 500 variables are computed to produce these indicators for every country.
Factor 3 (Open Government) of the WJP Rule of Law Index 2014 assesses the extent to which the society has clear, publicized, accessible, and stable laws; whether proceedings are open to public participation; and whether official information, including drafts of laws and regulations, is available to the public.
Open Government Rankings: East Asia & Pacific Region (1 is best):
| COUNTRY | REGIONAL RANK | INCOME GROUP RANK | GLOBAL RANK | OPEN GOVERNMENT SCORE |
| New Zealand | 1/15 | 2/30 | 2/99 | 0.83 |
| Japan | 2/15 | 8/30 | 8/99 | 0.77 |
| Hong Kong SAR, China | 3/15 | 10/30 | 10/99 | 0.77 |
| Australia | 4/15 | 12/30 | 12/99 | 0.75 |
| Republic of Korea | 5/15 | 13/30 | 13/99 | 0.74 |
| Singapore | 6/15 | 20/30 | 21/99 | 0.64 |
| Indonesia | 7/15 | 1/24 | 29/99 | 0.54 |
| Malaysia | 8/15 | 9/29 | 42/99 | 0.48 |
| Thailand | 9/15 | 15/29 | 50/99 | 0.47 |
| Philippines | 10/15 | 9/24 | 55/99 | 0.45 |
| China | 11/15 | 24/29 | 74/99 | 0.41 |
| Vietnam | 12/15 | 16/24 | 77/99 | 0.39 |
| Cambodia | 13/15 | 8/16 | 82/99 | 0.38 |
| Mongolia | 14/15 | 23/24 | 93/99 | 0.33 |
| Myanmar | 15/15 | 14/16 | 96/99 | 0.31 |
(Complete rankings of all 99 countries surveyed can be found on the WJP website: http://data.worldjusticeproject.org/#table. Note that clicking on the country name will bring up a detailed profile.)
“An open government—one that is transparent, accessible, and responsive —is fundamental to establishing the rule of law. Such a government fosters citizens’ participation in decision making, provides access to information, empowers people with tools to hold the government accountable, and ultimately enhances the government’s legitimacy among the population,” said Juan Carlos Botero, Executive Director of the World Justice Project. “In recent years we have seen positive movements by many governments taking steps to become more transparent, responsive, and participatory. The Open Government Partnership is a prime example of this encouraging global trend.”
Dr. Botero discussed WJP’s open government findings during the OGP breakout session, “Measuring Civic Engagement for Better Open Government Policies and Services.”
A copy of the full WJP Rule of Law Index 2014, including in-depth information on Open Government scoring and individual country profiles for the 99 countries surveyed, can be downloaded at: worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index
About the World Justice Project
The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, multidisciplinary organization working to advance the rule of law around the globe. Establishing the rule of law is fundamental to achieving communities of opportunity and equity—communities that offer sustainable economic development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights. Our work engages citizens and leaders worldwide and from all work disciplines to advance the rule of law. Through our mutually reinforcing programs of Research and Scholarship, the WJP Rule of Law Index®, and Engagement, WJP seeks to increase public awareness about the foundational importance of the rule of law, stimulate government reforms, and develop practical programs at the community level. Learn more: www.worldjusticeproject.org.
