About the WJP

We live in a world with a rule of law deficit. This shortcoming undermines efforts to make societies safe, lift people from poverty, reduce corruption, improve public health, and enhance education. By contrast, communities that adhere to and invest in the rule of law are characterized by opportunity and equity.

The World Justice Project (WJP) is a multinational, multidisciplinary initiative to strengthen the rule of law worldwide. It is creating an international network of stakeholders who are advancing the rule of law as a foundation for thriving communities. It works through four complementary initiatives:

• The WJP is mainstreaming the rule of law into the thinking and activities of a broad range of fields. In multidisciplinary outreach meetings in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America, it has brought together senior-level leaders representing over 15 disciplines, including such fields as business, education, engineering, faith, government, human rights, labor, law and the military. Together, they discuss how the rule of law underpins achievement of their sectors’ goals and identify opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration to strengthen the rule of law.
• The WJP’s scholarship program features rigorous research by two teams of leading international scholars. Their research examines the relationship between rule of law and economic, political and social development, and how marginalized people and groups obtain access to justice.
• The WJP has developed a Rule of Law Index to assess countries’ adherence to the rule of law — not just in principle but also in practice. Having been tested in six countries, the Index will be administered in countries around the world to provide government leaders, civil society, NGOs and business leaders with information that enables them to assess and strengthen adherence to the rule of law and to measure changes over time.
• The World Justice Forum, the World Justice Project’s founding conference, launched the WJP globally. Held in Vienna, Austria on July 2 – 5, 2008, the Forum brought together 450 disciplinary leaders from 83 countries. It was at once an educational event, an occasion for determining next steps, and an incubator for concrete programs and strategies to advance the rule of law. Future World Justice Forums will be held annually.

Universal Principles

Four universal principles comprise the rule of law for purposes of the WJP:

• The government and its officials and agents are accountable under the law;
• The laws are clear, publicized, stable and fair, and protect fundamental rights, including the security of persons and property;
• The process by which the laws are enacted, administered and enforced is accessible, fair and efficient;
• The laws are upheld, and access to justice is provided, by competent, independent, and ethical law enforcement officials, attorneys or representatives, and judges who are of sufficient number, have adequate resources, and reflect the makeup of the communities they serve.

For examples of how the rule of law impacts individual disciplines, click here.