Rule of Law
LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES
PROMOTING A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO ROL PROGRAMMING: The ROL Strategic Framework is a comprehensive approach to building the rule of law and promoting democratic governance. The Framework helps Missions analyze the ROL environment, design programs, measure progress and promote coherent responses from USG agencies and other donors. The ROL Division will use the Framework for the planned Africa Regional ROL Status Review and training of USAID field staff.
POLICE MATCHING FUNDS: We implement the USAID Policy Guidance on Civilian Policing. Activities have included funding a pilot community policing program in Northern Uganda and helping five missions design and fund civilian policing programs. We are preparing a field guide to assisting police in developing countries. The ROL and Governance Divisions plan to support additional pilot activities in community policing and security sector reform.
NON-STATE JUSTICE: Customary, traditional and religious justice systems serve large percentages of the population in many countries. Strengthening non-state institutions and actors can increase the legitimacy of the state justice system and increase access to justice. We will test these concepts through a pilot program that works with informal justice institutions and actors. In addition, the we are preparing a guide to help missions work on rule of law programs in countries with Sharia law.
LEGAL EMPOWERMENT: We are promoting approaches that target the needs of poor and marginalized groups by sponsoring a pilot program that strengthens their property and labor rights and increases their access to justice.
CULTURE OF LAWFULNESS: We are experimenting with methodologies to increase citizens’ respect for the rule of law. We developed a pilot program integrating civic education and rule of law objectives to increase the culture of lawfulness in a Colombian municipality.
JUDICIAL EXCHANGES: We facilitate exchanges of federal judges and other judicial officials with their counterparts in developing countries. The objective is to help reform-minded judges to carry out their functions independently in evolving democratic or postconflict environments.
TECHNICAL PRODUCTS. We share our technical expertise through design, production, and dissemination of technical publications, training modules and workshops. These activities aim to shape current rule of law thinking and practice among USAID staff, partners, donors and the scholarly and policy communities. Recent and planned publications include:
- Guide to Rule of Law Country Analysis;
- Latin America Criminal Code Reform Implementation Assessment;
- Administrative Law Guide;
- Guide to Court Reform and the Role of Court Personnel;
- Rebuilding the Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Environments;
- Improving the Rule of Law through Non-State Justice Institutions.
 Read more about our Strategic Focus
Read more about our Strategic Goals
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