Foreword

©I DLO

In 2021, the fragilities exposed and compounded by COVID-19 ignited into a set of interconnected humanitarian and development emergencies: from crises in Ethiopia, Myanmar, Afghanistan, the Sahel and most recently, the war in Ukraine, to increasingly severe weather events, and a global economic downturn. Against this grim backdrop and in the face of profound uncertainty as to what comes next, the importance of the rule of law to both peace and sustainable development shone through clearly.

The past year challenged IDLO to innovate, reinvent and explore alternative approaches as we supported our partners to meet rising justice needs in some of the most complex parts of the world. This report presents just a few examples of the results we helped achieve during the first year of our new Strategic Plan 2021-2024.

Under its new Strategic Plan, IDLO committed to putting people and their needs at the centre of justice systems and to promote the rule of law as a driver of peace and development.

Responding to the rising need for protection, we supported empowerment initiatives to increase legal aid, advice and access to justice services. A promising area is work with customary and informal justice systems, which are used by the vast majority of people to resolve their disputes. Through initiatives like the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centres in Somalia, we worked with traditional leaders to raise awareness, build capacity and link informal systems to formal courts to expand access while ensuring greater respect for human rights.

We also helped justice systems to better understand and respond to people’s needs. In the Sahel, for example, we supported community platforms called Cadres de Concerta-

tion to convene criminal justice officials, traditional leaders, and civil society representatives to identify and address local justice issues, from resolving court backlogs to improving prison conditions. To make the adjudication of civil disputes both simpler and faster, IDLO partnered with the Kenyan judiciary to implement a new Small Claims Courts initiative.

Corruption has a corrosive effect on public trust and combatting it is becoming an important area of work. In 2021 IDLO implemented programmes in Armenia, the Bahamas, Indonesia, Moldova, the Philippines and Ukraine to build capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption, counter illicit financial flows and recover assets. We also promoted preventive measures, including increasing transparency and integrity in the judiciary and public sector and strengthening the monitoring role of civil society.

Closing the justice gap for women and girls continued to be a priority. In the Philippines, a broad review of legislation identified remaining sources of gender discrimination, opening the door for more comprehensive transitional justice and improved conditions for informal labour. Our work on gender equality was particularly challenging in conflict-affected contexts, particularly Afghanistan, where IDLO had worked over a decade to promote survivor centric responses to gender-based violence. While the events of the past year put these gains in jeopardy, IDLO is committed to staying engaged and is currently partnering with civil society organizations to provide legal aid and women’s protection services and ensure that justice providers can safely advocate on behalf of themselves and their clients.

Through research and advocacy, IDLO highlighted the importance of the rule of law to global efforts to combat the climate crisis by showing the tangible benefits of a climate justice approach. We also put these insights into action on the ground. In climate-pressured countries such as Rwanda and Somalia, IDLO is pioneering new pathways to justice so people can fairly manage climate fallout and prevent conflict.

Innovative programmes have also been developed to promote inclusive economic development, food security and pandemic preparedness through the rule of law.

IDLO strengthened its own capacity to deliver results in uncertain times, including through investments in our people, systems and processes to make them more resilient, agile and effective.

With tough circumstances demanding collective action and the best use of resources, we took many partnerships to new levels. This included bringing together diverse constituencies, from governments to senior United Nations officials to civil society activists, to champion greater political and financial support and faster action on the rule of law and SDG 16.

Putting justice and the rule of law at the heart of our efforts can enable governments to act quickly and effectively while respecting human rights. It can ensure that those living in conditions of exclusion of inequality, insecurity and injustice are able to access essential services and seek the protection of the law. It can tackle corruption and help rebuild trust, catalyse green development, and lay the foundations for a more just, inclusive and sustainable future.

I hope the following pages inspire you to join the growing movement for justice.

The past year challenged IDLO to innovate, reinvent and explore alternative approaches as we supported our partners to meet rising justice needs in some of the most complex parts of the world.”