The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) is the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law to advance peace and sustainable development.
IDLO partners with governments and people to reform laws and strengthen institutions to make justice systems fairer and more effective. Our programmes, research and policy advocacy cover the spectrum of the rule of law from peace and institution building to social development and economic recovery, including in countries emerging from conflict and striving towards democracy.
Our vision
A world in which every person lives in dignity and equality under the rule of law.
Our mission
We champion people-centred justice and promote the rule of law to advance sustainable development and help build more peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies.
Foreword
As we mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of IDLO in 1983, we celebrate the many accomplishments of the organization and the strong partnerships in support of justice and the rule of law that we have been able to build.
The past year, like the ones that preceded it, has been a tough test to the rule of law, justice and human rights across the globe. A demanding external environment has reinforced the relevance of IDLO’s mandate and underscored the importance of our work.
As this report shows, IDLO has stepped up to the task, adapting rapidly to a changing world, drawing on our networks and relationships of trust, empowering people and enabling governments to meet their priority justice needs. The stories in the following pages are proof that even at a time of global crises, positive change is possible and happening. These achievements are a testament to the dedication and expertise of our staff, the support of our partners and the confidence of the communities we serve.
On a personal note, at the end of my first mandate as Director General, I am thankful for your trust and collaboration. My objective on taking office was to strengthen IDLO’s contribution to the global effort to build more peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Despite strong headwinds, we have made progress together towards that goal, but there can be no room for complacency.
As we embark on the next phase of IDLO’s journey,
my colleagues and I remain resolute in our mission to advance the rule of law and promote sustainable development. The challenges ahead are significant, but so are the opportunities to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives.
Real change will only be possible if we work together across sectors, across societies and across the world. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead IDLO into this new chapter and I look forward to working with you to build a world in which every person lives in dignity and equality under the rule of law.
Sincerely,
Director-General
Strategic Plan 2021-2024
40 years of creating a culture of justice
The year 2023 is a milestone for IDLO. It marks 40 years since the organization’s founding and provides an opportunity to trace IDLO’s evolution and impact as the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law to drive peace and sustainable development. Four decades in, at a time when peace has been shattered for so many and the world risks falling behind on its targets for sustainable development, this work has never been more relevant.
It originated with an idea in March 1983 to establish a training institute at the nexus of law and development. Known as the International Development Law Institute, or IDLI, the institute set up offices in the Prati neighborhood in the north of Rome. Its goal was to
The year 2023 marks
40 years since IDLO’s founding.
equip legal professionals with the tools needed to address international development issues.
The organization focused on providing training and technical assistance to lawyers and other legal professionals from developing countries, including through its flagship programme, a 12-week Development Lawyers Course.
As IDLI’s reputation as a legal training institute grew, so did the scope of what it could offer. In 1988, IDLI became an intergovernmental organization, with the Governments of France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia and the United States of America signing on as its first Member Parties.
In 2001, the organization was granted United Nations Observer Status and one year later rebranded as the International
Development Law Organization (IDLO).
Over the years, IDLO continued to evolve and to strengthen the linkages between our programmes, research, policy and advocacy.
From an initial group of eight Member Parties, our membership has grown to 38 and we continue to explore opportunities for expansion. Today, IDLO has more than 400 staff working in 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa, with most of our work carried out in highly complex, fragile and transitional environments. This field presence enables IDLO to cultivate strong in-country networks and build relationships of trust with national partners.
Mindful that far too many people are not able to access justice, we evolved the capacity to work both from the bottom up – empowering justice seekers and equipping civil society, grassroots organizations and communities with the tools to build people-centred justice – as well as from the top down, partnering with governments and justice institutions to help make laws and institutions work for people. Justice systems should reflect the lived reality of the people we serve, and IDLO offers experience in working across a variety of legal systems, from high courts to customary and informal justice (CIJ) systems.
Along with our work to bring justice closer to people, today IDLO promotes the rule of law’s contribution to sustainable development. This includes work on closing the gender justice gap, inclusive economic development, climate justice and the sustainable use of land and natural resources, and food insecurity and public health. We also offer cross-cutting legal expertise on issues such as digital innovation, anti-corruption and criminal justice.
IDLO contributes thought leadership through our presence in policy hubs in Rome, New York, Geneva and the Hague. Through its expertise and networks, IDLO has developed the ability to mobilize multistakeholder coalitions around key issues of global concern and to promote
Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) as an enabler of the 2030 Agenda, including through flagship events such as the SDG 16 Conference.
Meanwhile, our legacy of successful capacity-building continues, with a network of some 60,000 former participants from all regions of the world.
IDLO enters its fifth decade in a world facing a spate of complex challenges, for which the rule of law and access to justice can offer powerful solutions. Our commitment to finding innovative and collaborative ways for the rule of law to continue driving peace and sustainable development remains unwavering.
The examples in this report provide a snapshot of our work and highlight the expertise we have developed over our 40 years. Our ability to be the agile, flexible and innovative organization we are today is thanks to the many partners, staff, alumni and supporters who have become a vital part of IDLO’s journey, since its origin.
Building a culture of justice will take time, effort and sustained commitment. It is the best investment we can make in our collective future.
“Today, IDLO has more than 400 staff working in 40 countries, with most of our work carried out in highly complex, fragile and transitional environments.”
“Along with our work to bring justice closer to people, today IDLO promotes the rule of law’s contribution to sustainable development.”
Ensuring justice systems are more effective and responsive to people’s needs Strategic Goal 1
Since IDLO’s beginnings four decades ago, we have strived to bring justice closer to the people. As we evolved from a training institute into an intergovernmental organization specializing in programming, policy advocacy and research, IDLO honed an approach that allows us to work from both the top down with institutions and from the bottom up on promoting access to justice and legal empowerment.
Recognizing that gender equality is essential for achieving people-centred justice, in 2015 IDLO also introduced our first Gender Strategy and has kept the empowerment of women and girls as a top organizational priority.
Ensuring that justice systems are more effective and responsive to people’s needs depends on a people-centred approach, which promotes greater access and inclusion based on an understanding of people’s diverse and specific circumstances and how these impact their justice needs. This is essential to produce fairer and more satisfactory outcomes for justice seekers and make justice a lived reality for all.
Empowering justice seekers
To access justice, people must be able to understand and claim their rights and participate fully and meaningfully as equal members of society, including in decisionmaking spaces. This is essential to building greater trust and confidence in the justice system and public institutions, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected situations.
For the last 40 years, IDLO has been at the forefront of providing justice seekers, formal and informal justice actors, civil society and communities with the knowledge and tools to engage with laws and institutions that affect their daily lives. We focus on reaching those most at risk of being left behind, with a special emphasis on the empowerment of women and girls, youth and those in marginalized or vulnerable situations.
Supporting frontline justice actors on the ground in Afghanistan
Building on over two decades of presence in Afghanistan, IDLO has continued to engage closely with local non-state justice actors amidst a complex and evolving legal landscape. Through its strong country presence, IDLO is helping these organizations remain viable and effective in delivering legal services to Afghans across the country, including some of the most vulnerable justice seekers.
IDLO has continued to engage closely with local non-state justice actors.
In 2023, IDLO scaled up its efforts, applying lessons learned from the experiences of our target beneficiaries and adapting programme activities to respond to their needs.
One way IDLO has been supporting justice sector and civil society actors is through its regular civil society organization (CSO) mappings. Given Afghanistan’s historically limited state
capacity and reach, CSOs are often the only available source of support for the Afghan people and fill critical gaps in local services. IDLO conducted three CSO mappings in 2023, with an average of 60 operational CSOs participating in each. The information collected enables IDLO and its partners and beneficiary groups to understand various challenges and opportunities facing Afghan CSOs, such as approaches to employing women, and the impact of new laws and decrees from the de facto authorities (DFA) on respondents’ ability to function as organizations and perform their services.
The results of these mappings are one of many tools available through IDLO’s Afghanistan Rule of Law Observatory (ARLO), a unique platform to help frontline actors navigate the country’s everchanging and complex legal and operating landscape. Built by IDLO’s Afghan national experts, ARLO features the only repository of existing legislative documents currently available in Afghanistan. This is essential to give local and international stakeholders an up-to-date snapshot of the existing regulatory environment and identify priorities. At the end of 2023, IDLO launched a revamped version of ARLO, featuring a resource reference guide and compliance handbook, along with a new e-learning platform offering various legal and non-legal courses designed by local national legal experts.
IDLO complements this work with ongoing organizational assessments of targeted CSOs across the country. The assessments aim to improve these CSOs’ organizational structures, policies and practices so they are better positioned to apply for donor funding and can continue navigating the complex operational space. IDLO completed one round of assessments involving five organizations in 2023, and by the end of the year had launched a second round with five more organizations.
Encouragingly, these efforts are yielding significant results in unexpected places. Through the various forums and learning opportunities, justice stakeholders, who were previously convinced that there was no space for them in public life, are now taking steps to return to the practice of law. Equipped with tools and best practices as a direct result of IDLO’s work, some of these stakeholders have been able to gain the support of local officials. The news of such support, in turn, has led to the return of other actors who had reluctantly left in search of work outside the country.
“Such outcomes lay a foundation for broader justice gains in the longer term.”
Such outcomes at the individual level lay a foundation for broader justice gains in the longer term. IDLO’s work in 2023 to better understand critical and scalable entry points and opportunities will help the organization support frontline justice actors whose pioneering actions are shaping Afghanistan’s complex legal landscape.
Enhancing access to justice for children in Mongolia
In 2023, in consultation with the Government of Mongolia, IDLO launched a 15-month project to increase children’s access to justice and enhance the country’s child protection system and response mechanisms.
Building on the success of IDLO’s previous EU-funded child protection initiative (2021-2022), the project is being implemented in close cooperation with Mongolia’s General Authority for Child and Family Development and Protection, Secretariat staff of its Legal Committees on Child Rights (LCCR), justice sector stakeholders and civil society actors.
One outcome of the project has been the successful delivery of capacity-building sessions and trainings. IDLO-delivered sessions on child protection frameworks, as well as gender-sensitive and child-centred case management, reached 183 LCCR members across all 21 provinces, or aimags, and nine districts of the capital, Ulaanbaatar.
IDLO also rolled out an advanced training and mentorship programme
for LCCR members and Secretariat staff, which offered hands-on support to improve case management, particularly for 40 cases involving children in conflict with the law across 11 aimags, and two districts. We also trained six CSOs in four aimags and Ulaanbaatar city on a rehabilitation and reintegration toolkit for 27 children in conflict with the law.
According to Sh. Chinbat, Head of the General Authority for Child, Family Development and Protection, “As a result of the implementation of the mentorship programme […] in 2023, the number of minors receiving services from LCCRs doubled, reaching 1,840 compared to the previous year.”
IDLO also engaged young people directly, delivering a workshop over the Internet for 1,521 children between the ages of 7 and 12 years across 11 aimags and Ulaanbaatar city. It used the workbook, “Digital Masters”, which the project developed specifically to address online child protection issues and raise awareness among children, parents and caregivers.
Seventh-grade student Kh. Sodbaatar, who attended the workshop, told IDLO, “I learned a lot about mobile apps, staying safe online, social media and using my phone wisely.” He added that he now knows that “it’s important to be careful online and don’t trust anyone on the Internet. If you’re ever in trouble, tell a teacher or social worker at school, or call [child protection and police hotlines] 102 and 108 for help.”
Thanks to public legal awareness campaigns on social media platforms, the information in the “Digital Masters” workbook was broadcast to over 100,000 people.
A significant achievement that the project helped drive was the inclusion in an amendment to Mongolia’s Law on Child Protection of three stand-alone chapters on the Legal Committees on Child Rights. These included regulations and emphasized the need for enhancing the LCCR mechanism at all levels. The new law was officially adopted by the Parliament of Mongolia as of January 2024.
Addressing impunity around land conflict crimes in Niger
Africa’s Sahel region faces one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises as rising insecurity intersects with rapid population growth and climate change. The situation has led farmers to expand into marginal lands, traditionally used for grazing, and to close off cattle migration corridors. Irregular rainfall patterns mean that, more and more frequently, cattle migrations happen earlier, when agriculturalists have yet to harvest, setting the stage for violent confrontation. In this context, efficient, accountable and inclusive institutions, especially for dispute prevention and resolution, are key to improving stability.
In Niger , IDLO implements a programme to strengthen the criminal justice system with a view to reducing impunity for perpetrators. It targets peripheral areas of the country, where judicial authorities are rarely able to respond effectively to pervasive crimes, such as banditry, cattle theft and attacks on roads and markets. This justice gap deeply affects the security and livelihoods of victims and their communities. Ensuring access to justice and protection of rights has become even more important since the coup and non-democratic transition in July 2023
In 2020, at the start of IDLO’s programme in Niger, IDLO supported the National Human Rights Commission to resolve a case in the country’s Tahoua region, a couple of hours away from the capital of Niamey. Confrontations between cattle herding and settled communities in the locality of Bangui had led to 18 deaths. The National Human Rights Commission led investigations of this atrocity. Yet, a lack of capacity and resources prevented the Nigerien authorities from prosecuting and adjudicating this large, complicated and sensitive case.
In 2023, IDLO’s assistance made it possible to organize a trial in the community for all defendants. Judges and prosecutors were brought to the village, and lawyers were provided to victims and defendants to help present their case.
Many of those present later said that it had been a relief to see justice done after so many years. Hearing the testimonies was an important step in processing their grief and moving on with their lives.
Traditional leaders, who were present at the trial, played an important role in this process and in mending and maintaining ties between communities. Over the course of the year, our iterative approach allowed IDLO to adapt the programme to the evolving context and to increase support for traditional authorities. This is designed to strengthen the capacities of these leaders to mediate disputes around land and natural resources and to interact and coordinate with formal authorities to address conflict prevention, management and mitigation.
“IDLO’s assistance made it possible to organize a trial in the community for all defendants. Many of those present later said that it had been a relief to see justice done after so many years.”
“Our iterative approach allowed IDLO to adapt the programme to the evolving context and to increase support for traditional authorities.”
Bringing justice to marginalized people
and communities in Uganda
As part of its Community Justice Programme, IDLO partners with the Uganda Law Society to provide accessible, quality and sustainable justice services, particularly for people living in rural, poor and other marginalized communities, through six legal aid clinics.
In 2023, the clinics provided free legal aid support to 4,390 people, including legal representation, advice and counselling, and community sensitization on issues such as gender-based violence, family law and children’s rights.
One of the primary reasons people approach the clinics is for assistance in resolving land disputes. This was the situation for a community in the town of Masese in Uganda’s Eastern region, whose land titles had been sold off to unsuspecting buyers, with a promise to relocate the current occupants. The action threatened to displace over 50 families that had lived on the land for more than five decades.
One of the residents, an elderly man who had spent all his life in the town, heard rumours that the land had been sold and sought help from the Uganda Law Society legal aid clinic in Jinja, the regional capital. Lawyers from the clinic were able to file the case in court, while advising communities on how to understand and claim their rights.
In the end, the beneficiary won his court case, initiating a process of cancelling the illegal land titles. With the Masese community now able to document their claims, developers must negotiate with tenants if they want to buy the land.
The Community Justice Programme also works with women in prison, many of whom face losing access to their children and livelihoods after committing minor offenses.
With our implementing partner, Penal Reform International, in 2023 IDLO provided 195 women in jail with legal aid and
psychosocial support through legal counselling, representation and family visitations.
One of them was 23-year-old Natamba Abias, who had been sentenced to six months in jail for theft. Abias, who worked as a farmer and sold clothes on the street, had been struggling to support herself and her two children without any help from her family or husband. When Uganda’s crop prices dropped, Abias found it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. One day, she stole some clothes that had fallen from a truck and was later convicted of theft, leaving her children without a caretaker and further endangering her livelihood.
After three months in prison, Abias was able to serve out the remainder of her sentence in a community service programme. The programme allowed Abias to return to her home and her children, and to work towards paying off her debt by spending five days a week cleaning and doing other practical tasks at the Mbarara High Court, in Western Uganda. She was also free to resume her street-selling business, earning income for her family.
“In
2023, the clinics provided free legal aid support to 4,390 people, including legal representation,
Expanding engagement and advocacy with customary and informal justice systems
The majority of people around the world turn to customary, community-based and other informal pathways to justice to claim their rights and resolve their disputes. Engaging these systems is therefore critical to IDLO’s efforts to achieve SDG16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and deliver justice for all.
In September 2023, IDLO successfully concluded Phase II of the programme, Alternative Dispute Resolution Somalia The initiative was implemented from July 2022 to September 2023, in partnership with Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (MOJ) and the MOJs of the Federal Member States of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland, Puntland and South-West.
The programme, which continued and scaled up the work initiated in 2017,
provided technical support and capacity development to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) centres, which use community-run customary and informal justice (CIJ) mechanisms to address civil disputes and minor offenses through a panel of adjudicators.
Over a period of 15 months, 15 IDLO-supported ADR centres received and managed 5,433 cases, with more than 11,000 Somalis directly benefitting from the dispute resolution services and referrals. The centres also delivered legal awareness sessions to more than 5,000 Somalis including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local communities in ADR centre neighbourhoods.
The programme focused specifically on delivering justice to women and vulnerable groups. Under the Somalia ADR
project, women comprise 22 per cent of ADR centre adjudicators, with six centres having a woman deputy chair and 86 per cent of them employing women community paralegals. The presence of women in these adjudicating roles has contributed to increasing women’s participation during the hearing process and ensuring more gender-sensitive outcomes. Since women paralegals were brought on board, women now make up 50 per cent of the ADR centres’ justice seekers.
The deputy chair of the ADR centre in the district of Beledweyne, a woman named Dahara, has resolved over 100 cases since joining the centre two years ago. Dahara is also actively involved in leading an IDP camp and has taken a leading role in promoting ADR and gender equity in her community.
“The experience I gained from working with the ADR programme has further enhanced my skills and services for the community,” said Dahara. “The programme recognized and elevated our status as women within the community.”
The programme also made important strides in the protection of child rights and addressing the needs of survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), including through the establishment of GBV task forces that link survivors with local psychosocial and health-care services and provide accompaniment to police stations and formal courts.
ADR centres are also enhancing access to justice in Somaliland, where land disputes between individuals can quickly ignite brutal inter-clan conflicts. Climate change is increasingly acting as the spark for these disputes. IDLO’s issue brief, “Strengthening Climate Justice in Somaliland: The Role of ADR Centres”, published in March 2023, provides an in-depth look at key justice challenges caused or aggravated by the effects of climate change in Somaliland, and outlines opportunities for addressing these challenges through ADR centres.
In Somaliland, the centres are part of IDLO’s Damal programme, which in 2023 reached 4,144 people with both in-person and remote justice assistance. A number of Somaliland’s ADR centres are mobile, which allows adjudicators to travel to the location of disputes and remain among the community for the duration of the ADR process. This has been key to increasing trust among justice seekers and empowering adjudicators to better grasp the link between climate change and conflict. It also allows for the strategic deployment of mobile ADR centres to hotspots of climate insecurity.
In 2023, the mobile ADR centre in the El-Afweyn district of Somaliland’s Sanaag region helped two pastoralists reach a peaceful settlement over a dispute involving the illegal occupation of land. Concerned that the dispute might escalate into violence, the mayor’s office referred the case to the mobile ADR
centre and requested mediation support. The centre assigned five elders who were experts in clan laws to adjudicate the case, and in November they reached a verdict that left both sides satisfied and preserved peace in the community.
The El-Afweyn case was one of 298 handled by the mobile ADR centres in 2023, with 79 per cent of these successfully adjudicated. Throughout the year, the Damal programme also ran legal awareness sessions that reached 1,665 participants, including in IDP camps, and trained 80 human rights advocates and 24 community-based paralegals, thereby enabling them to offer guidance to citizens on navigating their justice options. It also created a dedicated GBV hotline, which is accessible throughout Somaliland.
As part of our integrated approach, in 2023 IDLO also engaged in research and advocacy initiatives to help move CIJ to the centre of the global justice agenda.
In October, we published the issue brief, “Navigating Complex Pathways to Justice, Women’s Participation and Leadership in CIJ Systems”, which featured new research on women’s roles and contributions in CIJ systems, conducted with the support of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). IDLO shared these findings through a series of events throughout the year, including in Belgium, Kenya and the Philippines.
IDLO also led the Working Group on Customary and Informal Justice and SDG16+, a one-of-a-kind network drawing together major international organizations, civil society, grassroots justice defenders, academics, and think tanks. In September, the working group produced the report “Diverse Pathways to People-Centred Justice” for the 2023 SDG Summit at the United Nations headquarters in New York. It was developed through an intensive process of consensus-building through stakeholder consultations engaging 260 people from nearly 50 countries, including donors, United Nations agencies, CSOs and grassroots justice defenders in Africa.
In October 2023, the working group organized a launch event at the United Nations, moderated by IDLO Director-General, Jan Beagle. The event was co-hosted by Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands, and featured speakers including Colombia’s Vice Minister of Justice, the President of the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic, senior customary leaders from Liberia and Vanuatu, a Mayan women’s leader from Guatemala, Canada’s most respected Indigenous justice scholar, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.
“In Somaliland, IDLO’s Damal programme reached
4,144 people with both in-person and remote justice assistance. A number of the centres are mobile, which allows adjudicators to travel to the location of disputes and remain among the community.”
Making laws and institutions work for people
Delivering justice to all requires institutions that provide effective and accessible services while rigorously upholding human rights and principles of fairness, transparency and accountability. Since IDLO was first established 40 years ago as a judicial training institute, it has transformed into an organization that collaborates with partners globally to help judicial systems adapt, innovate and develop locally tailored solutions to development challenges ranging from digital innovation to customary and informal systems. Our experience, expanding from training individuals to supporting institutions to deliver essential justice services, has taught us that justice systems can only be effective and trusted when they are context-specific and responsive to people’s needs. This work is particularly challenging in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, where over half of IDLO programmes are based.
With legal pluralism as a core value, IDLO works across a diversity of legal systems to strengthen the justice chain, combat corruption and expand service delivery, with the goal of ensuring nationally owned and sustainable change.
Supporting the government with accountability, transparency and legal advice in Ukraine
In the second year of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, IDLO continued working closely with the Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) on strengthening institutional capacities in line with international humanitarian and criminal law standards. Our efforts were designed to address emerging wartime justice demands while continuing IDLO’s longstanding support for transparency and institutional reform.
Assisting the Office of the Prosecutor General with critical legal advice and coordination in wartime
IDLO continued to provide the Office of the Prosecutor General with guidance on myriad legal and practical issues. These ranged from technical support in relation to conflict-related sexual violence and crimes committed against or affecting children, the unlawful destruction of critical civilian infrastructure as well as cooperation modalities with international justice mechanisms including the ICC, the UN Inquiry Commission and the Office for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We supported the development of the International Center for Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression under the Joint Investigation Team on International Crimes in Ukraine as well as the design of Point 7 of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, which deals with Restoring Justice.
IDLO also established and operationalized the Secretariat of the Dialogue Group on Accountability for Ukraine, a coordination mechanism that will provide a critical space for discussion and alignment on national and international accountability initiatives.
Finally, IDLO continues to coordinate its work with other organizations supporting accountability in Ukraine under the auspices of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, an initiative established by the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom in partnership with the Government of Ukraine to support the country’s efforts to ensure justice and accountability for atrocity crimes committed in the context of the war.
“IDLO continued to provide the Office of the Prosecutor General with guidance on myriad legal and practical issues.”
Enhancing transparency, accountability and respect for human rights
Despite the challenges of the war, the Government of Ukraine has emphasized its commitment to fundamental rule of law, anti-corruption and good governance reforms. IDLO’s contribution to these efforts includes support in 2023 to the OPG in introducing standards of transparency, accountability and respect for human rights in various areas.
For instance, IDLO actively assisted with the establishment and operationalization of the OPG’s Support Coordination Centre for Victims and Witnesses of War Crimes and Other International Crimes, which facilitates comprehensive legal and psychological support to victims of war crimes at all stages of criminal proceedings.
IDLO co-organized the selection and initial professional training of the Centre’s staff. We also contributed to the devel-
the Centre’s coordinators, and facilitate effective communication with targeted groups of victims and witnesses, including children, survivors of torture, and victims of sexual violence.
IDLO also worked with the OPG on a pilot project to advance the concept of community prosecution in prosecutor’s offices in L’viv, Odesa, and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. Community prosecution aims to strengthen interaction and trust between the prosecution service and local communities. These bonds are essential to improving public safety, preventing criminal offenses and to eventually improving the quality of life of community members.
IDLO further contributed to developing the concept and action plan for a Citizens Reception Hall. The Hall will serve as a front office of the OPG, where citizens can interact with pros-
Supporting the government with ongoing judicial reform efforts
As attention continues to focus on access to justice during wartime, continuing to push forward anti-corruption reforms and promote transparent and merit-based competitions for public office are more important than ever.
In 2023, IDLO continued supporting vetting and selection procedures in two key judicial administration bodies – the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) and the High Council of Justice (HCJ). After being interrupted
by the full-scale invasion, these vetting and selection procedures resumed later in 2022 and in January 2023 resulted in the successful re-launch of the HCJ.
IDLO also facilitated the adoption of relevant legislation, and led on the provision of international technical assistance, for the creation of an open competition for the Disciplinary Inspectors Service, which handles disciplinary complaints against sitting judges. These interventions will allow for timely and
fair hearings and decisions on more than 11,000 pending disciplinary cases.
In parallel, IDLO has been advocating for and contributing to the re-alignment of indicators, evaluation standards and a methodology on judicial ethics and integrity. Such tools will equip national institutions tasked with selecting, assessing and disciplining judges with the ethics criteria to ensure equal treatment, legal certainty and effective collaboration.
justice in the country.
The initiative partners with local institutions to develop and provide specialized training curricula for judges, magistrates and prosecutors. It is particularly focused on reaching beneficiaries outside the capital of Banjul and includes work with magistrate courts operating in the rural divisions of West Coast (Brikama), North Bank (Kerewan, Farfenni) and Upper River (Basse Sante Su).
IDLO launched the initiative at a March 2023 event attended by The Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dawda Jallow, its Chief Justice, Hassan Jallow, US Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, and US Ambassador to The Gambia, Sharon Cromer.
One of the goals of the programme is to lighten the heavy caseloads of local magistrates. In 2022, in the city of Brikama, the two magistrate court judges handled more than 500 civil cases and nearly 600 criminal cases between them.
“Due to the lack of a case recording system, we spend a significant portion of our working hours typing the documents that we handwrote during court proceedings” the Principal Magistrate of the
In 2022, in the city of Brikama, the two magistrate court judges handled more than
500
civil cases and nearly
600
criminal cases between them.
Brikima Magistrate Court, Fatoumatta Darboe Jaguraga, explained. “This forces us to adjourn many cases, which translates into delayed access to justice for the people of The Gambia.”
In 2023, IDLO began conducting assessments on case management and institutional capacity development. These will support the creation of an automated transcription and recording system for magistrate courts and a select number of high courts to help save time and clear case backlogs.
IDLO also provided support to members of The Gambia’s district tribunal, a customary and informal justice body that serves as the first point of contact in dispute resolution, primarily in rural areas. These efforts have led to the provision of administrative tools to the tribunal and to the placement of every tribunal member on the government’s payroll, thereby reducing the ability of outside parties to sway proceedings.
These efforts laid the foundation for the project’s full implementation going forward. In his remarks at the formal opening of The Gambia’s 2024 legal year celebration, an annual event for the country’s legal community, Chief Justice Jallow recognized IDLO as one of four key partners to the judiciary in 2023.
Working with justice institutions to tackle corruption
Corruption has a profoundly negative impact on the rule of law, good governance and human rights. It threatens peace and security, thwarts inclusive economic development, and hampers the distribution of resources to the people who need them most, including women, young people and marginalized and vulnerable groups. These conditions undermine trust in public institutions and hamper sustainable development.
In 2023, IDLO supported Armenia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Moldova, Mongolia and Ukraine, among other countries, with their respective anti-corruption agendas. Our work took a holistic approach focused on making justice institutions transparent and responsive, reducing conflicts of interest and enhancing the capacity of institutions and justice actors to fight fraud and economic crime.
In the Republic of Armenia, IDLO conducted extensive training sessions, workshops and mentoring programmes for criminal justice actors on the effective investigation, prosecution and adjudication of corruption and complex crimes. We further piloted a system to facilitate secure and confidential online meetings between public defenders and inmates at Armavir Penitentiary, the country’s largest penitentiary institution. We also developed a “Guide on Presiding Over a Criminal Trial in a Court of First Instance. A Handbook for Judges”, in collaboration with Sergey Marabyan, a judge in Armenia’s Criminal Court of Appeal specializing in anti-corruption. In August, IDLO presented the handbook at an event attended by the chairman of the Criminal Chamber of Armenia’s Cassation Court, the rector of the country’s Justice Academy, the dean of Yerevan State University’s Law Faculty and more than 100 law practitioners.
In the DRC, IDLO began scaling up its support to the country’s National Anti-Corruption Agency (APLC). This includes efforts to improve organizational and operational capacities; build the knowledge and practical skills of anti-corruption actors in investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating corruption cases; and
improve coordination among the country’s anti-corruption bodies. Thanks to the signing in September of a Host Country Agreement (HCA) with the DRC government, there is now a legal framework to support sustainable cooperation and the secure, independent and effective development of projects on the ground.
In Moldova, IDLO continued to support the country’s Independent Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee. IDLO provided technical assistance for the implementation of the recommendations from the Committee’s first report, which focused on systemic fraud and money laundering in Moldova’s financial sector. IDLO also supported the release of the Committee’s third report, examining corruption in political and campaign finance. Additionally, IDLO recently started a new project to assist Moldova in implementing an extraordinary vetting mechanism for prosecutors, one of nine key recommendations made by the European Commission in preparation for Moldova’s EU accession negotiations.
In Mongolia, in consultation with the government, IDLO continued implementing a three-year programme to counter corruption and strengthen public oversight. A key 2023 output focused on enhancing citizen oversight to prevent corruption through the delivery of a Corruption Risk Assessment training. Based on a comprehensive curricula
and handbook developed by IDLO experts, the training equipped 16 trainers and 50 analysts with the skills to investigate and report on the most corruption-prone stateowned enterprises.
IDLO also facilitated exposure visits by Mongolian officials to the Republic of Singapore and the Swiss Confederation to establish and institutionalize working procedures on international cooperation in criminal cases. We further supported the development of the National Anti-Corruption Programme 2023, which is aligned with Mongolia’s Vision 2050, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the country’s Law on Legislation. The new programme was approved by the Parliament on 30 June 2023.
In Ukraine, amid the tremendous challenges of war, IDLO has continued its work with the government on fundamental rule of law, anti-corruption and good governance reforms. In 2023, we supported Ukraine’s government with judicial reform and accountability efforts, including the vetting and selection procedures in two key judicial administration bodies, and advocating for evaluation standards and a methodology on judicial ethics and integrity (see page 22).
IDLO has been championing these national, regional and local-level anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine since 2015, in close partnership with various ministries, agencies and regional state administrations.
Aligning global corrections management with international human rights standards
With more than 11 million people worldwide currently incarcerated and prison occupancy levels increasing globally, ensuring a human rightsbased approach to prison management is essential.
IDLO continued its work on the development of a global human rights-based training curriculum and training materials for corrections officers in prisons around the world. This year the project worked to build the capacities of prison officers in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Morocco, Panama and Senegal.
IDLO convened an International Advisory Group of experts from international, governmental and civil society organizations specializing in penal reform to align the curriculum with international human rights standards and norms. The Group included corrections experts from Canada, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Kenya, Morocco, New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand and the USA. They represented groups including Justice Defenders, Penal Reform International, the Training Centre at the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
The result was five substantive courses that address human rights approaches in prison management for frontline staff, senior managers and policymakers, along with working conditions for prison staff. There are also dedicated courses on understanding the human rights of vulnerable groups in prison and improving the social integration of people deprived of liberty.
To ensure that the materials would be adaptable to diverse contexts, IDLO also compiled regional and local best practices and developed tools for prison authorities to conduct participatory and inclusive training needs assessments. IDLO also expanded the curriculum’s reach by translating three courses1 into French and Arabic, and two others2 into Spanish.
In 2023, IDLO selected and trained a group of eight officers who were alumni of the project to act as international
trainers. These officers were able to deliver the global prison management curriculum to others working in corrections at national, regional and global levels, confirming the sustainability of the programme.
Along with the delivery of two regional capacity-building courses, IDLO also created an online course that consolidates the concepts and principles of the main courses and provides an e-learning option to participants.
1 ‘Human rights approaches in prison management for frontline staff’; ‘Human rights approaches in prison management for senior managers and policymakers’; and ‘Improving the social integration of people deprived of liberty’.
2 ‘Human rights of vulnerable groups in prison’ and ‘Human rights approaches in prison management: prison staff and working conditions’.
Combatting trafficking in persons and boosting capacities of women in law enforcement in Liberia
In 2023, as part of Phase III of its trafficking in persons (TIP) programme in Liberia, IDLO revised various training materials on TIP including curriculums for judges and prosecutors, handbooks for law enforcement officers and prosecutors, and a benchbook for judicial officials.
These materials were used to begin the rollout of nationwide training for law enforcement and judicial actors delivered in partnership with the Liberia National Police Training Academy (LNPTA) and Judicial Institute (JI).
In September, in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States TIP Unit, IDLO delivered a training of trainers session for 36 facilitators from the LNPTA and the JI. In partnership with the LNPTA and the JI, IDLO also delivered training to 94 law enforcement officers and judicial officials from Bomi, Grand Cape Mount and Nimba counties. Following these activities, participants reported a 97 per cent increase in their knowledge of TIP issues.
Training efforts have paid off in Bo Waterside, on the border between Liberia and Sierra Leone, which is known as a trafficking hotspot. Following an IDLO training there, Commander Morgan Mulbah, the Liberia Immigration Service TIP focal point, shared that the knowledge and skills garnered during this and previous activities contributed to the recent interception by the joint security team stationed at Bo Waterside of two adults and two minors who were unknowingly being trafficked from Sierra Leone to Ivory Coast. The team was able to provide immediate assistance to register the case for investigation and prosecution, and helped the victims return safely to their homes in Liberia.
In 2023, IDLO also supported the finalization of the Government of Liberia’s Annual Trafficking in Persons Report (2022–2023), which reflects progress made against the country’s TIP National Action Plan (2019-2024) and will form the basis of IDLO’s
continued efforts in Liberia in 2024.
Combatting trafficking and other crimes is contingent on having law enforcement officers that are well trained and representative of the communities they serve.
For instance, the ability of firefighters to expertly manoeuvre emergency vehicles is critical for responding quickly and effectively to incidents. Yet, women firefighters with such specialized driving skills are extremely rare in Liberia. In 2023, there was just one woman in the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) who possessed these skills.
To rectify this, in 2023, IDLO’s Professional Development Fund scholarship programme supported the training of 27 women firefighters in specialized driving skills for the operation of fire trucks and ambulances. The initiative was championed by Colonel Denise Johnson, the Assistant Director for Gender and Social Inclusion at the LNFS. Having come up through the ranks to attain a senior leadership position, she approached IDLO with the idea for a course that would offer women in the fire service an opportunity to attain skills that would put them on par with their male counterparts and increase their chances of professional advancement within the LNFS.
These efforts are part of a programme implemented by IDLO in partnership with the Liberia Female Law Enforcement Association (LIFLEA) and the Gender and Security Sector National Taskforce (GSSNT).
Another phase of the scholarship programme launched this year provides women from the country’s more remote areas with opportunities for career advancement via various learning and educational options that they may otherwise not have been able to afford or access. By the end of the year, 79 women law enforcement officers were enrolled in various technical and vocational institutions thanks to the fund.
Supporting the sustainable training of prosecutors and law enforcement in the Philippines
Increasing the capacities of prosecutors and law enforcement officers is essential in the Philippines, where conviction rates in criminal cases have historically been extremely low.
To address this, IDLO works with the Special Projects Division (SPD) of the National Prosecution Service (NPS) to design and build trainings of trainers on the knowledge and skills that prosecutors need to win cases.
Prior to the programme’s start in 2016, the conviction rate in the Philippines stood at just 25 per cent, and the NPS depended almost completely on external trainers to build its professional capacity. By the end of 2023, the SPD boasted over 100 trainers and, thanks in part to the delivery of specialized courses such as Trial Advocacy and Witness Handling, the conviction rate has risen to 49 per cent.
Over the years, IDLO has incrementally transferred ownership and institutional capacity to the SPD and now primarily assists by financing events and monitoring and coaching SPD trainers. These efforts are designed for maximum sustainability. They ensure that the SPD is equipped with the tools and knowledge to independently identify and meet the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ)’s long-term training needs.
In 2023, the government recognized and leveraged the increased institutional capacity of the SPD. Striving to further increase the conviction rate, the Secretary of Justice directed NPS prosecutors to take an active role in all stages of investigations and ensure close coordination and cooperation with law enforcement agencies. Both the DOJ and the Philippine National Police (PNP) recognized that this major change in the investigation and indictment process required a vast capacity development campaign.
The DOJ and PNP entered into an inter-agency agreement – with the PNP providing the necessary funding and the SPD providing the trainers –to deliver this campaign. In 2023, this effort resulted in 11 symposia and 214 training sessions, which were attended
by 8,184 law enforcement officers and prosecutors from around the country. The trainings covered topics including case build-up, the investigation and prosecution of drugs cases, and criminal complaint checklists. It also provided a venue for police officers and DOJ prosecutors to foster closer working relations and strengthen collaboration.
Highlighting the success of IDLO’s sustainability efforts, the SPD trainers delivered the campaign on their own, with IDLO providing marginal coaching and monitoring assistance.
In 2024, IDLO will continue to build the institutional capacity of the SPD and support its goal of becoming a fully fledged DOJ Academy. The SPD’s reputation continues to grow, and in 2024 it will be engaging in efforts similar to the agreement with the PNP by partnering with the Philippine Coast Guard.
“This
effort resulted in 11 symposia and 214 training sessions, which were attended by
8,184 law enforcement officers and prosecutors.”
Enhancing transparency and efficiency through technology
IDLO has long recognized the potential of digital technology and innovation to strengthen people’s access to justice. Digital innovation can boost the transparency of justice processes, cut down on time and resources, and enable people to access justice services from wherever they are. In order to reach these goals, e-justice delivery must be inclusive, people-centred and gender-responsive, and avoid replicating or creating new forms of inequalities.
In 2023, IDLO worked to promote e-justice to strengthen justice systems and processes, making them more transparent, accountable and efficient.
In Kenya, IDLO has been introducing e-justice solutions for the Commercial and Tax Division (CTD) of the High Court, the Chief Magistrates Commercial Court (CMCC) at Milimani, and the small claims courts. These included the set-up and implementation of systems for case tracking, case management, e-filing and e-payment, along with a judiciary advocates’ management system.
These advancements have benefitted both justice actors and justice seekers. Through the e-filing system, cases can now be filed virtually, and court documents served online, saving time and human resources. The system also allocates cases to judges randomly, reducing the potential of bias and corruption. The e-payment system has helped make the payment of court fees transparent, predictable and cashless. In addition, litigants no longer need to physically travel to court to check the status of their cases, which has also reduced the demand for many registry staff.
The results of these interventions have been gamechangers in judicial service delivery. Over the last two years, e-justice solutions have resulted in a case backlog reduction rate of 11 per cent and case clearance rate of 128 per cent in the CTD of the High Court and the CMCC. This has facilitated the release of finances previously tied up in court matters back into the economy, bolstering the business and investment environment in Kenya.
A June 2023 court user satisfaction survey conducted by the judiciary on the e-filing system in 18 commercial courts and tribunals in Nairobi County showed that over 70 per cent of respondents had used the e-filing system to register cases, make payments, track cases and retrieve court documents. Of those, 87 per cent found the system reliable, 92 per cent agreed that the system improved the speed of filing cases, and 80 per cent saw the system as user-friendly.
Digital innovation was also an important factor in IDLO’s work in 2023 with institutions in other regions.
“Over the last two years, e-justice solutions have resulted in a case backlog reduction rate of 11% and a case clearance rate of 128%.”
Reducing the justice gap for women and girls
Evidence shows that when governments, institutions and communities invest in justice for women, it leads to high returns in human development, economic growth and peace. Over the last four decades, gender equality has been recognized globally as an essential component of sustainable development, and for IDLO it marks a cornerstone of achieving justice for all.
At IDLO, we mainstream gender equality throughout our programming, research and policy advocacy work and each strategic objective. We also carry out focused interventions to support the full enjoyment by women and girls of their human rights, including through the elimination of gender discriminatory laws, promoting women’s participation in the justice sector and combatting gender-based violence (GBV).
By working to ensure that women and girls are empowered to claim their rights and supporting institutions to uphold these rights, IDLO’s interventions are helping to reduce the gender gap and drive gender justice.
Supporting courts dedicated to delivering justice on sexual and gender-based violence in Kenya
In 2023, as part of its longstanding support to the judiciary in Kenya on areas ranging from small claims courts and commercial justice reforms to the implementation of e-justice solutions (see page 29), IDLO continued working to ensure access to justice for survivors and victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
A key aspect of this support was the establishment and operation of courts that specialize in handling SGBV cases. These SGBV courts apply a survivor-centred approach that prioritizes the needs of victims and survivors in judicial responses and avoids retraumatizing them. The expansion of such specialized courts underscores the judiciary’s commitment to addressing SGBV offences with urgency, sensitivity and confidentiality.
IDLO supported the roll-out of 11 specialized SGBV courts across the country in 2023. This included four SGBV courts in the Siaya, Kisumu, Makadara and Kibera law courts. Seven additional courts in the Meru, Kiambu, Nakuru, Machakos, Kisii, Kitale and Kakamega law courts were designated as SGBV sub-registries to expedite justice. According to the 2022-2023 State of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice Report, since the inception of these courts in 2022, 255 SGBV cases were filed in the established SGBV courts, with 69 of these cases resolved. Delivering justice for SGBV survivors requires specialized
training in the handling of the sensitivities and complexities of these cases. IDLO supported this through the development of SGBV Court Practice Directions providing consistent and victim-centred guidelines for the courts in the handling of SGBV cases. We also helped introduce the SGBV Court User’s Committee Guidelines to ensure an accountable, efficient and consultative approach to the delivery of justice, along with coordinated functioning and standardized operations.
Another critical aspect of tackling SGBV is ending the impunity of perpetrators. In June, IDLO supported the judiciary in the publication and launch of the SGBV Strategy and National Convicted Sex Offenders electronic register at the Kibera law courts in Nairobi. By providing easy access to information on convicted sex offenders, the register supports the deterrence and prevention of sexual offences.
At the National Council on Administration of Justice’s first-ever SGBV conference in Nairobi in October, IDLO joined Kenya’s Chief Justice Martha Koome, the EU Ambassador to Kenya, UN Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to further explore these issues. The conference focused on survivor-centred interventions, reducing bottlenecks in SGBV case disposal and innovative technological responses to SGBV.
Enhancing responsiveness on GBV in Tunisia
In 2017, Tunisia passed Law No. 2017-58, the country’s first national law aimed at eliminating violence against women, and a vital step forward for women’s rights.
Ensuring that this legislation is adequately implemented is the mission of the IDLO initiative, “Enhancing Gender Responsiveness in the Justice and Security Sectors in Tunisia”. In 2023, the programme reached 136 women.
One intervention was a comprehensive multisectoral needs assessment, which IDLO conducted through direct engagement with justice seekers, as well as justice and security providers in seven pilot regions to assess the implementation of Law No. 58. The assessment was an opportunity to note progress and identify remaining gaps in the law’s implementation. The results formed the foundation of IDLO’s intervention and helped in developing various capacity building programmes to bridge the gap between the law and its implementation, especially in the justice sector. IDLO further developed an issue brief, entitled “Towards an Improved Implementation of Law No. 58 in Tunisia: Progress, Obstacles, and Prospects”. It offers actionable insights and recommendations for enhancing the legal and institutional framework to better protect women against violence.
IDLO also organized multiple training sessions for lawyers and judges, focusing on providing legal services to victims and survivors of GBV and strategies for delivering gender-responsive justice. So far, these sessions have equipped over 140 legal professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively support victims and survivors of GBV. Key training sessions conducted in the towns of Hammamet, Sfax and Tunis-Gammarth resulted in a pool of trained legal professionals with the skills to provide stronger legal aid and render gender-responsive decisions.
An IDLO training of trainers’ session for lawyers is ensuring a cascading training approach where expertise is transmitted over time by local experts,
ensuring sustainable support to GBV victims and survivors across Tunisia.
In 2023, IDLO also engaged with various ministries, legal institutions and CSOs to support the establishment of a national coordination mechanism on GBV. IDLO is also part of a multistakeholder platform led by the EU in an effort to coordinate international organizations working on GBV in Tunisia.
“IDLO training sessions equipped over 140 legal professionals with the knowledge and skills to effectively support victims and survivors of GBV.”
IDLO’s work in the Sahel region is carried out in a context of high levels of discrimination against women. According to the 2023 global Women, Peace and Security Index, which measures women’s inclusion, justice and security, Burkina Faso and Mali rank 158 out of 177 countries, while Niger ranks 166. In this climate, ensuring women’s
“Ensuring women’s access to justice has been an important
focus of IDLO’s work to improve integration across criminal justice chains in the Sahel.”
access to justice has been an important focus of IDLO’s work to improve integration across criminal justice systems in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
In Burkina Faso, for example, IDLO supported the production of local radio programmes to share information on the workings of criminal courts and the role of justice actors. Broadcasts in six
communes in the country’s northern region were accompanied by a campaign of free on-the-spot legal consultations, which reached 190 people, the majority of whom were women. The consultations provided advice on disputes on issues including land, inheritance, divorce and nationality.
In June 2023, IDLO also supported the country’s Cadres de Concertation (CdCs) – consultation frameworks that facilitate open communication across the criminal chain as well as with CSOs – to deliver capacity-building activities for 103 members of civil society, including youth and women-led CSOs and journalists, on aspects of criminal justice that included GBV. The activities equipped the CSOs and members of the press with knowledge of the judicial system including the different phases of criminal procedure and regulations on the dissemination of judicial and legal information, including during criminal trials.
In Niger, IDLO supported meetings of regional committees for the coordination of the criminal chain (CRCCP) and CdCs, which helped identify key issues in the community. One of the themes raised in the country’s Tillaberi region was the high prevalence of rape and other forms of GBV. In response, the CdC and the CRCCP organized awareness-raising campaigns on these issues and supported the judgment of 45 criminal rape cases.
In Mali, a three-day capacity-building activity for women’s organizations in the town of Ségou in July brought together 20 participants from CSOs and the local criminal justice system. Discussions focused on the organization of the prison system, gender mainstreaming, the implementation of prisoners’ rights, including training on holistic care for women prisoners, and legal and judicial assistance.
Trainings such as these can have a long-term impact. In the case of Madame Aissata M’Baye, they helped influence the course of her career. At the magistrate’s court in Bamako, M’Baye works closely with survivors of GBV and strives to transform the power imbalances and social norms that fuel these crimes. This work
has given her the nickname “GBV judge”. “Women come to court and often don’t know where to start,” M’Baye explained. “They look for a judge to explain their problems to, and colleagues spontaneously direct them to my office.”
As a woman magistrate, M’Baye is a rarity in Mali. Of a total of 531 magistrates across the country, just 55 are women, and patriarchal attitudes and practices remain deeply ingrained in Malian society.
M’Baye first came across IDLO while attending a training in her role as a coordinator of the Observatory of the Rights of Women and Children (L’Observatoire des Droits de la Femme et de l’Enfant) in the town of Mopti. In 2016, M’Baye was recruited to coordinate an IDLO project to strengthen the penal chain in Mali’s Ségou region. There, she engaged in substantive discussions about the rule of law and access to justice during training courses delivered to IDLO’s partners.
When sitting her magistrate’s course in 2018, M’Baye described how she was able to directly apply these lessons to questions on topics such as the challenges facing the Malian justice system, civil law judgments, and fraud and breach of trust.
“It was these various IDLO courses
that enabled me to pass the written exam,” she said.
M’Baye entered the judicial training institute as one of just three women out of 40 trainee magistrates (auditeurs de justice). When her peers dismissed her efforts at women’s empowerment, she set out to prove them wrong, writing over 300 judgments during her internship and finishing with top marks.
“At the end of the auditeur de justice training course – motivated by the full awareness that the torch of women’s representation had to be held high, and revolted by the sexist remarks – I managed to come second in the class and earned the respect of my male classmates,” she said.
“Of the 531 magistrates across Mali, just 55 are women.”
Advancing advocacy and dialogue on gender justice and women’s leadership
In 2023, IDLO continued working to ensure that justice for women and girls is a crucial part of the global dialogues on justice, gender equality, peace and/ or development.
At the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March, IDLO’s Director-General Jan Beagle highlighted the organization’s work to close gender gaps in technology and innovation in line with the session’s priority theme, “Innovation, technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. IDLO also co-organized and participated in a variety of CSW side events on survivor-centred justice for GBV in complex situations, women justice professionals, feminist foreign policies, and the outcomes of COP27 from a climate justice and gender equality perspective.
At the July 2023 Women Deliver conference in Kigali, Rwanda, IDLO had an exhibition booth and held events on climate action and GBV. Together with the Rights and Resources Initiative, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Feminist Action for Climate Justice, IDLO hosted the concurrent session, “Advancing Feminist Climate Justice through the Rule of Law”, which explored how legal and justice interventions have been utilized to achieve gender-transformative climate action and strengthen accountability for the promotion of women and girls’ human rights. IDLO also highlighted ways to advance a comprehensive survivor-centred justice response in complex situations at a partner side event on “Survivor-Centered Justice for Gender-based Violence in Complex Situations”, organized together with the Global Women’s Institute at George Washington University.
A major step forward in advancing IDLO’s commitment to gender-responsive environmental and climate justice in 2023 was the announcement on Gender Equality Day at COP28 that IDLO
would become a leader of the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Feminist Action for Climate Justice, the first Generation Equality Commitment Maker to be elevated to this level. We also continued our engagement this year in the Generation Equality Action Coalitions on Gender-based Violence, Economic Justice and Rights, and Feminist Movements and Leadership.
At COP28, IDLO also co-facilitated a workshop on “Ensuring equal and meaningful participation of women through social dialogue” at the high-level dialogue on delivering a gender-responsive just transition for all, organized by the Inter-
national Labor Organization and UNFCCC. We further co-hosted and participated in a Feminist Action for Climate Justice reception, along with the Government of Spain, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the International Union for Conservation of Nature at the Spain Pavilion where IDLO’s new leadership status at the Action Coalition on Feminist Action for Climate Justice was officially announced.
At key events in The Hague, where IDLO has a branch office, we emphasized the links between women’s leadership, justice and sustainable development. During The Hague Justice Week in June, IDLO joined a discussion hosted
by the deputy mayor of The Hague on “Strengthening the Role of Women as Agents of Justice”, which explored the role of women as change agents towards building just and inclusive societies. At the Shaping Feminist Foreign Policies Conference in November, IDLO co-organized the side event, “Foreign Policy Inspired by Grassroots Feminist Practice on Land, Natural Resources & Climate Change”, with GROOTS Kenya, the Stand for Her Land Campaign and UN Women. The event discussed ways to inform existing and new feminist foreign policy frameworks based on decades of grassroots feminist prac-
tice on land rights, natural resources governance and climate change. Our Geneva office also organized a panel discussion in November 2023 on rule of law solutions to catalyse feminist climate action. The event was co-sponsored by the Missions of Kenya and Romania and held with the International Gender Champions Secretariat.
In 2023, IDLO staff also continued to step up their personal commitments to gender equality as members of the International Gender Champions. IDLO also joined the Steering Committee of the International Gender Champions’ The Hague Hub. During the 16 Days of
Activism against GBV campaign, IDLO highlighted its efforts to address the widening justice gap for women and girls, and IDLO employees around the world joined the call to wear the colour orange in support of the campaign. IDLO’s Director-General Jan Beagle highlighted the organization’s work to combat GBV through its programming, research and policy advocacy in her International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women statement and joined United Nations entities in a call to action, urging partners to take dedicated and bold investment to prevent and respond to GBV.
Goal 2
Ensuring the rule of law drives peace and sustainable development
Promoting the law as a tool for development was at the genesis of IDLO in 1983.
The organization’s transformation from a training institute into an intergovernmental organization has allowed it to expand its work to include rule of law solutions to major development challenges.
From legal frameworks to address the increasingly concerning impacts of climate change and health crises, to ensuring that the least-developed countries are equipped with the skills that will allow them to benefit from inclusive economic development, IDLO’s Strategic Goal on ensuring the rule of law drives peace and sustainable development targets today’s intersecting crises and supports the implementation of the SDGs.
Inclusive economic development
The rule of law can be a powerful driver for economic development that is inclusive, fair and sustainable. In this regard, IDLO assists countries in promoting enabling legal frameworks and strengthening government capacities to enforce economic laws, negotiate and implement investment agreements and resolve commercial disputes. By offering practical and unique support, including in the leastdeveloped States, we help create an enabling environment for economic growth that benefits all.
Improving the quality, speed and transparency of commercial mediation
Commercial mediation is a crucial tool for expeditiously resolving business disputes. It can save time and money and facilitate open communication, negotiation and collaboration, thereby improving the environment for businesses and promoting economic growth. In 2023 IDLO continued working with judiciaries to improve the quality, speed and transparency of commercial mediation and arbitration.
In the Republic of Moldova, IDLO continued supporting the integration of judicial and private mediation into an integrated Mediation Case Management System for the Ministry of Justice. Our approach included researching the status of mediation in the country and developing legislation to enhance the related regulatory framework. IDLO also provided training sessions for judges on national and international best practices for enforcing arbitral awards.
In Jordan, IDLO worked on the implementation of a project to support the government in building consensus on the ways to establish commercial mediation as an effective dispute resolution mechanism. As part of this, we supported the Ministry of Justice, the Judicial Council and the Judicial Institute of Jordan with a National Mediation Forum in January 2023. The event brought together 50 international and local practitioners, legal professionals, and representatives from the justice, banking, insurance and business sectors to discuss the current state of mediation and necessary reforms in this area. The ideas and best practices stemming from these discussions are helping to inform the implementation and adaptation of similar IDLO projects on mediation in several jurisdictions.
Prior to the commencement of hostilities in Gaza and the West Bank, IDLO completed a project to support the Palestinian Judicial Institute (PJI) with the launch of an e-learning course in commercial law for judges in the Palestinian judicial system. Its six interactive e-learning modules on topics including contract interpretation, banking transactions and bankruptcy were based on commercial law training handbooks developed by IDLO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The e-learning course was designed to ensure the sustainability of Palestinian judicial training on commercial law.
IDLO also supported the judiciary in exploring experiences with commercial courts and capacity building programmes in other jurisdictions by organizing a study visit to Cairo, Egypt, for a group of six Palestinian judges representing all court levels. Coordinated with the PJI and the National Council for Judicial Studies (NCJS) in Egypt, the visit was a chance to explore Egypt’s economic courts and to expose participants to the NCJS’s training programme and methodology for commercial and economic law.
“In 2023, IDLO continued working with judiciaries to improve the quality, speed and transparency of commercial mediation and arbitration.”
Equipping least developed countries with technical and legal assistance and investment skills
For the world’s least developed countries (LDCs), which score lowest on socio-economic indicators and are designated by the United Nations as the poorest and most vulnerable states, a rule of law approach to negotiating and managing international investment agreements is an important tool to obtain fair deals and minimize risk.
IDLO’s Investment Support Programme for Least Developed Countries (ISP/LDCs), jointly designed with the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) and supported by the European Union and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, seeks to address these issues.
Since the programme’s operationalization in November 2019, ISP/LDCs has provided LDC governments and private sector entities with technical and legal assistance and complimentary capacity building on investment-related matters, including negotiations and dispute settlement. We were able to provide this assistance at no cost to the beneficiaries by harnessing the expertise of lawyers and experts working on a pro bono or reduced fee basis, including in Ethiopia, The Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia and Uganda.
In 2023, IDLO took important steps to continue advancing the ISP/LDCs programme’s work.
In Mauritania, IDLO delivered technical assistance and capacity building to the Chamber of International Mediation and Arbitration of Mauritania (CIMAM) in June 2023. This focused on developing a model dispute resolution clause along with capacity-development activities for CIMAM arbitrators, with a focus on international commercial arbitration. Selected representatives of the Mauritanian private sector also participated in capacity building on the differences and advantages of commercial arbitration compared to judicial adjudication.
In Rwanda , IDLO completed a comprehensive project to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Commerce to negotiate international investment agreements. The organization also supported the judiciary through a March 2023 online training on commercial and investment contracts, and a July 2023 in-person capacity-building training on commercial mediation.
In Senegal, IDLO delivered an investment arbitration training in September 2023 to the Local Content Monitoring Board of Senegal and various essential departments within the country’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. The training aimed to establish a robust understanding of international investment protection standards and contractual fundamentals before exploring Senegal’s bilateral investment treaties. Feedback from the capacity-building initiative was then incorporated into a research study on the interaction between local content provisions and
Senegal’s international commitments under international investment agreements and bilateral investment treaties.
The United Nations’ 2022 Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2022-2031 (DPoA) makes explicit reference to the ISP/LDCs programme, a connection that IDLO had the chance to underscore at the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least-Developed Countries in February 2023 in Doha, Qatar. Along with an exhibition booth and the publication of the report, A Rule of Law Approach to Inclusive Economic Development: Supporting Fair and Equitable Investment Agreements in Least Developed Countries, we hosted a side event, “Leveraging Agenda 2030 and the Rule of Law to Sustain LDCs’ Development Gains: Strengthening the Contribution of ISP/LDCs as a Rule of Law-based Instrument to Advance the Implementation of the Doha Programme of Action”.
Climate justice and sustainable use of natural resources
The climate crisis amplifies existing inequalities and aggravates threats to human rights, security and development in every part of the world. When IDLO was established in the 1980s, terms such as global warming and climate change were just entering the public conversation. In the decades since, the alarming effects of climate change, and the global calls for urgent mitigation and adaptation strategies, have made rule of law approaches to climate action a priority for IDLO.
By placing the rule of law at the heart of climate action, IDLO works to support the realization of environmental rights and climate justice, promote climate-resilient development and increased access to land and natural resources, and strengthen food security for marginalized and vulnerable groups.
This means empowering individuals and communities to safeguard fundamental rights in the face of climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification, as well as using legal and policy approaches to strengthen institutional capacity for climate-resilient development. IDLO also works to address the justice challenges faced by people around the world in relation to land use as a result of climate change and to support the peaceful resolution of land disputes.
Working towards impactful climate change laws and policies in Kenya
Rising temperatures and environmental degradation in Kenya are threatening people’s livelihoods, jeopardizing economic development and forcibly displacing vulnerable communities.
In Kilifi County on the Kenyan coast, where the arid and semi-arid land is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, IDLO supported the development of regulatory frameworks designed to strengthen the county’s response to the impacts of climate change.
The result was two key pieces of legislation enacted in July 2023, namely, the County Climate Change (Amendment) Act, 2021, and the Kilifi County Climate Change Policy, 2023.
The Climate Change (Amendment) Act, 2023, provides guidance in several key areas, notably the development and implementation of carbon markets where people and companies can buy and sell carbon credits to offset greenhouse gas emissions. It also advises on the role of the County’s Executive Committee in helping to educate and empower communities so people can participate effectively in climate change governance and response, and stipulates the amount
of development financing that should be dedicated to climate actions.
The Kilifi County Climate Change Policy, 2023, focuses on strengthening the county’s implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. It calls for mainstreaming climate change actions across all development sectors; promoting the effective participation and inclusion of marginalized groups in adaptation and mitigation initiatives at all levels; and encouraging the uptake and transfer of technologies that can maximize the county’s adaptation and mitigation potential.
This work is part of a partnership between IDLO, Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry and the governments of Kajiado, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kisumu and Meru counties, with the aim of developing legislative frameworks related to natural resource management and climate change. Such efforts are key to facilitating Kenya’s transition to a low-carbon development pathway in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement and Kenya’s Climate Change Act of 2016.
IDLO also continued its partnership with the Kenyan Judiciary to enhance
access to environmental rights and climate justice, and promote the growth of jurisprudence in environmental law.
In July, IDLO supported the judiciary in launching specialized divisions of the Environment Land Court that respond to changing needs and demands on land and the environment. The new Environment and Planning Division aims to address cases around the protection of environmental resources for the benefit of all citizens, while the Land Division ensures the speedy resolution of land disputes. IDLO also supported the review of user operations guidelines to train internal and external stakeholders on these new divisions as well as the case tracking and performance monitoring systems that facilitate their optimal functioning.
Environmental issues were at the forefront, as Kenya hosted the Africa Climate Summit and Africa Climate Week in Nairobi in September. IDLO, together with partners, hosted panel discussions at the summit exploring the significance of legal frameworks and governance in promoting climate resilience, sustainable land management and responsible ocean use (see page 48).
Improving the management of land disputes in Rwanda
Disputes related to land are common in Rwanda, where climate change, a rapidly growing population, and a lack of awareness among people and communities about their rights can contribute to tensions over access, ownership, use and control of increasingly scarce arable land, water and other natural resources.
Most of the country’s land disputes are handled outside formal courts, for example by Rwanda’s National Land Authority (NLA) or customary Abunzi committees, which provide local mediation services. In 2023, IDLO supported these customary and informal justice mechanisms to build their capacities in managing and adjudicating land disputes.
Over the course of the year, IDLO provided trainings to 533 Abunzi and other land dispute resolution actors, nearly half of whom were women, in the pilot districts of Bugesera and Nyamagabe. In an IDLO assessment following the activities, approximately 90 per cent of participants demonstrated an improved score in their knowledge of resolving land disputes.
Angelique Uwimana, an Abunzi committee member in the Bugesera district of Rwanda’s Ntarama sector, said the programme had helped her understand how to provide solutions that satisfied both parties of a conflict.
“I now have a clear understanding about my role towards the citizens as far as conflict management and resolution is concerned, where I cooperate with various justice institutions to ensure that proper justice is served,” said Uwimana.
The acquisition of these skills is particularly crucial in a context where more than 70 per cent of the training participants had no previous background in law and many lacked a
high school diploma.
IDLO also worked with the NLA on the development of a Land Dispute Resolution Handbook which clarifies the procedures to be followed when a land dispute is submitted to the district and defines the roles of all actors involved in the dispute resolution process. Two e-learning courses on land dispute resolution, one in English and one in the local language, Kinyarwanda, were also created.
This increase in the capacities of Abunzi committees is helping to bring justice to people like Mukanzamukwereka Gaudance, a 60-year-old woman from Nganwa village in the sector of Kibungo, who came to the Abunzi because of a dispute with a family member over inherited land. Thanks to their intervention, she now understands and can defend her rights.
“I learned … that no individual can loot any land from me because I have proof of ownership and there are various justice institutions, including the committee of Abunzi, willing to help me and my neighbour in case of a conflict,” Gaudance said.
“IDLO provided trainings to 533
Abunzi
and other land dispute resolution actors, nearly half of whom were women.”
Advocating for climate justice
As a champion for climate justice to drive fair, equitable and transformative climate action, IDLO participated in the first Global Stocktake in the lead up to COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. The stocktake was an exercise to identify gaps in progress against the implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement and the urgent actions needed to bridge these, something that IDLO sees as essential to the achievement of justice.
“Our experience has taught us that climate change is not merely an environmental challenge,” said IDLO Director-General Jan Beagle in her statement during the COP28 High-Level Segment. “It is fundamentally a crisis of justice. It amplifies existing inequalities and poses threats to human rights, security and development in every part of the world.”
Throughout COP28, IDLO highlighted the need for improved governance of land, water and other natural resources, and empowering those most affected by climate change to claim their rights and actively participate in climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives and decision-making. We organized an event, “The Transformative Power of Law in Promoting a Just Transition to a Climate Positive World”, in partnership with the University of Oslo and the International Union for the Conservation for Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Environmental Law. The session explored the importance of the rule of law and justice in creating an enabling environment for climate action, through the sharing of best practices and recommendations on legal solutions to the
climate crisis. Among other initiatives during the conference, IDLO also co-facilitated the workshop, “Ensuring Equal and Meaningful Participation of Women through Social Dialogue”, as part of a one-day high-level dialogue on Delivering a Gender-Responsive Just Transition for All, organized by the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat.
These engagements built on IDLO’s climate advocacy in Nairobi this September at both the Africa Climate Week, part of the UNFCCC agenda, and the Africa Climate Summit, hosted by the Government of Kenya. At the summit, IDLO co-organized a side event on “African Judiciaries and the Green Economy: The Rule of Law Approach to Sustainable Agriculture, Land Use and Ocean Use”, together with the judiciary of Kenya, and the Africa Judicial Education Network on Environmental Law. It explored the critical role judiciaries can play in climate justice and advancing fairness, equity and inclusivity for climate vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls. IDLO also co-hosted a side event on “The Role of the Rule of Law and Community Land Governance in Advancing Climate Resilience, Justice, and Peace”, in collaboration with Open Society Foundations Africa and Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD). The session explored climate-related issues from diverse perspectives, with a strong emphasis on the vital role of local people and communities in addressing climate challenges and promoting sustainable development.
Using a rule of law approach to strengthen food security and nutrition
IDLO continued to advance the rule of law’s catalytic role in a transformation of food systems that is equitable, just and sustainable, and in line with international human rights principles and instruments.
In 2023, we completed the project, “Strengthening the Legal Environment for Food Security and Nutrition of Vulnerable Groups as Part of the COVID-19 Response and Recovery”, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The initiative analysed the effects of regulations adopted in response to COVID-19 on people’s economic and physical access to adequate food, with an emphasis on vulnerable and marginalized groups, especially women and girls.
At the global level, IDLO and FAO developed a legal assessment reviewing laws and regulations adopted during the pandemic in around 40 countries. These produced key recommendations, which will feature in a 2024 issue brief designed to support decision-makers at global and country levels in strengthening human rights-based legal frameworks for food security and nutrition in times of emergency.
The project was piloted in two countries, Honduras and Uganda, with information gathered via interviews with key informants and focus groups, as well as through national consultations in both countries. These inclusive consultations together reached over 160 stakeholders, more than 60 per cent of whom were women. They included representatives from the agriculture, education, health and justice ministries, along with CSOs and human rights commissions from both countries. The resulting data was complemented by a literature review of laws, regulations and human rights instruments, and formed the basis for two national legal assessments sharing key findings and recommendations.
In October, IDLO published the issue brief, “Rule of Law for Food Systems Transformation”, which made the case for the rule of law as a vital enabler of food systems transformation to enhance food security and nutrition for all. The brief focused on three core elements: empowering the most food insecure people to claim their rights; strengthening food systems governance through sound legal and regulatory frameworks and effective institutions; and improving and safeguarding equitable access to land, water and natural resources. It also shared seven recommendations for achieving food systems transformation, designed to provide a roadmap for policymakers and practitioners.
Throughout the year, IDLO partici-
pated in policy fora such as the United Nations Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment, and the 2nd Arab Forum on Equality for Food Security. We also partnered with key stakeholders in this sector, including the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and the Global Alliance for Food Security.
“Inclusive consultations reached over
stakeholders.”
Healthy lives and well-being for all
Improving people’s health is dependent on the existence and implementation of sound legal and policy frameworks that advance public health outcomes and protect and promote the right to health for all. The rapid rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and the unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, have made the importance of effective laws and policies, and the need to approach health through a human rights lens self-evident.
IDLO works at the intersection of health, the rule of law and sustainable development to uphold the right to health for all. Our initiatives are designed to strengthen the capacity of governments and civil society to increase their preparedness for large-scale public health crises, and to support legal frameworks that encourage healthy diets and active lifestyles to address the prevalence of NCDs. IDLO also advocates for increased international awareness of the critical link between the rule of law and SDG 3 on healthy lives and well-being.
Making the connection between non-communicable diseases, the law and human rights
People’s ability to make informed choices towards healthy lifestyles is critical to fulfilling their right to health and related human rights. To this end, frameworks and regulations that promote healthy diets and physical activity can reduce the risk factors for NCDs such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer.
In 2023, through the Global RECAP programme, IDLO continued to support low- and middle-income countries in undertaking policy and regulatory reforms that promote healthy lifestyles to prevent NCDs. The programme is implemented in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and in coordination with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Following its success in five countries (Bangladesh, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Uganda), Global RECAP is now being scaled up to five additional countries – Ghana, Indonesia, Mauritius, Nepal and Thailand.
Part of IDLO’s commitment under Global RECAP is to foster academic engagement, including promoting multidisciplinary research, teaching and publications in the area of law and NCDs in local academic institutions. University lecturer Maurice Oduor from Kenya has been involved in Global RECAP since the programme’s outset in 2019. After taking part in a national training and subsequent RECAP activities, he went on to champion multidisciplinary academic engagement on the law and NCDs in Kenya, first as a member and then as the chair of the RECAP Academic Working Group on Law and NCDs established in Africa. He also contributed to the development of the RECAP Toolkit on law and NCDs for East Africa.
Oduor said that these experiences completely changed his perspective on the connection between NCDs and the law.
“I realized just how much of a problem NCDs were, for Kenya especially,” he said. “I became attuned to the health data, health programmes, budgeting processes, law and health policy, all in the bid to understand how these processes influence the NCD narrative in Kenya and beyond.”
This new understanding eventually prompted Oduor to change the course of his studies and career. Today, he is completing a doctorate at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, with a focus on how regional regulatory frameworks can help limit the effects of the digital marketing of unhealthy foods to children in sub-Saharan Africa.
“It is a wildly exciting topic that I would say came directly from my work with IDLO,” said Oduor. “My sojourn into the land and NCDs world through RECAP has been nothing but an exciting and eye-opening journey into how law really is such a powerful tool that can be deployed to right many societal ills,” he said.
IDLO’s commitment to promote and foster multidisciplinary academic engagement on law and NCDs under Global RECAP was also advanced in South Asia. There, IDLO worked with a group of academics from the region to publish the first multidisciplinary academic Toolkit with a regional focus on the law and NCDs.
Throughout 2023, IDLO also continued to advocate for a human rights-based approach to the prevention of NCDs, including as part of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases’ (UNIATF) human rights team.
Putting legal preparedness on the global public health agenda
To respond swiftly and effectively to public health emergencies (PHEs), governments at all levels must be prepared well in advance, including legally. This concept of “legal preparedness” involves having the capability to map, develop, refine and use legal instruments that enable the prevention, detection and response to infectious disease threats, across sectors.
Raising awareness on the importance of legal preparedness for PHEs formed a key part of IDLO’s advocacy around health law in 2023 and has contributed towards meaningful initiatives to strengthen global health security.
As a member of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), IDLO engaged with the GHSA’s Legal Preparedness Action Package (LPAP), including taking on a co-leadership role of its sub-working group on Capacity Building for Legal Preparedness, and speaking at two GHSA webinar series sessions.
At the 17th World Congress on Public Health, IDLO, together with GHSA LPAP and Resolve to Save Lives, organized the workshop, “Preventing pandemics: The vital role of the law. Strengthening
countries’ legal preparedness for public health emergencies”. Through a dialogue between non-legal public health practitioners, the workshop identified key topics such as legal challenges arising during the COVID-19 pandemic, how the law can enhance PHE preparedness, and what capacities and tools are needed to improve legal preparedness at the country level. Lessons learned from past emergencies were used to identify gaps and opportunities to strengthen the capacities of low- and middle-income countries in PHE legal preparedness.
In 2023, IDLO took an important step forward by participating for the first time as an Observer at the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO, advocating for the role of the law in promoting health for all and addressing
inequalities and engaging on issues related to PHEs and NCDs. We also spoke at the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR), as part of the multistakeholder panel, “Ensuring equity through governance and accountability for PPPR by utilizing multi-sectoral coordination at all levels”. IDLO closely followed the efforts of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR) as well as the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on strengthened pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, advocating for legal preparedness as a core competence for global health security.
Preventing Pandemics through the Rule of Law
IDLO’s issue brief, “Preventing Pandemics through the Rule of Law: Strengthening Countries’ Legal Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies”, published in September 2023, built on the results of our self-funded Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project (December 2020 to July 2022). It elaborates on the key rule of law building blocks – from effective legal frameworks for PHEs, to functioning people-centred justice systems, to legal protection for marginalized and vulnerable groups – to guide countries to better prevent, prepare and respond to PHEs.
The issue brief offers action-oriented recommendations for health practitioners and policymakers dedicated to
strengthening national and global responses to public health crises. These recommendations aim to foster transparency and accountability in public health decision-making; eliminate arbitrariness in the application of emergency measures; enable improved access to justice; and provide a legitimate, effective and agile framework for the application of public health measures in critical times.
IDLO officially launched the issue brief during an October event in Geneva, which featured insights from representatives from the Republic of Korea, Uganda and the United States, showcasing best practices in promoting legal preparedness and a rule of law approach in addressing PHE interventions.
Partnerships
Over the last four decades, IDLO has developed strong partnerships with a wide range of actors at the international, regional and national levels to pool expertise and resources, strengthen our convening power and maximize our impact. This includes governments, United Nations agencies, judiciaries, civil society, regional organizations, the private sector, academia, youth and IDLO alumni.
Strengthening and expanding partnerships in 2023
In 2023, IDLO continued to partner with a large number of stakeholders across all regions, including with its Member Parties, governments, United Nations agencies, civil society, regional organizations, the private sector, judiciaries, academia, youth and IDLO alumni. Many of these partnerships are highlighted in the stories included in this Annual Report. IDLO believes that the complex challenges the world is facing today can only be addressed through whole-of-society approaches with the engagement of multiple stakeholders from all sectors of societies, at the local, national, regional and global levels.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of collaborations with a wide range of partners.
IDLO strengthened links with the United Nations System , including through participation at the 67th Commission on the Status of Women, Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP), High-level Political Forum (HLPF), SDG Summit, and preparations for the Summit of the Future.
At the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, IDLO’s Director-General delivered a statement at the High-Level Segment and IDLO was actively engaged in other sessions throughout the year. As part of its 40th anniversary IDLO also celebrated the 10th anniversary of its office in Geneva, and organized, during the HRC’s 54th session, a high-level panel, chaired by its Director-General, to highlight the importance of the rule of law to promote human rights, peace and sustainable development.
In the area of health, IDLO participated as an Observer at the World Health Assembly and at the high-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. IDLO continues to enjoy membership in the Global Health Security Agenda, the Global Health Security Legal Coordination Group, the United Nations Interagency NCD Task Force, the Technical Working Group on Justice of the Global Partnership for Action to Eliminate All Forms of HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination, and the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board.
IDLO continued participating as an
Observer in the technical working groups of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), with the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court.
IDLO engaged with multistakeholder groups including the Justice Action Coalition; Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies; and the SDG 16+ Coalition. In 2023, IDLO joined the Global Partnership on Justice and Rule of Law, a new initiative of the World Bank Group Governance Global Practice to provide analytical and thought leadership to advance justice reform. We also partnered with the World Bank, UN Women and Pathfinders to develop a Report on Financing Justice for Women.
IDLO continued co-leading the Working Group on CIJ and SDG16+ (see page 19) and is an active observer and participant in the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, which brings together a variety of stakeholders in the field of anti-corruption. In the area of climate justice, IDLO is a partner to the Fifth Montevideo Programme for the Development and Period Review of Environmental Law,
hosted by UNEP, and is on the programming board of the Climate Law and Governance Initiative.
In the area of gender equality, IDLO joined the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security, and partnered with the Dutch gender platform, WO=MEN, and the Stand 4 Her Land Campaign Coalition, in the context of the Hague Justice Week. IDLO also continued as a leading Commitment Maker to four of the six Generation Equality Action Coalitions, and as a member of the High-level Working Group on Justice for Women and the Group of Friends of the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. Members of IDLO’s senior leadership team engaged as part of the International Gender Champions leadership network.
IDLO continued its engagement with Rome-based agencies, including FAO, ICCROM, IFAD, UNIDROIT and the World Food Programme. The organization acted as an Observer to the Committee on World Food Security and the Working Group on Legal Structures for Agricultural Enterprises of UNIDROIT, and was a member of the Global Alliance for Food
Security of the G7 and advisor to the Group of Friends of the Right to Food. IDLO also actively participated in the Italian Anti-corruption Roundtable, an inter-institutional effort set up at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, that convenes government bodies and law enforcement authorities involved in fighting corruption, as well as international organizations, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
To advance its research in the field of rule of law and sustainable development, IDLO partnered with a number of academic and research institutes, such as the Global Women’s Institute at George Washington University and the European University Institute (EUI), including by participating for the first time in the State of the Union event.
Recognizing the key role that parliamentarians play in advancing peace and sustainable development through their core functions of legislation, advocacy, accountability and budget allocation, IDLO engaged with key global and regional parliamentary organizations, such as the Interparliamentary Union and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).
Discussing alignment on promoting peace and social justice with Pope Francis
In September 2023, Director-General Jan Beagle was invited by His Holiness Pope Francis to a private audience at the Vatican.
The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the strong alignment between IDLO’s mission to deliver peoplecentred justice and the Pontificate priorities of rule of law, human rights, and social justice at a time when justice is in crisis in so many countries.
IDLO also strengthened its links with private sector foundations such as the Open Society Foundations during the Africa Climate Summit and Africa Climate Week, and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, in the context of the Mo Ibrahim Governance Week.
IDLO provided a platform for civil society’s advocacy on the rule of law and sustainable development, by hosting the Civil Society Day of the 2023 SDG 16 Conference. This was done in partnership with two longstanding partners, the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding and the Transparency, Accountability and Participation (TAP) Network.
IDLO engaged with intergovernmental organizations , including signing an MoU with the Hague Conference on Private International Law to advance cooperation between the two organizations based on shared objectives. IDLO also continued engaging with OECD and is a member of OECD´s Anti-Corruption Network in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
During the discussion, the Director-General shared examples of IDLO’s efforts to encourage states to commit to the rule of law and to make justice accessible to all, with a focus on areas of mutual interest, such as combatting corruption and promoting climate justice, food security, child rights and public health.
“The Director-General shared examples of IDLO’s efforts to encourage states to commit to the rule of law and to make justice accessible for all.”
SDG 16 Conference
The 2023 SDG 16 Conference addressed the role of SDG 16 in navigating the intersecting crises facing today’s world. Co-organized with the Government of Italy and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the event occurs each year in the run-up to the annual High-level Political Forum at the United Nations. In 2023, over 550 participants from 130 countries took part, including representatives of governments, international organizations, civil society, academia, youth, the judiciary and the media.
The conference reviewed the progress and challenges related to SDG 16, focusing particularly on three themes: promoting the United Nations’ New Agenda for Peace; restoring trust in public institutions; and promoting participatory decision-making to accelerate transformative action on food systems and climate change. It also featured a special session on “SDG 16 and the challenges of misinformation and disinformation”.
Following welcome remarks from IDLO’s Director-General, the conference featured special addresses by the United Nations Deputy-Secretary-General and the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as remarks by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, the UNDESA Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs.
“We have seen a sustained global decline in the rule of law, as justice systems come under tremendous pressure from insecurity, attacks on the independence of the judiciary, and corruption,” said IDLO Director-General, Jan Beagle, in her opening remarks. “There is a very real risk that, in the words of the Secretary-General, the SDGs are turning into a ‘mirage of
what might have been’. SDG 16 is critical in ensuring that this does not come to pass.”
During the three days of Conference, participants discussed how strengthening the rule of law and access to justice can tackle multiple, interconnected global crises, including conflict, lack of trust in public institutions and climate change, which are deeply rooted in issues of human rights, justice, equity, inclusion, accountability and good governance. With 2023 marking the mid-point in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, accelerating progress was a key concern.
Participants called for proactive investment in addressing the root causes of conflicts such as inequality, injustice and exclusion; ensuring the participation of women, young people, indigenous peoples and other excluded groups in peace processes; and promoting multistakeholder partnerships for conflict prevention, resolution and reconciliation at the local, national, regional and international levels.
Conference deliberations were summarized in a report with a series of key messages cutting across the three themes and emphasizing their strong interdependence. These key messages were later circulated by the United Nations Secretary-General as official documents of the UN General Assembly and ECOSOC.
Civil society groups also showcased their contribution to upholding accountability and restoring trust in local communities, presenting the 2023 Rome Civil Society Declaration on SDG 16+. They noted the need to recognize the negative impacts of the current geopolitical context on SDG 16, and called on the international community to reignite the excitement and advocacy that existed when the SDGs were created.
Advocating for the rule of law
and SDG 16 at the United Nations in New York
IDLO provided submissions to several multilateral processes in 2023 and delivered statements at the consultations, including the Political Declaration for the SDG Summit; the New Agenda for Peace; the Declaration on Future Generations; the Global Digital Compact; and the High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. Our messages stressed the importance of the rule of law, access to justice, and the role of SDG 16 as an enabler of the 2030 Agenda. Additionally, IDLO has regularly convened meetings of a Like-Minded Group in New York to coordinate advocacy and engagement of intergovernmental organizations and CSOs interested in SDG 16 around these events.
In May, Director-General Jan Beagle was invited by the President of ECOSOC to deliver the opening remarks at a Special Meeting focusing on “Harnessing the Game-Changing Potential of SDG16: Enhancing Governance and Combating Corruption”, and in July she moderated the thematic review of SDG 9 during the HLPF.
During High-Level week at the UN General Assembly, we built on this work to advocate for the rule of law and access to justice in different policy forums. IDLO’s Director-General addressed the Leadership Dialogue on “Strengthening integrated policies and public institutions for achieving the SDGs”, co-moderated by the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and the Prime Minister of Denmark. We also delivered statements at the High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response and the ministerial meeting to prepare for the Summit of the Future to make a case for greater political and financial support for the rule of law.
Engaging with the European Union
In 2023 IDLO deepened its strategic engagement with the European Union (EU).
The year marked IDLO’s first year as an EU pillar assessed organization. The assessment, which was based on eight pillars and finalized in December 2022, confirmed that IDLO met the European Commission’s requirements for indirect management.
In December, the EU announced its support for the implementation of the Healthier Food Environments Initiative as part of IDLO and WHO’s Global RECAP programme (see page 52) – its first grant to IDLO as a pillar assessed organization. EU funding will help support the programme’s second phase, which includes the expansion of activities into Ghana, Indonesia, Mauritius, Nepal and Thailand from 2024.
IDLO is also a member of the Team Europe Democracy (TED) Network, a group of EU institutions, Member States, NGOs, CSOs and think tanks. The network aims to respond to global challenges to democracy and human rights by improving collaboration on joint activities and messaging, and strengthening partnerships and policy dialogue. In 2023, IDLO served as co-lead of the Rule of Law and Access to Justice workstream of the network’s Working Group on Accountability and Rule of Law.
Management
Delivering on IDLO’s strategic objectives means working continuously to ensure that our systems, processes and capacities are robust and fit for purpose. Our 40 years of operation have shown the importance of cross-cutting principles of inclusion, integration and innovation to achieve success for both our beneficiaries and staff.
IDLO made progress in 2023 on its four organizational enablers: enhancing innovation, integration and impact; investing in people; improving systems and processes; and implementing a strategic approach to partnerships (see page 56). We also continue to explore new strategies for strengthening our resource base; we are working towards balanced and predictable funding that will allow us to respond flexibly to opportunities, invest in our organizational capacities and build a sustainable foundation for continued growth.
Innovation, integration and impact
In 2023, IDLO continued to integrate its work, designing innovative approaches to collect data and demonstrate impact.
Implemented a more integrated approach to programme development, to enhance quality and effectiveness.
Launched the development of context-specific country strategies drawn from evidence-based analysis and consultations with national stakeholders as part of efforts to transition from a projectbased implementation to this more integrated programmatic approach.
Tracked and analysed data for the Strategic Results and Resources Framework (SRRF), a quantitative, results monitoring system to measure progress on the implementation of IDLO’s Strategic Plan.
Established IDLO’s first institutional data and knowledge management function to support the development of an organizational data strategy to better create, manage and use data both internally and externally.
Investing in people
to ensuring our workplace is fair, inclusive and promotes health and well-being. To support our employees in 2023 we:
Continued to implement the Human Resources Strategy developed in 2022 to ensure that IDLO can attract, manage and retain a talented and motivated workforce and support colleagues working in extremely challenging operational environments. Improved our grievance management process and put in place an ethics framework that provides IDLO staff access to advice on ethics matters and on the implementation of ethics-related policies.
Organized a series of workshops involving all departments and offices, as well as country managers, to strengthen staff engagement, and concluded a 360-degree feedback process for senior managers.
Marked World Mental Health Day in October with webinars, yoga and meditation sessions to promote good mental health and well-being for IDLO staff, including colleagues working in hazardous duty stations.
Convened IDLO Country Managers in Rome for a strategic planning retreat, giving field-based colleagues the opportunity to engage in strategic discussions, share challenges and opportunities and discuss the way forward.
Improving systems and processes
Working in a way that is greener, smarter and more agile is essential for delivering on today’s complex challenges. In 2023, IDLO:
Boosted our HR and management system, including its further integration with the payroll system.
Improved efficiency by increasing the automation of financial and project management processes and developing a screening platform and related processes.
Introduced measures that increase the integrity of IDLO’s information and communication technology environment.
Joined the United Nations System’s interagency body on procurement, and secured participation in the United Nations Global Marketplace as an Observer, enabling connections with reputable suppliers, streamlined processes and cost savings.
Sourced potential sanction check providers to support the introduction of an anti-money laundering system.
Acquired additional space at IDLO’s Rome HQ to support a refurbishment that will help meet office space needs and make the building more accessible to individuals with mobility challenges.
Increased capacity at headquarters to support organization-wide security services and worked closely with Country Offices to ensure the well-being of personnel, provide safety guidance and advise on health and welfare.
Concluded Host Country Agreements with the Bahamas, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ukraine to ensure recognition of legal status, facilitate smooth operations, protect staff and facilities, and enable the efficient use of donor funds.
Revenue and expenditure
While total revenue increased from 43 million in 2022 to 44.7 million in 2023, improving the ratio between unrestricted and restricted revenue is central to IDLO’s resource mobilization strategy. Non-Member Parties have also awarded grants and Member Parties are engaged in ensuring that IDLO’s funding base is more diverse.
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Italy
Netherlands
Philippines
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
REVENUE BY REGION*
Total for all regions and global programmes €34.9 million
United States
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
European Union
International Center for Transitional Justice
International Development Research Centre
Netherlands Institute of International Relations “Clingendael”
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations Development Programme
EXPENDITURE BY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
EXPENDITURE BY ENABLER
Governance
MEMBER PARTIES
AFGHANISTAN | AUSTRALIA | AUSTRIA | BULGARIA | BURKINA FASO | CHINA | ECUADOR
EGYPT | EL SALVADOR | FRANCE | HONDURAS | ITALY | JORDAN | KENYA | KUWAIT | LIBERIA
MALI | MAURITANIA | MONGOLIA | MONTENEGRO | MOZAMBIQUE | NETHERLANDS
NIGER (JOINED IN FEBRUARY 2023) | OPEC FUND FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT | PAKISTAN
PARAGUAY | PERU | PHILIPPINES | QATAR | ROMANIA | SENEGAL | SUDAN | SWEDEN TUNISIA | TÜRKIYE | UGANDA | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | VIET NAM
STANDING COMMITTEE
As of November 2023
United States (President)
Mongolia (Vice President)
Italy (Vice President ex officio)
Egypt
Kuwait
Paraguay
Philippines
AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
As of November 2023
Kuwait (Chair)
China
Italy
Kenya
Türkiye
United States
BOARD OF ADVISERS
Ruth Aura-Odhiambo
Diego García-Sayán
Mehmet Hasan Göğüş
Hoang Ly Anh
Stefano Manservisi (Chair)
Githu Muigai
Bilal Soofi
Zhou Xiaoyan
Governing bodies
governmental organization in 1988 by treaty—the Agreement for the Establishment of the International Development Law Organization. IDLO is governed by the Assembly of Parties, composed of representatives of Member Parties, which determines the organization’s policies, elects the Director-General and guides her work. The Assembly
Member Parties elect a President and a Vice President for a three-year term. As host country of IDLO headquarters in Rome, Italy is Vice President ex officio. The Assembly also elects a Standing Committee and an Audit and Finance Committee from among the Member Parties. The Standing Committee reports to the Assembly of Parties and provides
Assembly of Parties 2023
In November 2023, the annual meeting of the Assembly of Parties took place in person at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Marking IDLO’s 40th anniversary since its establishment in 1983, Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and His Holiness Pope Francis both shared special welcome messages for the annual meeting, which was attended by 35 IDLO Member Parties, a majority at the ambassadorial level. The Director-General presented a report of the organization’s activities during the year to the Member Parties attending. During the General Debate, Member Parties delivered statements, commending the organization for its achievements during the past year, including ongoing efforts to support justice seekers in challenging environments, such as Afghanistan, Ukraine and the Sahel region. Member Parties adopted the operating budget for 2024.
IDLO’s Director-General was unanimously re-elected by the Member Parties to serve for a second four-year term of office.
The following Member Parties were elected to governing
tion on behalf of the Member Parties between sessions of the Assembly. The Audit and Finance Committee assists the Assembly of Parties, through the Standing Committee, in its financial oversight responsibilities, particularly with respect to audit and compliance, and maintaining the effective and efficient financial performance of IDLO.
bodies: the United States to serve as the new President of IDLO and Mongolia as the new Vice President, for a three-year term, expiring at the 2026 annual meeting of the Assembly of Parties. Kuwait and the Philippines were elected to continue serving as ad hoc members of the Standing Committee for a second two-year term, expiring at the 2025 annual meeting of the Assembly of Parties. Italy, Kuwait and Türkiye were elected to continue serving as members of the Audit and Finance Committee for a two-year term, expiring at the 2025 annual meeting of the Assembly of Parties. Kuwait was elected to serve as the new Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee.
Ms Zhou Xiaoyan was also elected to serve on IDLO’s Board of Advisers for a second four-year term, expiring at the 2027 meeting of the Assembly.
Alongside the Assembly of Parties, IDLO also held its annual Partnership Forum, which marked the organization’s 40th anniversary and included high-level discussions on the urgency of addressing today’s interlinked crises and the global decline in the rule of law.
