Street Law Programs Aim to Strengthen Rule of Law Culture During Global Decline 

The launch of the World Justice Project’s 2023 Rule of Law Index (WJP ROL Index) has sparked a renewed discussion on the global state of rule of law.

The 2023 Index evaluated 142 countries on a variety of factors that include constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, and civil and criminal justice.

The index found that, for the sixth year in a row, rule of law has declined in most countries.  

“There is undoubtedly a global crisis in the rule of law. However, the data also brings to light some progress being made.”

Ashok Regmi, CEO of Street Law

While the report confirms a troubling global decline, Street Law programs around the world are contributing to steady progress in challenging contexts to move the needle toward a stronger rule of law culture.

Strengthening Rule of Law in Bulgaria and Jordan

In countries like Bulgaria and Jordan, which were among the most improved countries according to the 2023 WJP ROL Index as compared to 2022, Steet Law remained steadfast in implementing our rule of law education programs.

While Bulgaria continues to face significant political and human rights challenges, the country has seen steady improvement in the majority of WJP ROL Index factors, including absence of corruption and open government, which takes into consideration the right to information and civic participation.

In Bulgaria, Street Law’s multi-year partnership with Sofia Platform culminated in the publication of a civic education handbook. This comprehensive guide comprises engaging lessons on critical civics topics such as rule of law, anti-corruption strategies, and EU law. Lawyer-teacher teams piloted the new lessons, co-teaching them in Bulgarian secondary schools. The published handbook is now widely available to Bulgarian educators and volunteer legal professionals as they teach law-related lessons together in classrooms for years to come.  

Meanwhile, Jordan saw marginal improvements on several WJP ROL Index factors and continues to place at or above the regional average on all factors.

Four years ago in Jordan, Street Law embarked on an ambitious journey to foster a stronger rule of law culture. Through a series of projects and in partnership with a Jordanian NGO, Street Law has implemented initiatives aimed at enhancing the rule of law in the country.

For instance, Street Law developed the Rule of Law Matters curriculum, which has been a tool of impact in the hands of government actors, community organizations, and youth. After receiving Street Law training on the curriculum, several universities have adopted it as an accredited course.

Additionally, through a series of trainings, Street Law, together with its in-country partner, strengthened the capacity of government officials and ministries around the rule of law. Street Law also helped to enhance the leadership skills of Jordanian youth through a fellowship program in which young people designed and implemented rule of law-themed projects in partnership with community members and local governorates.  

Strengthening Rule of Law in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan continues to face stark challenges but has also made commendable progress in upholding and strengthening the rule of law in the past few years.

Its 8.9% increase in the WJP ROL Index over the last eight years reflects this, making Uzbekistan the most improved country during that period. While Uzbekistan only saw marginal improvements in the past year, it made significant strides in the areas of anti-corruption, fundamental rights, government constraint and open government since 2016. 

Over the past seven years, Street Law has been working with law schools, academics, civil society organizations, and other communities in Uzbekistan to implement a people-centered justice approach that helps citizens understand ongoing legal reforms.

Our work aims to empower these communities with the knowledge and skills to navigate local laws on issues ranging from free speech and gender equity to labor and property rights and to advocate for their legal rights when necessary. 

In addition to Street Law’s international work, we are also confronting the unfortunate reality that the United States has seen an overall decline in rule of law since 2015. 

In response to this alarming trend, Street Law developed the Rule of Law for All Program to increase students’ understanding of rule of law, specifically its key tenets, the important role it plays in U.S. democracy, threats to rule of law, and how individuals can act to counter those threats.

The program included teacher professional development and a unique curriculum that integrates rule of law lessons into U.S. social studies classrooms. The Rule of Law for All curriculum has been downloaded by nearly 2,500 teachers for use in their classrooms.  

Conclusion

“There is undoubtedly a global crisis in the rule of law. However, the data also brings to light some progress being made,” said Ashok Regmi, CEO of Street Law. “Street Law firmly believes in collaborating with local partners and systems to strengthen the rule of law through education and empowerment. We see it as a pathway to sustaining long-term change to build a culture of rule of law.” 

The world may be in the midst of a rule of law crisis, but the success stories in Bulgaria, Jordan, and Uzbekistan offer hope and highlight the importance of continued investment by governments, funders, and global and local organizations in strengthening rule of law worldwide.