Law Day, held annually on May 1, is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. Law Day provides an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice, and contribute to the freedoms that all Americans share.
Street Law has a global footprint in rule of law programming. As we now work to develop a nationwide rule of law curriculum for middle and high school students in the United States, we decided celebrating rule of law for only one day just wasn’t enough, so we turned the entire month of May into a rule of law celebration!
We asked dozens of ambassadors, teachers, students, corporate leaders, academicians, legal experts, & other thought leaders across the country the same question: “What does the rule of law mean to YOU?”
Although their answers were published on social media throughout May, we’ve created a collection of their responses below.
“A critical aspect of the Rule of Law is access to justice. There is an access to justice crisis across the world that has become even more acute as a result of the pandemic. As lawyers, we can use our skills to increase access to justice and the rule of law. New Perimeter, DLA Piper’s global pro bono initiative, provides long-term pro bono legal assistance in under-served regions around the world to support access to justice, social and economic development, sound legal institutions, and women’s advancement.”
“To me, Rule of Law represents the ideal of equality of all citizens before the law and a legal system to which all persons have meaningful access. It means a public educated in their rights and responsibilities, and confident that an independent judiciary will safeguard their rights and hold governments accountable to the law.”
“To me, Rule of Law represents the ideal of equality of all citizens before the law and a legal system to which all persons have meaningful access. It means a public educated in their rights and responsibilities, and confident that an independent judiciary will safeguard their rights and hold governments accountable to the law.”
“Rule of Law to me means that in a society there are a set of commonly understood principles in place that help people, no matter their perceived status or stage, interact in a somewhat consistent and reliable manner. It should be rooted in fairness and equity, such that it helps allow for freedom of action, while also curtailing harmful or capricious actors. I am really proud of Street Law’s efforts to promote the Rule of Law around the globe.”
“People should be subject to law irrespective of their position or rank. The principles of justice and equality should be ingrained in societies. Enhancing the rule of law will uphold transparency, accountability, integrity, normalize expectations, and, hence, will ensure better citizenship and prosperity for all.”
“The rule of law is the principle that states both the governed and those who govern must obey the law and are answerable to the same laws. It does not matter if you are a college student, professor, or U.S. Senator. It essentially refers to the impact of the law’s power within society, particularly as a behavior check on government officials’ conduct.”
“The rule of law means to me that everyone is treated equally under the law, and that our laws are just and fair. Though personally it’s something I don’t see very often. I feel like as humans we hold so many personal and societal prejudices, so even in places where those prejudices are supposed to be set aside they end up showing up with or without intention. Fundamentally I think the rule of law is an amazing idea, but in real life I don’t see it practiced.”
“The rule of law has several principles, but its essence to me is equality and respect. We’re all equal under the law; no one is above the law. And the government and its citizens respect that they should act according to the “law of the land.” That’s why our society works and why teaching the rule of law, the foundation of democracy, is so vital.”
“Rule of law should mean that no one is above the law, that laws are widely known, and that laws are equally applied and enforced. But rule of law isn’t a “given.” As Americans, we need to hold our government and ourselves accountable to defend the rule of law.”
“The Rule of Law is for and about people: to guarantee their fundamental rights and freedoms, resolve their legal problems, satisfy their justice needs, and empower them in their everyday lives. The law and the institutions it establishes are the means and mechanisms through which people transform their communities and their societies. In advancing the rule of law around the world, we must put people at the center of justice systems and reform justice institutions and services to be user-friendly, problem-solving, and prevention-focused.”
“To me, rule of law means equal access to justice. I look also to the Sustainable Development Goals for a way to make this real for citizens wherever they are. Rule of law is also for me the opposite of rule of men which we see in many countries—unequal and arbitrary wielding of power. That’s what you find in autocracies.”
“Rule of law is the basis for a functioning democratic system. This is why Germany funded Street Law’s “Rule of Law Matters” project in Jordan, aimed at strengthening the rule of law culture among Jordanian youth and students. Education about the legal system, about rights as well as obligations, enables citizens to overcome skepticism of state institutions and paves the way for more trustful, cooperative and vital state-society relations.”
“Rule of law is a dream I hope to become true one day in our society. Today, most aspects of life are poor: Freedoms are limited. Equality is rare. Access to justice is questionable. Corruption and “Wasta” are in most sectors of the government. This is why we at UNIHRD, and me personally, were very keen to work with Street Law hoping to strengthen rule of law for a better and more prosperous society in Jordan. “
“Law lights the pathway to a just world where we resolve our conflicts without resorting to violence, elect our governments fairly, and enjoy equal opportunity to flourish individually and advance the common good. We are all accountable to the law … no one is above the law … and people are treated equally under the law.”
“The rule of law is the principle that states both the governed and those who govern must obey the law and are answerable to the same laws. It does not matter if you are a college student, professor, or U.S. Senator. It essentially refers to the impact of the law’s power within society, particularly as a behavior check on government officials’ conduct.”