ABA Rule of Law Initiative

The ABA Rule of Law Initiative was established in 2007 by the American Bar Association to consolidate its five overseas rule of law programs, including the Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (ABA CEELI), which was created in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) implements legal reform programs in 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa.

ABA ROLI has nearly 700 people, some working in the United States, but most serving abroad, including professional and local staff of the American Bar Association, plus a cadre of short- and long-term expatriate volunteers. Over the past 20 years, these volunteers have contributed more than $200 million in pro bono technical legal assistance. ABA ROLI’s local partners include judges, lawyers, bar associations, law schools, court administrators, prosecutors, legislatures, ministries of justice, human rights organizations and other members of civil society.

Programs

While ABA ROLI implements technical assistance programs in areas, including commercial and property law reform, programs are concentrated in seven areas.[1]

Countries

Since 1990, ABA ROLI has worked in more than 70 countries. Today, ABA ROLI operates a range of legal technical assistance programs in more than 40 countries. Some examples include ABA ROLI's program in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where mobile court and other programs help combat the rape epidemic. In the Philippines, ABA ROLI partners with the Supreme Court to offer trainings on the recently established small claims courts. In Armenia, they work with public defenders and the legal aid community to better represent those accused of crimes. ABA ROLI offers judicial exchange programs for judges and court professionals in Ecuador, which allow them to observe the accusatorial justice system in action. In Jordan, they work with law schools and professional associations to enhance the availability of continuing legal education for young lawyers.

Research and assessments

ABA ROLI’s overseas work is supported by legal research and assessments. The program conducts assessments of draft legislation at the request of host country partners, conducts legal research, produces resource guides on rule of law issues, and develops and implements assessment tools.

ABA ROLI has developed the following assessment tools: Judicial Reform Index; Legal Profession Reform Index; Prosecutorial Reform Index; Legal Education Reform Index; Human Trafficking Assessment Tool, based on the anti-human trafficking protocol to the United Nations (UN) Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; ICCPR Index, based on the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the CEDAW Assessment Tool, based on the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

ABA ROLI has conducted 50 assessments in 20 countries using these tools, all of which are publicly available and are regularly relied upon by local reformers, technical assistance providers, international donors and scholars.

Principles

Board and special advisors

Board

Special advisors

Rule of Law Award

Each year, the ABA Rule of Law Award recognizes rule of law champion from around the world. Award recipients include:

References

  1. ↑ http://www.abanet.org/rol/programs/
  2. ↑ "Rule of Law Internship/Fellowship Program | Rule of Law Initiative". www.americanbar.org. Retrieved 2017-03-30.
  3. ↑ http://www.abanet.org/rol/about.shtml
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