Rule of Law
Rule of law is the framework for the exercise of freedom through a system of widely accepted rules that are fairly and equally applied. It has been described as “a scheme of ordered liberty.” Where such a system exists, the rule of law protects human rights, promotes flourishing market economies, nurtures democratic values, diminishes risks of violent conflict, and contributes to a culture of progress, security, and well-being. WPI works to help developing and transitioning societies build fair, efficient, accessible, and accountable justice systems. We are dedicated to helping make the rule of law a practical tool of human progress.
WPI team members have worked on numerous projects with the goal of achieving true democratic reform and sustainable economic development through the following services:
- Building capacity of the judiciary, prosecutors, public defenders, and other justice institutions
- Improving court administration and management, including financial planning, oversight, and human resource management
- Facilitating strategic planning, policy making, and policy dialogue
- Developing legal frameworks, including civil and criminal procedure codes, commercial laws, and regulatory frameworks
- Conducting legal and judicial training to enhance technical and managerial skills
- Implementing delay reduction programs
- Developing performance standards, audits, and management statistics
- Implementing information technology and justice sector automation
- Implementing alternative dispute resolution systems, including integration of formal and informal justice systems
- Implementing ethics and discipline systems
- Strengthening commercial courts
- Improving enforcement of judgments
- Designing and improving court facilities
- Addressing post-conflict justice issues, including transitional justice mechanisms
- Enhancing access to justice, especially for disadvantaged groups
- Strengthening civil society advocacy, participation, and monitoring
- Promoting public education and opinion surveys
Government Integrity and Performance
WPI team members learned early in their work with justice systems that the rule of law will prevail only if underlying issues of government integrity, performance, and corruption are also addressed. We believe that multi-faceted approaches that involve government, engage civil society, and foster political will are needed to confront the issue of corruption. To this end, WPI assists in the implementation of institutional reforms that reduce opportunities for corruption; increase transparency and accountability; investigate illicit enrichment of public officials; improve public financial controls, auditing, and procurement; and increase civil society advocacy. Our work focuses on the positive qualities that the vast majority of public servants bring to their work and promote the development of institutional integrity models that focus on and reward this positive behavior.
Our service areas include:
- Promoting legal and regulatory reforms to strengthen transparency and accountability
- Strengthening the legislative function
- Strengthening of public sector institutions
- Building positive commitment to individual and institutional integrity
- Creating programs on ethics and disclosure of finances and assets by public officials
- Strengthening anticorruption agencies, ombudsmen, and inspector general institutions
- Strengthening institutions responsible for investigation and prosecution of corruption
- Improving management in the public sector
- Developing e-government programs
- Improving capacity of the government to maintain financial controls and carry out audits
- Strengthening delivery of governmental services
- Developing financial management systems, including audit and internal controls
- Increasing public procurement efficiency and transparency
- Promoting civil society advocacy and monitoring of government performance
- Providing public information, education, and opinion surveys of government performance
- Strengthening government capacities for conflict prevention
- Strengthening the media
Program Design, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation
WPI experts have worked on the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs in our core areas of rule of law and government integrity. We are able to bring the years of experience of our senior staff in the development of new programs and also in the evaluation of the impacts of current programs.
We offer comprehensive approaches for analyzing country- and subject-specific conditions and crafting appropriate program strategies. We then help our clients make strategic decisions on how and where to invest scarce resources based on quantifiable program indicators.
Our service areas include:
- Conducting assessments and evaluations of current programs
- Designing programs with emphasis on rule of law and government integrity
- Implementing results-based and sustainable programs
- Assessing the adequacy of a government’s framework for rule of law and government integrity and performance
- Assessing institutional capacity of justice sector and public sector agencies
- Establishing performance monitoring programs
- Evaluating completed programs
Proposal Development.
For selected clients, WPI will develop wining proposals in our core areas of rule of law and government integrity. Our work can include a full-service approach including research, recruiting and technical and cost volume preparation to separate work in any of these areas as a part of a team. More Information is available on our record and services upon request.
