World Justice Challenge Winners Announced in Chicago

•    Five innovative initiatives from Brazil, Taiwan, Ghana and the United States were awarded the World Justice Challenge Prize, presented in Chicago
•    Winning projects address the 2024 Challenge theme of The Rule of Law: Foundation of Democracy. 
•    Each winning project received a cash award of $20,000 USD.

CHICAGO (Aug. 1, 2024) – The World Justice Project announced the five winners of the World Justice Challenge 2024 during the “Meeting the Challenge: World Justice Project Convening on Democracy and the Rule of Law” event at the annual conference of the American Bar Association in Chicago. The winning projects all support this year’s theme of The Rule of Law: Foundation of Democracy.

The World Justice Challenge is a global competition to identify, recognize and promote good practice and high-impact projects and policies that protect and advance the rule of law.  The winning projects from Brazil, Taiwan, Ghana, and the United States, were selected for their impact in four categories: electoral processes and transitions of government power; justice institutions; free media and trustworthy information ecosystems; and youth engagement.  A fifth prize was awarded this year, recognizing an exceptional U.S. project for achievements in one or more of the four thematic categories.  All projects had to demonstrate impact and strong prospects for replication and expansion.

"WJP data shows a global rule of law recession ongoing for almost a decade, particularly in the areas of fundamental rights and government accountability,” said Betsy Andersen, executive director of the World Justice Project.  

"However, there are bright spots where rule of law is progressing, and authoritarianism is receding.  The work these World Justice Challenge front-line reformers do to champion democracy and the rule of law in their communities is essential and we can all learn from them.”

Selected from a pool of 424 applicants from 109 countries, the winners were among 30 World Justice Challenge finalists invited to showcase their groundbreaking work during the American Bar Association’s annual conference in Chicago. Finalists were evaluated by an 8-member judging panel which included Lorenzo Córdova, former president of the Mexico National Electoral Institute, Hon. Karen F. Green, retired associate justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court, Judge Jiyong Jang, high court judge of the Suwon High Court in South Korea, Samson Itodo, executive director of Yiaga Africa, Linda Douglass, Former Head of Communications, Bloomberg Media; Suet-Fern Lee, WJP board member, Manon Olsthoorn, rule of law policy coordinator at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and James R. Silkenat, former president of the American Bar Association and current WJP board member.  The winner of the Alumni Vote award was chosen by winners and finalists of Challenge competitions from past years. 

The World Justice Challenge 2024 winners are: 

Electoral Processes Prize: Pacto Pela Democracia (Brazil)

The Pacto Pela Democracia initiative is aimed at preventing disruptions to the Brazilian electoral process.  It works to ensure respect for election results by sharing global experiences in protecting democracy and by employing other, prevention, crisis management, and knowledge-sharing strategies.

Justice Institutions Prize: Judicial Reform Foundation (Taiwan) 

The Judicial Reform Foundation project is a response to the Sunflower Movement, providing legal support to citizen protesters, compelling judicial actors to uphold democratic values, and engaging Taiwanese society in a dialogue on the importance of a robust legal system in safeguarding democracy.

Media and Information Prize: Media Foundation for West Africa (Ghana) 

A regional non-profit that works to advance press freedom, freedom of expression, independent journalism and digital rights in Ghana and across 16 countries of West Africa.

U.S. Building Trust Prize: Common Cause (United States)

Common Cause is combating partisan gerrymandering by advocating for an inclusive and transparent redistricting process through its election initiative.

Youth Engagement and Alumni Vote Prize: Politize! – Civic Education Institute (Brazil) 

Politize! – Civic Education Institute is a Brazilian nonprofit organization with a focus on increasing civic participation among youth, promoting democracy and citizenship education to empower young people to actively shape their communities and participate in decision-making processes.

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About the World Justice Challenge 
The World Justice Challenge is a global competition and program of supporting activities to identify, recognize and promote good practices and high-impact initiatives that protect and advance the rule of law.

The Challenge compiles an evidence base for successful rule of law approaches, raises their strategic visibility, and strengthens an emerging network of rule of law champions. The Challenge competition invites submissions for initiatives that address critical rule of law challenges around the world in particular thematic categories. For the 2024 competition, the theme is The Rule of Law: Foundation of Democracy, focusing on effective strategies for strengthening the rule of law to reverse autocracy and rebuild trust in democratic governance. Past themes have been access to justice, anti-corruption and open government, accountable governance, and equal rights and non-discrimination.

About the World Justice Project 
The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, nonpartisan, multidisciplinary organization working to create knowledge, build awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law worldwide.  
Effective rule of law reduces corruption, combats poverty and disease, and protects people from injustices large and small. It underpins development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights, and it is the foundation for communities of justice, health, opportunity, and peace.  
The World Justice Project defines the rule of law as a durable system of laws, institutions, norms, and community commitment that delivers: accountability, just laws, open government, and accessible justice. Learn more about these four universal principles and our work at: www.worldjusticeproject.org. 

  
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