Arts and Culture

The World Justice Project is pleased to announce the inaugural WJP Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism. This annual competition has been created to acknowledge journalists from around the world who have contributed to increased awareness and understanding of the foundational importance of the rule of law. The winner will receive $10,000 USD to be awarded in May 2016.

The 2017 competition is now open for the Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism - applications and nominations are due May 28th, 2017. 

For many, 2016 was a tough year for the rule of law, peace, and equity. We saw war destroy lives in Syria and beyond, a migrant and refugee crisis in Europe, growing concerns about police discrimination in the US, and outrageous acts of corruption and violence worldwide. But there were also many inspiring stories over the past twelve months. 

When you think of “the rule of law,” you probably don’t picture musicians working with lawyers to ensure their intellectual property rights, or health workers in Cameroon tackling corruption in free clinics, or environmentalists in China working with victims of pollution to hold dirty industries accountable. 

Each year, thousands of children living on the streets of Bogotá, Colombia, are arrested and end up in juvenile detention centers. In 2013, with a seed grant from the World Justice Project, the Dutch-based Young in Prison partnered with Colombian-based Familia Araya to help incarcerated youth change their relationship with the rule of law.

Director and Producer Lorie Conway gives us an update on the path ahead for Beatrice, Zimbabwe, and for the documentary film Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law.  The film was screened at the World Justice Forum IV in the Hague in July, as well as co-screened with WJP in Seattle and Washington, DC. “This woman has guts, she never stops fighting, no fear. I`ll hand it to you, Beatrice. You get a salute from me…”

Legislators react. They don’t enact. A politician who declares a revolution is actually just announcing the phenomenon which he seeks to legislate can no longer be ignored. The real changes are made by people, by society, by individual choices and actions, not by political statements or election propaganda. The legislator simply updates the law to reflect the changes that the people have already made a reality through individual acts of autonomy and self-expression.

We tried to make this a "Top 10" list, but there were just too many great photos. So, without further ado, here are our favorite 15 photos from 2013—just click on the photo below to launch the Flickr set:     15 Favorite Photos from 2013

2013 Theme: "Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements" The International Day of the World's Indigenous People (9 August) was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995 – 2004).

As the most populous city in Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya has many of the problems of any large city (crime, substandard housing, poverty, etc.), and is also at the center of a nation divided by ethnic strife and a vast disparity between those that have much and those that have very little.  These issues came to a head with the Presidential elections in December 2007, which led to large-scale conflict, including between protesters and police.  The violence was most acute in the poorest neighborhoods of Nairobi, including the slums of Kibera, Mathare and Babandogo.

When deciding how to produce a film about Zimbabwe several themes ran through my head. Some themes appeared to be narratives with a compelling storyline. But conferring with two colleagues who helped developed the film, I soon began a process of elimination on what could work. I was intrigued when the rule of law was suggested as the prism in which to tell the story of the country. But also initially confused.

One of the intended uses of the WJP Rule of Law Index is as an action planning tool for global civil society. The Rule of Law Index truly comes alive when citizens are given the opportunity to analyze information and shape implementation with their own aspirations and situational context.

As we continue to celebrate the social, political, and economic progress made by women all around the world, as well as acknowledge the remaining challenges, take a look at an organization working to level the playing field for women - both literally and metaphorically.

Spending time on the ground in countries like Liberia and Nepal, it soon becomes clear that despite good intentions, we still have very little idea how best to support the accountability of power-holders to citizens. There are hundreds of organizations working on corruption, transparency and accountability (words which are themselves confused and used inter-changeably); but the combined effect of these efforts is still much less than the sum of its parts.

The Justice Rising Blog aims to highlight grassroots organizations who are striving to advance the rule of law. If you would like to highlight your organization, send us an email at [email protected]! Name of Organization: FLAC (Future Leader for Anti-Corruption) Indonesia Project Title: Laskar Anti Korupsi