International Development Law Organization

Knowledge Café: Rule of Law Contributions to the Post-2015 Development Agenda

The Law, Justice and Development Week 2014 is taking place at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC from October 20 to October 24.  The focus of this year's annual forum is financing and implementing the Post-2015 development agenda. IDLO, co-leader of the Thematic Working Group on Environment and Natural Resources Law will hold a Knowledge Cafe on "Rule of Law Contributions to the Post-2015 Development Agenda," among other dedicated sessions and meetings throughout the week.

Knowledge Café: Rule of Law Contributions to the Post-2015 Development Agenda
21 October, 2.00-3.30pm, Preston Auditorium

The rule of law is indispensable to address the challenges confronting the international community to achieve sustainable development. It is key to realizing equitable growth, inclusive social development and environmental sustainability.
 
The rule of law properly understood is consistent with international human rights norms and standards and provides not just predictability and certainty, but also justice. Equal protection of the law, accountability before the law and people's empowerment are all integral parts of this concept of the rule of law. It is in this regard that the rule of law provides an essential contribution to post-2015 development agenda.
 
Guided by leading experts, this 'Knowledge Café' provides participants with an opportunity to discuss practical ways in which the rule of law contributes to specific dimensions of sustainable development, and to participate in an interactive dialogue on how this contribution should be incorporated into the post-2015 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following brief introductory remarks based on IDLO's recent publication - Doing Justice to Sustainable Development: Integrating the Rule of Law into the Post-2015 Development Agenda – participants will break into four thematic 'tables' of the Knowledge Café:
 

  • Café Table 1: Rule of law approaches to eradicate poverty, and promote equity and economic development 
  • Café Table 2: Rule of law approaches for gender equality 
  • Café Table 3: Rule of law approaches for environmental sustainability
  • Café Table 4: Rule of law approaches for global health and social development 

 
At each table, selected experts will provide guiding questions and share examples of approaches taken to promote sustainable development in each of the thematic areas. Participants will then be invited to ask questions and share their own examples. After 25 minutes, participants will rotate to the next table to start a new discussion. Two rotations are envisioned before a rapporteur from each of the tables briefly presents findings and lessons learned from their table to the plenary.