Legal Empowerment

Rights mean little if those entitled to them are not aware they exist. Due process is of doubtful value when you are illiterate, or unable to understand the proceedings. Courts are next to worthless for those who cannot afford the bus fare to reach them. Nor should justice be about courts alone. For all these reasons, legal empowerment is crucial. Part of IDLO's bottom-up (or demand side) approach, it involves equipping people with the knowledge, confidence and skills to realize their rights. Even as we work to improve the functioning of justice systems, we strengthen citizens' capacity to press for justice from below.

The rule of law only exists to the extent that it works for all.

High-level Group on Justice for Women

Inaugural Meeting: High-level Group on Justice for Women

Update (as of July 27, 2018): The Inaugural Meeting Report is now available below

Kyrgyz Ministry of Education endorses mock court courses

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education has endorsed IDLO-supported mock court courses, expanding the pioneering curricula to law schools throughout the country.

IDLO program helps Afghan professionals deliver justice

IDLO has been working in Afghanistan since 2002 to strengthen access to justice, uphold human rights, expand legal capacity and promote local ownership.

Journeys to justice: Exploring customary systems in Mali

Mali has suffered from ongoing attacks from armed groups, creating an enduring climate of conflict and volatility.

Building communities to support women's access to justice in Myanmar

While data is difficult to gather, sexual and gender-based violence in Myanmar is prevalent and has been characterized as a “silent emergency” by the United Nations Population Fund.

IDLO entrega política municipal de niñez y adolescencia del municipio de San Pedro Sula

San Pedro Sula, 18 de abril de 2018 – La Organización Internacional de Derecho para el Desarrollo, IDLO por sus siglas en inglés, presentó a la Municipalidad de San Pedro Sula la nueva Política de Niñez y Adolescencia del Municipio, en respuesta a la necesidad de garantizar la protección integral de la niñez y adolescencia en el municipio. Dicha Política Municipal de Niñez será un instrumento local para asegurar los recursos que permitan mejorar y elevar las condiciones y calidad de vida de los niños, niñas y adolescentes.

IDLO works to promote gender equality and justice

Strengthening local capacities for improved access to justice for women in Myanmar

Recent research shows that sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is one of the leading problems impacting communities across Myanmar. Women in particular face significant and widespread levels of SGBV, with both formal and informal systems failing to provide satisfactory remedies. Inadequate legal protections, combined with pervasive cultural and social stigma, low public legal awareness, and deep mistrust in the formal justice system, pose a daunting range of barriers to accessing justice and other services such as legal, medical and psycho-social support.

Interregional meeting in Mali strengthens justice chain project

IDLO organized the first interregional meeting of justice chain actors across its four program locations in Mali from February 27 – 28 in Bamako, continuing its efforts to strengthen the criminal justice chain in the country.

Judicial cooperation to end sexual violence in Liberia

As part of IDLO's project to increase accountability for sexual and gender-based crimes in Liberia, it is working to build the capacity of judges to effectively handle and dispose of sexual and gender-based violence cases.

Legal Empowerment

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