Converging Perspectives From Global To Regional On The Rule Of Law
12 January 2018 at Dusit Thani Hotel
By providing stability and predictability, the rule of law serves as the cornerstone of the sustainable development agenda. The rule of law facilitates peaceful and productive engagement between different actors across societies. It helps guide states in fulfilling their role of public provision of goods and services, and ensures the well-being of their people. This in turn creates a conducive environment for the achievement of economic and social development goals. However, the relationship between the rule of law and socio-economic development must be tempered by an inclusive approach to growth in order to maintain cohesive communities that embrace a culture of lawfulness and believe in the fundamental value of the rule of law. Without it, vast segments of society will remain marginalized and vulnerable.
In order to realize the potential of the rule of law, it is essential to harness the minds and efforts of people across all facets of society, going beyond legal professionals and law-makers. Law-users, and those affected by the changes in the legal landscape, must be empowered to harness their individual strengths and take on a synergistic approach in driving change by creating a culture that respects and values the rule of law as both a means to achieve sustained, equitable and inclusive development, and an end goal in and of itself.
One of TIJ’s core missions is to be a leading educator in the rule of law. In order to do so, TIJ remains committed to bringing together leaders from diverse backgrounds, from policymakers to the private sector and to the public, in order to engage in constructive discussions and to advocate for the rule of law through various formats. Some of the key initiatives include:
The January 2018 TIJ International Forum is the fourth instalment of a continuing series of open discussions about regional approaches to and issues in mainstreaming the rule of law, the efficacy of these attempts and cases that embody the rule of law in action. The goal is to use the concept of the rule of law as a lens to better understand complex socio-economic issues in order to establish a systematic framework to inform policy development. Leading academics, experts, emerging policy makers and various stakeholders will engage in dialogues and exchange views on their interpretation of the rule of law through a multitude of perspectives. At the January TIJ International Forum, the keynote addresses will provide insights into fundamental concepts such as the importance of the rule of law in realizing the global objectives enshrined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the rule of law from a policy standpoint, and the linkages between the rule of law and civic engagement.
This will be followed by panel discussions, featuring faculty members from the network of the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Harvard Law School (IGLP) and TIJ Fellows from the TIJ-IGLP Workshop for Emerging Leaders on the Rule of Law and Policy. These sessions will position the rule of law among salient social issues such as inequality and legal reform.
The first panel on “The Rule of Law in Global Context” will examine how consensus on the importance of rule of law has not entailed consensus on its meaning. Societies have developed the rule of law in a variety of ways. The panellists will discuss the following questions:
