RESULTS OF IMPLEMENTING IDLO'S STRATEGIC ORIENTATION 2021–2024

RESULTS OF IMPLEMENTING IDLO'S STRATEGIC ORIENTATION 2021–2024
 
1. IDLO's 2021–2024 Strategic Context and Direction
The period 2021-2024 is considered a turning point for the International Development Organization (IDLO). The formation and implementation of strategic orientations during this period took place in an extremely complex global context with many unprecedented fluctuations, and at the same time witnessed a profound change in the international community's approach to the issue of rule of law, human rights and sustainable development. First of all, we must mention the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic broke out in late 2019 and lasted until 2021-2022, leaving serious consequences in all areas of political, economic and social life. Countries around the world simultaneously faced a public health crisis, overloaded health care systems, a global recession, disrupted supply chains and millions of people falling into poverty. In this emergency, many governments have been forced to adopt extraordinary restrictive measures, from lockdowns, travel bans to strict information controls. Although necessary to protect public health, these measures have also given rise to many controversies about their legality, compliance with international human rights standards and the role of law enforcement in emergency situations. This is one of the issues raised by IDLO: how to support countries in designing a legal framework to respond to the crisis, ensuring both effective epidemic control and respect for basic human rights.
Along with the pandemic, the global political and security situation in 2021-2024 is also full of instability. Armed conflicts, terrorism, violent extremism and forced migration are still fierce in many regions, especially the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. The Russia-Ukraine conflict that broke out in early 2022 has become one of the biggest events, not only causing casualties and a serious humanitarian crisis, but also shaking the international order, heightening geopolitical tensions and posing an unprecedented challenge to the international rule of law system. Similarly, in many developing countries, political instability, corruption, human rights violations and declining public trust in the government remain prominent issues. In this context, IDLO determined that strengthening the rule of law is not only a mere technical requirement, but also a pillar for maintaining peace, stability and comprehensive development.
On the socio-economic front, the global development gap is widening. While many developed countries are rapidly adopting digital technology, artificial intelligence and green transformation to recover from the pandemic, most poor countries are struggling with debt crises, inflation, unemployment and food security. Vulnerable groups such as women, children, migrants and people with disabilities are further disadvantaged with limited access to justice, social services and development opportunities. This reality shows that the rule of law must be seen as an important tool to reduce inequality, distribute resources fairly and ensure inclusive development. This is also why IDLO focuses its 2021–2024 orientation on promoting inclusive justice and equality, considering it the foundation for building social trust and strengthening the legitimacy of public institutions.
Another special contextual factor for the 2021–2024 period is the rapid increase in non-traditional global challenges, especially climate change and digital transformation. Climate change not only causes extreme natural disasters, livelihood crises and environmental migration, but also poses an urgent need for an international and national legal framework to manage resources, protect the environment and promote climate justice. Meanwhile, the digitalization process and the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, big data and online platforms bring many opportunities but also give rise to a series of new legal issues: privacy, information security, cyber security, digital crime and the risk of spreading disinformation. Many national legal systems have not yet adapted to the speed of technological development, leading to a legal vacuum. Faced with this reality, IDLO recognizes that the rule of law cannot be limited to traditional areas, but must extend to the environmental and technological fields, playing a leading role in regulating, shaping and controlling new global processes.
Against this backdrop, IDLO has clearly defined its strategic direction for the 2021–2024 period. The first focus is on strengthening the rule of law and judicial institutions, focusing on legal reform, enhancing court capacity, ensuring the independence and accountability of the judicial system. The second focus is on promoting equitable and inclusive justice, with a particular emphasis on access to justice for women, girls and vulnerable groups, in order to eliminate all forms of discrimination and create conditions for all citizens to benefit from the legal system. The third focus is on integrating the rule of law with post-pandemic recovery and responding to global challenges, that is, considering the rule of law as a tool to ensure sustainable development, manage health crises, protect the environment, promote gender equality and govern digital technology. In addition, IDLO also sets out an important internal direction: strengthening partnerships and improving organizational capacity, to ensure that the strategy is effectively implemented, with broad coordination with global actors and making the most of the organization's limited resources.
2. Outstanding results achieved in the 2021–2024 period of IDLO
During the 2021–2024 period, IDLO implemented its strategic direction in a global context of unprecedented changes and challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, political crises, economic and environmental instability, as well as rapid changes in technology and digital governance. Against this backdrop, the organization focused its efforts on the strategic priorities it had set: strengthening the rule of law and judicial institutions, promoting inclusive justice and human rights, integrating the rule of law with sustainable development, and expanding global partnerships. The achievements over these four years not only reflect IDLO’s flexibility and adaptability, but also demonstrate its pioneering role in connecting the rule of law with sustainable development issues.
2.1. Strengthening the legal and judicial system
One of IDLO’s most important achievements during this period was the strengthening of the rule of law and judicial capacity in many developing countries. The organization implemented legal assistance, policy advice and professional training programs to help countries build legal systems that are transparent, fair and able to adapt to global challenges.
In Africa , IDLO works with judicial authorities in Somalia, Mali and Kenya to improve judicial capacity, particularly in cases involving women’s rights, children’s rights and natural resources. In Somalia, the organization has supported the development of an interdisciplinary training program for judges, prosecutors and lawyers, which has improved judicial capacity in civil and criminal cases. This training system not only improves legal expertise but also strengthens the independence of the judiciary, reduces the risk of corruption and ensures people’s access to justice.
In Asia , IDLO has implemented legal reform projects in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, focusing on the development of commercial codes, labor codes and laws protecting children’s rights. These projects are accompanied by support for training of judicial officials, advice on monitoring and accountability mechanisms, helping countries adapt to international rule of law standards. As a result, many codes have been updated, narrowing the gap between current laws and international practices, thereby creating a solid legal foundation for socio-economic development.
In Latin America , IDLO works with Peru, Guatemala, and Honduras to support judicial reform and fight corruption. Projects include establishing transparent judicial mechanisms, providing training on professional ethics, and supporting the development of public oversight systems. As a result, many judicial bodies have improved the efficiency of their judiciary, reduced the time it takes to resolve cases, and increased citizen confidence in the legal system.
2.2. Promoting inclusive access to justice and human rights
In addition to strengthening the rule of law, IDLO places special emphasis on ensuring that all citizens, especially vulnerable groups, have access to justice. This is one of its core priorities, as legal inclusion is a prerequisite for maintaining peace and social stability.
In Africa , IDLO implements community justice and informal mediation models in Somalia, Mali and Niger, providing legal assistance to people in rural areas and areas with limited access to courts. This program not only resolves disputes quickly but also increases legal literacy in communities, reducing the risk of conflict and violence.
In Asia , IDLO’s projects in Afghanistan and Bangladesh focus on the rights of women and girls. Legal aid programs for women experiencing domestic violence, litigation support, and community mediation have increased case resolution rates and raised awareness of the rights of women and girls. IDLO also works with civil society organizations to set up legal advice lines, helping vulnerable populations access accurate legal information.
In Latin America , IDLO focuses on protecting the rights of indigenous peoples, migrants, and economically disadvantaged groups. It implements legal aid projects in Guatemala and Honduras and develops community training programs on human rights and the law. These initiatives contribute to conflict reduction, strengthening local mediation capabilities, and improving relations between governments and communities.
2.3. Integrating the rule of law with sustainable development
One of the breakthroughs in the 2021–2024 orientation is IDLO’s integration of the rule of law with the fields of sustainable development and responding to global challenges. The organization recognizes that the rule of law is not only a tool for social management but also a foundation for sustainable development, environmental protection and health crisis prevention. In the environmental field, IDLO implements climate justice programs in Somalia, Kenya, Peru and Honduras. The organization supports the development of legal frameworks on natural resource management, forest land protection and mineral resource exploitation regulation, and advises on transparent monitoring mechanisms. Thanks to that, many environmental projects are implemented in accordance with legal regulations, minimizing resource conflicts and protecting community livelihoods. Regarding health crises, IDLO coordinates with state agencies and international organizations to develop legal recommendations related to COVID-19 prevention. These guidelines help countries strike a balance between pandemic prevention and human rights protection, from managing lockdowns and quarantines to distributing vaccines and ensuring access to healthcare. IDLO also focuses on applying the rule of law in technology governance. Pilot programs in Kenya and Bangladesh on personal data protection laws, cybersecurity and online platform management have contributed to reducing legal risks in the digital environment, while ensuring citizens’ privacy and access to information.
2.4. Expanding partnerships and improving organizational effectiveness
A highlight of the 2021–2024 period is IDLO’s expansion of multilateral partnerships. The organization works closely with the United Nations, development banks, regional organizations, NGOs and local communities to implement rule of law programs. This multi-stakeholder approach helps expand the scope of influence, mobilize resources and share international experiences, while enhancing the inclusiveness and sustainability of rule of law initiatives. IDLO also improves internal organizational capacity through innovation in management processes, increased financial transparency and the adoption of evidence-based monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. These improvements help the organization measure the practical impact of projects and adjust implementation strategies to suit the actual context.
3. Strategic orientation for the period 2025-2028
Based on the achievements, limitations and lessons learned from the 2021–2024 period, IDLO has developed a strategic orientation for the 2025–2028 period with the goal of consolidating its position as an international pioneer in the field of rule of law for sustainable development. This orientation reflects a long-term vision, continuing to connect the rule of law with issues of socio-economic development, human rights, climate change and digital transformation, while emphasizing flexible adaptation to global fluctuations.
The period 2025–2028 is forecast to continue to witness many challenges and opportunities: increasing climate crisis, persistent social inequalities, political conflicts and non-traditional security threats such as cybercrime and new pandemics. At the same time, the digital age, artificial intelligence, big data and green economy open up many development opportunities, but also require a solid legal framework and effective governance. On this basis, IDLO's strategic orientation 2025–2028 sets the main goals of strengthening comprehensive rule of law, expanding access to inclusive justice, integrating rule of law with sustainable development goals and enhancing organizational capacity as well as multilateral partnerships. This orientation is formed based on lessons from the period 2021–2024, in particular the recognition that: rule of law cannot be separated from social, economic and environmental contexts; The application of technology needs to be synchronized with infrastructure and training; and the rule of law project is only sustainable when local capacity is built synchronously. Therefore, the new strategy is systematic, connecting four core pillars, while emphasizing inclusiveness, sustainability and flexibility. The four pillars include:
The first pillar is strengthening the rule of law and judicial capacity . This is the foundation for all other activities, because if legal institutions are weak, non-transparent or lacking independence, all efforts on human rights and sustainable development will be difficult to achieve effectively. IDLO will continue to support the development, revision and harmonization of legal documents, and provide specialized training for judges, prosecutors, lawyers and judicial officers. The organization also focuses on establishing monitoring, transparency and accountability mechanisms, helping to strengthen public trust in the legal system.
The second pillar is promoting equitable and inclusive access to justice . During the period 2025–2028, IDLO will strengthen initiatives to eliminate inequalities in access to justice, particularly targeting women, girls, the poor and vulnerable groups. Community justice, informal mediation and online legal aid programmes will be widely implemented, helping to increase access to justice, reduce social conflicts and strengthen socio-political stability.
The third pillar is integrating the rule of law with sustainable development and responding to global challenges . IDLO recognizes that sustainable development cannot be achieved without the rule of law. Therefore, its programs will link the rule of law with the environment, climate change, digital technology, public health and economic governance. For example, in the environmental field, IDLO will support the development of regulations on natural resource management, environmental protection and climate change response; in the technology field, the organization will promote the rule of law on data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The fourth pillar is strengthening institutional capacity and expanding partnerships . IDLO aims to strengthen management capacity, improve resource efficiency and transparency in operations, and expand cooperation with the United Nations, development banks, regional organizations, civil society and the private sector. This multi-layered partnership not only expands the scope of influence but also helps to share knowledge and mobilize resources to implement large-scale projects.
The 2025–2028 Vision is not only an action plan but also reflects IDLO’s long-term vision: to transform the rule of law into a tool to promote sustainable development, reduce inequality, protect human rights and respond effectively to global challenges. The strategy also affirms IDLO’s role as a multidisciplinary knowledge and practice center, contributing to shaping rule of law policies on a global scale. The close combination of institutional strengthening, access to justice, sustainable development integration and organizational capacity building reflects a systematic, flexible and inclusive approach, suitable for the fluctuations, challenges and opportunities of today’s world.