Rule of Law

About Rule of Law

Research suggests that societies based on the rule of law are more likely to be stable democracies and contribute to international order and less likely to be sources of conflict than other states.

USIP's Rule of Law Program works to assist institutions and processes that will best bring about law-based management of international conflict and a sense of justice. The program is based on the premise that adherence to the rule of law entails far more than the mechanical application of static legal technicalities; it requires an evolutionary search for those institutions and processes that will best bring about authentic stability through justice.

The Rule of Law Programs organizes its activities and projects around five themes: Tools for Rebuilding the Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Environments, Constitution-Making, Transitional Justice, International Law and Armed Conflict, and Country-Specific Projects. [More on Current Projects]