Justice, Security & Rule of Law
Peaceful, prosperous societies need people and institutions to be subject to law that is fairly applied. The U.S. Institute of Peace helps states and members of society work together to strengthen the rule of law, often through justice and security sector reforms. USIP develops innovative models to foster and shepherd sustainable and locally supported reforms, trains rule-of-law practitioners, conducts research and holds forums to share knowledge. The institute also supports programs such as Justice and Security Dialogues, which seek to build trust between civil society and officials from the justice and security sectors.
Featured Publications
In Myanmar’s New Security Institutions, Power Should Be Community-Owned
Even as the civil war rages on, many pro-democracy groups in Myanmar have begun building their own governance and security institutions. As these new structures emerge, it’s important that they do not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Mientras represión de las bandas en El Salvador continúa, los ciudadanos se preguntan qué vendrá después.
El centro histórico de San Salvador vibra con comercio: unos 40.000 vendedores no sólo llenan los cuatro mercados oficiales del centro, sino que también se extienden por las calles circundantes, con sus puestos repletos de todo tipo de productos, desde ropa a electrodomésticos, dulces y productos frescos. Los gobiernos nacional y municipal se han embarcado en un esfuerzo por transformar el centro de la capital en una atracción turística, restaurando monumentos y reubicando los destartalados puestos de los mercados. Se está construyendo también una nueva biblioteca nacional, donada por China, en la plaza cívica de la capital, frente a la catedral metropolitana.
As El Salvador’s Gang Crackdown Continues, Citizens Wonder What’s Next?
San Salvador’s historic center teems with commerce: some 40,000 vendors not only fill the downtown area’s four official markets, but also spill into the surrounding streets, their tarpaulin-covered stalls packed with everything from clothing to electronics, packaged sweets to fresh produce. The national and city governments have embarked on an effort to transform the capital city’s downtown into a tourist attraction, restoring monuments and relocating ramshackle market stalls. A new national library — donated by China — is under construction on the capital city’s civic square, across from the metropolitan cathedral.
Current Projects
The USIP Learning Agenda
In support of the Evidence Act and as part of the U.S. national security architecture, USIP is carrying out its own learning agenda. Peacebuilding has long been viewed as too messy and complex for evidence-based approaches — but USIP’s mix of research and practice belies that assumption.
Missing Peace Initiative on Preventing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
Initiated in 2012, the Missing Peace Initiative is a partnership bringing together policymakers, practitioners and junior and senior scholars who are working on the issue of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict settings. Together, these individuals identify gaps in knowledge and reporting and explore how to increase the effectiveness of current responses to such violence. Since 2013, the Missing Peace Scholars Network has ensured that this research is communicated cogently to policymakers by producing annual special reports intended to produce meaningful change regarding acts of conflict-related sexual violence.
Elite Capture and Corruption of Security Sectors
Since 2020, the U.S. Institute of Peace Peace – in partnership with USAID – has convened the Elite Capture and Corruption of Security Sectors Working Group to study how manipulation of the security sector for personal, political or financial gain by powerful groups can contribute to violence.