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
Is Russia Committing Genocide in Ukraine?
Russian troops forced to beat a hasty retreat in Ukraine are leaving behind evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity. As this body of evidence grows, officials and experts are becoming increasingly convinced that Russia is committing genocide against the Ukrainian people.
Diálogos de Seguridad Ciudadana en Colombia
La firma del Acuerdo de Paz del 2016 entre el gobierno colombiano y las FARC-EP abrió nuevas ventanas de oportunidad para transformar paradigmas de seguridad que respondan mejor a las necesidades y prioridades de la ciudadanía. Sin embargo, la implementación equitativa del Acuerdo en zonas rurales del territorio sigue siendo un desafío.
Citizen Security Dialogues in Colombia
The signing of the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC-EP opened new windows of opportunity to transform security paradigms that better respond to the needs and priorities of citizens. However, implementing the Agreement and ensuring that its provisions are equitably implemented in rural areas of the territory remains an elusive challenge.
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.
Curbing Elite Manipulation of Security Sectors Working Group
The U.S. Institute of Peace, in partnership with USAID's Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization, is convening the Curbing Elite Manipulation of Security Sectors Working Group to study how manipulation of the security sector for personal, political or financial gain contributes to violence. Through expert study, research and a public report, the working group seeks to distill the phenomenon sufficiently to identify leverage points where policy and action might effectively address the problem.