LibGuides: Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law Interns Guide: Rule of Law Organizations

United Nations

The United Nations is deeply involved in rule of law efforts through many of its bodies. Its web portal on Rule of Law provides centralized access to the UN's activities in this field, but see in particular the pages below.

For help understanding how the UN works, and on how to work with UN material, see the UN Library's outstanding knowledge bank of answered research questions, Ask DAG!

United Nations Rule of Law Document Repository
The United Nations Rule of Law Document Repository contains official UN documents and publications, and
UN rule of law guidance and policy material. The repository can both be searched by keyword and browsed by subject.
Cross-Cutting Themes in Rule of Law
This section describes rule of law themes for which the UN has developed a common system-wide approach. The purpose is to help users understand the UN’s policy with respect to emerging and critical rule of law issues and related major topics.

Nongovernmental Organizations

Nongovernmental organizations are both participants in rule of law initiatives and key sources of information on rule of law conditions. NGOs can often be the best – and sometimes only – source of current information on the ground, and they frequently provide the only available English-language translations of relevant legislation, court decisions, and government documents for a particular country.

The organizations below are only a few of those engaged in rule of law work or reporting.

American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative
ABA ROLI works with in-country partners to build sustainable institutions and societies that deliver justice, foster economic opportunity and ensure respect for human dignity. The ROLI website includes a documents and reports archive, multiple assessment tools, and news on current activities.
Amnesty International
Reports are available by country or topic, and links are provided to the websites of the regional offices in 80 countries for additional information.
Freedom House
Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom around the world. It analyzes the challenges to freedom; advocates for greater political and civil liberties; and supports frontline activists to defend human rights and promote democratic change.
Human Rights Watch
The annual World Reports, as well as country- and topic-specific reports are available under the "Publications" tab, while more up-to-the-minute reporting and actions can be accessed via the "News" tab.
Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project
The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project is an initiative of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights to support the application and implementation of international law in armed conflict. Through its global database and analysis, the Project aims ultimately to report on every concerned State and disputed territory in the world, considering both the legal norms that apply as well as the extent to which they are respected by the relevant actors.
World Justice Project
The World Justice Project, an independent, non-profit organization, develops communities of opportunity and equity by advancing the rule of law worldwide. Through its three complementary and mutually reinforcing program areas of Research and Scholarship, Rule of Law Index, and Engagement, the WJP seeks to stimulate government reforms that enhance the rule of law, develop practical programs in support of the rule of law at the community level, and increase public awareness about the concept and practice of the rule of law worldwide.

Additional Sources of Information

American Society of International Law
ASIL serves as a major publisher of international law material that provides an international law electronic research guide and database for searching international treaties and conventions, websites, and other research tools.
HumanRights.gov
The U.S. Department of State manages this site as a portal for international human rights related information from the United States Government. Information available includes country reports on human rights practices, reports on U.S. compliance with human rights treaties obligations, and reviews of human rights within the U.S.
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library
The University of Minnesota Human Rights Library collects human rights treaties and other primary source materials related to international human rights, including documents in Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese Korean, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. It also provides a portal to third-party human rights websites and information sources, organized by subject, region, organization and document type.
Transitional Justice Data Collaborative
Currently Unavailable. Transitionaljusticedata.com is meant for scholars and practitioners who wish to examine the causes and impacts of mechanisms that address human rights violations. Comprised of principal researchers from University of Oxford, University of Minnesota and Harvard University, the Transitional Justice Research Collaborative presents data on three primary transitional justice mechanisms—human rights prosecutions, truth commissions, and amnesties—for 109 democratic transitions in 86 countries around the world, from 1970-2012.

Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law Interns Guide: Rule of Law Organizations

Organizations in Rule of Law

United Nations

Nongovernmental Organizations

Additional Sources of Information