New Rule of Law Commitments in Thailand

Thailand’s new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has announced that improving the rule of law will be a priority for his government. The country currently ranks 82 out of 142 on the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, but recent engagement by WJP and partners in the region has built momentum to address key challenges.

Keeping Access to Justice Within Reach

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal focused on the rule of law is likely to miss a key 2030 target, according to a new report. WJP’s groundbreaking research on SDG 16’s access to justice target is featured in the report, which recommends strategies to keep the 2030 goal within reach.

Rule of Law in the News

Senegal’s president defends delaying elections in exclusive interview as protests erupt nationwide
(AP News)

President Macky Sall is defending his decision to postpone Senegal’s upcoming presidential election. Meanwhile, critics say that Sall, who cannot legally run for a third term, is seeking to delay leaving office.  

West Africa has experienced several coups or coups attempts over the last year. Senegal has long been held up as an example of democracy in the region, though the country’s WJP Rule of Law Index score declined in the last year, with particularly notable declines in the factors measuring constraints on government powers (including the transition of power), fundamental rights, and the functioning of the justice system. 

Pakistan’s youth deliver stinging rebuke to military elite by backing jailed leader Khan 
(CNN) 
 

In Pakistan’s recent election, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehereek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was effectively banned. However, that didn’t stop independent candidates associated with the party from winning the most seats in Pakistan’s parliament.  

None of the three parties were able to declare a majority, and with Khan facing a 14-year prison sentence, a PTI-led government is unlikely to materialize. This uncertainty has led to youth-led protests against alleged vote rigging in the election. Pakistan ranked 130 out of 142 countries and jurisdictions in the 2023 WJP Rule of Law Index.  

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