STRATEGIC PLAN

2025–2028

Rule of law accelerates progress towards peace and sustainable development

Introduction

The Strategic Plan 2025-2028 guides IDLO’s work during a turbulent time, marked by profound social, economic, political and environmental challenges.

It is grounded in the belief that the rule of law – with its principles of equity, inclusion, accountability and transparency – is a powerful tool for promoting peace and prosperity, unlocking development potential and protecting human rights for all.

By providing targeted rule of law solutions, IDLO is committed to helping people and governments achieve their objectives more effectively.

Whether it is enhancing access to justice for vulnerable populations, combatting corruption, advancing gender equality, or fostering inclusive economic development, IDLO’s approach is tailored to the specific needs and contexts of its partners, ensuring that the rule of law contributes meaningfully to improving people’s lives.

By balancing ambition with pragmatism and building on IDLO’s strengths, it serves as a roadmap to navigate the complexities of the coming years, adapt to new realities and continue to champion justice and the rule of law globally.

Our strategic environment

With growing polarization, heightened risks, and the possibility of backsliding on decades of hard-won gains on peace, development and human rights, the next few years are likely to be an extreme resilience test of governance at all levels. Within this context, IDLO has identified the following trends that are likely to shape the next strategic cycle:

Rule of law in recession

Growing inequality

Promises and perils of technology

Persistent gender gap

A contested global order

Polarization and lack of trust

Conflict and fragility on the rise

Slow and uneven response to climate change

Comparative advantages

Our partners helped us identify the following comparative advantages of IDLO:

  • Ability to link policy to action through global presence and an integrated approach to programmes, research and policy advocacy

  • Focused mandate and emphasis on rule of law as both an outcome and enabler of peace and sustainable development

  • Flexible and agile, offering a good return on investment to national partners and development partners

  • Subject matter expertise at the intersection of rule of law and development, including on issues such as climate, inclusive economic development and health

  • Ability to work across different legal systems, and across the justice chain

  • Trusted development partner able to promote cooperation between government and civil society

Vision

A world in which every person lives in dignity and equality under the rule of law.

Mission

We champion people-centred justice and promote the rule of law to advance sustainable development and help build more peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies.

Rule of law

IDLO believes that the rule of law encompasses both procedural fairness and just outcomes. It requires clear, prospective laws that are available publicly and adjudicated through due process by an independent judiciary. It also incorporates the substantive element of justice, which emphasizes equality, inclusivity, fairness, and non-discrimination, and includes a commitment to democratic principles and good governance. 

The rule of law protects human rights and provides a framework for their realization through constitutional and legal protections, institutions for effective implementation and accountability, judicial and administrative remedies, and the legal empowerment of people to access justice and claim their rights.

Only through the application of such an understanding of the rule of law can the ambition of the 2030 Agenda to “leave no one behind” be properly realized.

Values

All of IDLO’s work, including our Strategic Plan, is guided by the following values and principles:

Sustainability

Human rights

People-centred

Legal pluralism

Gender equality

Transparency and accountability

Local ownership

Partnership

Three cross-cutting elements continue to guide IDLO

Inclusion: We are committed to focusing our efforts on those who face the harshest conditions of injustice and inequality, including women and girls, people living in conflict zones, youth, children, refugees, migrants and stateless people.

Integration: Drawing on data, evidence and its own extensive experience, IDLO recognizes that addressing such issues requires holistic, tailored interventions that address the specific needs of justice seekers.

Innovation: By prioritizing innovation, IDLO will not only enhance its responsiveness to global challenges, but also position itself as a leader in pioneering new approaches to justice and sustainable development.

Strategic Plan 2025–2028

Levers of change

Putting people at the centre of justice through tailored rule of law solutions

Legal and policy reform

By collaborating with governments and other stakeholders to review, draft, and revise legislation and policies, and through inclusive dialogue, IDLO works to create an enabling legal environment for peace, sustainable development and the protection of human rights.

Strengthening institutions

IDLO's work on institutional strengthening focuses on enhancing the responsiveness, functionality, effectiveness and integrity of formal and informal institutions in the justice ecosystem including courts, administrative tribunals, and prosecutorial and law enforcement agencies

Digital solutions

By leveraging technology, IDLO promotes innovative approaches to expand access to justice, improve transparency, and facilitate the delivery of legal services.

Participatory governance

IDLO promotes governance models that involve communities in the decision-making processes that impact their lives.

Legal empowerment

Empowering individuals to understand and utilize the law effectively is a fundamental aspect of IDLO's approach.

Strategic goal

Rule of law accelerates progress towards peace and sustainable development

The Plan advances six interrelated outcomes

  • IDLO will make justice systems more accessible, inclusive, and responsive by addressing barriers such as financial constraints, discrimination, and procedural complexity. We will focus on evidence-based legal reforms, building the capacity of justice institutions, and leveraging digital innovations to deliver people-centred justice, particularly for vulnerable populations.

  • IDLO will strengthen legal and policy frameworks to promote transparency and accountability, enhance the capacity of institutions to detect and prosecute corruption, and use digital tools to improve governance. We will also empower civil society to engage in anti-corruption efforts and increase public awareness of rights and avenues for redress.

  • IDLO will work to eliminate discriminatory laws and practices, ensure justice systems are responsive to the needs of women and girls, and protect their rights in digital spaces. We will promote women’s leadership in the justice sector and empower women and girls to advocate for their rights and navigate justice systems effectively.

  • IDLO will promote equitable laws and policies that support climate action and sustainable use of natural resources. We will build the legal capacity of institutions to fulfill climate commitments, explore digital solutions for climate justice, and support participatory approaches to decision-making. We will empower climate-vulnerable communities to claim their environmental rights.

  • IDLO will support the development of laws and policies that foster sustainable, inclusive economic growth. We will strengthen institutional capacities to manage trade, investment, and disputes fairly, promote digital solutions to enhance economic access, and empower marginalized groups, especially women, to participate in and benefit from economic opportunities.

  • IDLO will strengthen legal frameworks to advance the right to health and reduce health disparities. We will enhance institutional capacity to manage public health emergencies, promote digital tools to improve access to health services, foster participatory decision-making, and empower communities to advocate for equitable health systems and services.

Mobilizing political and financial support

By leveraging its global presence, specialized expertise, and relationships of trust, IDLO will continue to advocate for political and financial support for justice and the rule of law as key enablers of stability and development. Over the next four years, we will build on this through:

Engaging with policymakers at global, regional, national, and local levels, IDLO will advocate for the rule of law and SDG 16, as essential enablers for peace and sustainable development

IDLO will contribute to the business case for increased investment in justice systems and the rule of law to advance peace and sustainable development. We will seek to diversify our own resource base to deliver on our mandate.

By fostering collaborative relationships and leveraging our intergovernmental status, IDLO will increase its convening power to bring diverse stakeholders together in support of justice and the rule of law.

IDLO will highlight the value of investing in the rule of law, drawing on the results achieved through its programming, research, and advocacy.

Organizational systems and capacities
Strengthening innovation, integration, and inclusion

Quality, evidence, and results

  • Advance innovative, integrated, and multisectoral approaches

  • Ensure systematic integration of gender and human rights

  • Sustain transition to a programme-based implementation model

  • Contribute to the evidence-base on the rule of law

  • Communicate results effectively

Investing in people

  • Attract and develop a diverse, motivated and talented workforce

  • Promote professional development and learning

  • Encourage a performance management culture

  • Enhance organizational change management to drive culture change

Systems and processes

  • Increase efficiency, transparency, and accountability

  • Invest in organizational capacity to sustain growth

  • Enhance internal communications, knowledge management, and collaboration

  • Strengthen security risk management

  • Ensure recognition of legal status