TED Rule of Law Clinic on People-Centered Justice Programming on October 24, 2024

The day after the launch of the 2024 Rule of Law Index, which showed that 57% of countries have experienced a decline in the rule of law for the seventh year in a row, TED held its first in a series of virtual Rule of Law Clinics on people-centered justice (PCJ). The clinic focused on the role of data and evidence in PCJ programming. The OECD 2023 Recommendation on Access to Justice and People-Centered Justice Systems served as a guiding framework, highlighting the need for justice systems that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of individuals. The EU officially adopted the OECD Council Recommendation in June 2024. This endorsement allows the EU to further promote people-centered justice approaches in both accession and partner countries.

Speakers from the OECD, The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL), and the World Justice Project (WJP) provided a comprehensive overview of the OECD’s PCJ framework, highlighted different types of legal needs surveys and demonstrated how to design and implement justice solutions based on the priorities identified in these surveys. The participants discussed case studies from Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria where evidence-based justice services were built that respond effectively to real-world challenges, aligning with the core principles of PCJ. 

Key takeaways emphasised the importance of data collection – such as needs and satisfaction surveys – and evidence-based approaches to shift from theoretical solutions to practical, needs-driven responses. The discussion also highlighted the need for strengthening legal literacy and for more rapid and flexible funding to support diagnostics and a problem-driven, iterative adaptation process.

The clinic featured 70 governance and Rule of Law experts from European Delegations, Member States, civil society and implementing agencies. It was organised under the umbrella of TED Working 1.1 “Rule of Law and Access to Justice”, co-chaired by Germany and the Netherlands. The next clinic on Customary, Informal and Community Justice will take place on 26 November 2024, 15:00-17:00. 

Take a look at the TED RoL Clinic Toolkit below – a practical reader summarising the clinic with further examples and resources! You’ll also find the detailed meeting report attached, and a full video recording of the webinar is available here.

Further links 

HiiL: Justice needs and satisfaction - Methodology - Justice Dashboard

WJP: Atlas of Legal Needs Surveys | World Justice Project; WJP Rule of Law Index

OECD: OECD Council Recommendation on Access to Justice and People-Centered Justice Systems; OECD Framework and Good Practice Principles for People-Centred Justice | OECD