Strong, fair institutions are foundational to efforts to create a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Project Expedite Justice (PEJ) is helping to lead this drive.
We all want to live in fair societies – but how can we create them? One path is to strengthen the rule of law, the fundamental right upon which all other rights depend. Without access to impartial justice systems, legal protections are no more than words on paper. PEJ works to ensure access to such justice around the world.
This importance of the rule of law is widely recognized. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include SDG-16, which aims to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.”
Nor do the benefits of the rule of law end with peace and justice. Fair legal institutions also spur prosperity. In 2024, economists Daron Acemoglu (MIT), Simon Johnson (MIT), and James Robinson (University of Chicago) were awarded the Nobel Prize in recognition of their work showing how countries’ institutions impact growth and wealth.
They found that inequities between nations are reinforced by the strength and responsiveness (or lack thereof) of institutions. Analyzing various political and economic frameworks introduced by colonial powers, they identified a pattern: societies that inherited extractive institutions – designed primarily to benefit a ruling elite – continue to struggle with poverty and stagnation.
In contrast, countries with inclusive institutions and broader economic and political freedoms tend to achieve sustained prosperity. The rule of law helps prevent corruption and builds trust in governance. Democratic societies often have more fair institutions because they are accountable to voters.
This work has illuminated the many ways in which fair institutions profoundly shape global inequities. The past, however, does not have to control the present. Where they are absent, strong legal frameworks can be built, atrocity crimes can be stopped, and human rights for all can be guaranteed.
PEJ looks to the future and envisions a world in which all people can rely on responsive justice systems – systems that protect their rights while creating the conditions for sustainable growth.
Peace begins with justice. To support PEJ, please click below.
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