Rwanda has continued to lead Africa in the rule of law, a new report has shown. Dubbed the World Justice Report, it is compiled annually by the World Justice Project (WJP), an international civil society organisation with the stated mission of working to advance the rule of law around the world. The WJP defines the rule of law as a durable system of laws, institutions, norms, and community commitment that delivers accountability, just law, open government, and accessible and impartial justice. ALSO READ: Major reforms that shaped the justice sector in 2023 The 2023 edition of the report showed that Rwanda was the best performer in the rule of law in Africa, and came 41st in the world. The report’s index offers independent data organised into eight factors that encompass the concept of the rule of law: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice. Rwanda performed best in indicators including order and security where it scored 0.85 out of 1, absence of corruption with 0.67, civil justice with 0.67, and limits on government powers with 0.61. Mauritius, Namibia and Botswana were also top performers on the continent coming 45th, 46th and 51st globally, respectively. ALSO READ: Ten major changes in the newly-amended penal law In general, the top three performing countries in the world were Denmark, Norway, and Finland, while Venezuela, Cambodia, and Afghanistan had the lowest overall rule of law scores. The countries with the biggest improvement in rule of law in the past year were Bulgaria (1.7%), Honduras (1.6 percent), Kenya (1.6 percent), Slovenia (1.6 percent), and Jordan (1.4 percent), whereas those with the biggest decline include Sudan (-7.4 percent), Mali (-5.3 percent), Islamic Republic of Iran (-5.0 percent), Nicaragua (-4.4 percent), and Afghanistan (-4.0 percent). Commenting on the report, Harrison Mutabazi, the Spokesperson of the Rwandan judiciary, said the country’s performance in the ranking is no surprise, because “a lot has been done by justice organs in the enhancement of the rule of law.” He pointed out measures including the use of IT in the dispensation of justice, promotion of alternative dispute resolution in resolving disputes, and emphasising the principle of equality of all under the law, as some of the things that have been done to make the justice system better. ALSO READ: Govt looks to increase use of non-custodial penalties The rule of law is internationally recognised as a foundational element in guaranteeing peace, justice, human rights, effective democracy, and sustainable development.
