Raising awareness on the Global Forum on Law, Justice, and Development
by ALIFDO members from the World Bank: Laurence Cecile Coste, Kirsten Burghardt Propst, Peter Laszlo Vincze, and Christian Brugerolle
The article will focus on the tenets of the Global Forum on Law Justice and Development (GFLJD) and detail its impact over the past 5 years.
Strong legal and justice systems are nowadays internationally recognized as key drivers in development.
Since its inception in 2011, the GFLJD therefore promotes strong legal and justice systems in providing an environment conducive to the development of knowledge in the field of Law and Development.
The GFLJD was launched by the World Bank’s Legal Vice Presidency (LEGVP) and other major partners such as the African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the aftermath of the Law Justice and Development week of the World Bank.
The GFLJD, was then conceived as a permanent platform to capture, create, exchange and disseminate innovative legal knowledge solutions for development.
Currently, the Rule of Law is at stake which is further exacerbated by the polycrisis the world is facing today. The World Bank’s new mission to end extreme poverty and boost prosperity on a livable planet is inextricably linked to the rule of law. Consequently, there is an urgent need for open data and shared knowledge and the GFLJD has a crucial role in filling this gap. The GFLJD is one of the key platforms in which the LEGVPU promotes the rule of law.
One of the strongest assets of the GFLJD is its network of over 150 global partners. By connecting international organizations, governments, the private sector and civil society, organizations with relevant research and practices, the GFLJD aims to create an innovative and dynamic system of legal knowledge sharing dedicated to improve development outcomes.
The GFLJD secretariat is hosted by the Legal Vice Presidency of the World Bank and keeps growing to provide much needed innovative legal solutions to foster development in jurisdictions lagging behind. By so doing, the work of GFLJD is similar to the tenets of ALIFDO which engages lawyers to focus on commitment to finance and development.
The GFLJS is agile and can work on any type of subject, in any geography. It provides upstream research, data and knowledge-sharing for projects implemented by the World Bank's various entities and draw on a network of external partners.
As a knowledge hub, its efficacy and impact are assessed by the success of its working groups, publications and events in influencing policymaking.
In 2022-2023 the GFLJD delivered more than 18 training courses, published more than 10 publications, and organized over 15 webinars, some of which have been held in world-renowned forums such as the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact 2023.
Some examples of ground-breaking knowledge products to showcase the GFLJD's impact and achievement of objectives include:
• Adoption of strategic plan by the C&F board members in July 2022 and January 2023 with targets/indicators/timeline.
GFLJD Working Groups
Upcoming WGs
Strong legal and justice systems are nowadays internationally recognized as key drivers in development.
Since its inception in 2011, the GFLJD therefore promotes strong legal and justice systems in providing an environment conducive to the development of knowledge in the field of Law and Development.
The GFLJD was launched by the World Bank’s Legal Vice Presidency (LEGVP) and other major partners such as the African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the aftermath of the Law Justice and Development week of the World Bank.
The GFLJD, was then conceived as a permanent platform to capture, create, exchange and disseminate innovative legal knowledge solutions for development.
Currently, the Rule of Law is at stake which is further exacerbated by the polycrisis the world is facing today. The World Bank’s new mission to end extreme poverty and boost prosperity on a livable planet is inextricably linked to the rule of law. Consequently, there is an urgent need for open data and shared knowledge and the GFLJD has a crucial role in filling this gap. The GFLJD is one of the key platforms in which the LEGVPU promotes the rule of law.
One of the strongest assets of the GFLJD is its network of over 150 global partners. By connecting international organizations, governments, the private sector and civil society, organizations with relevant research and practices, the GFLJD aims to create an innovative and dynamic system of legal knowledge sharing dedicated to improve development outcomes.
The GFLJD secretariat is hosted by the Legal Vice Presidency of the World Bank and keeps growing to provide much needed innovative legal solutions to foster development in jurisdictions lagging behind. By so doing, the work of GFLJD is similar to the tenets of ALIFDO which engages lawyers to focus on commitment to finance and development.
The GFLJS is agile and can work on any type of subject, in any geography. It provides upstream research, data and knowledge-sharing for projects implemented by the World Bank's various entities and draw on a network of external partners.
As a knowledge hub, its efficacy and impact are assessed by the success of its working groups, publications and events in influencing policymaking.
In 2022-2023 the GFLJD delivered more than 18 training courses, published more than 10 publications, and organized over 15 webinars, some of which have been held in world-renowned forums such as the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact 2023.
Some examples of ground-breaking knowledge products to showcase the GFLJD's impact and achievement of objectives include:
- 2021
- (Publication) STILL Progress: Reviewing Implementation of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation in Francophone Africa.
- (Publication) Review of Legal Experiences and Global Practices Relating to COVID-19
- 2022
- The Work/Achievements of GFLJD mentioned in IFC talking points by Maika Chiquier (Private Sector Development Specialist) at the Ilegis Conference 2022
- Compendium of International and National Legal Frameworks on Child Marriage
- 14 Trainings in Guinea Bissau, 4 in Guinea, 1 in Senegal, 1 in Uganda
- Migration and revamping of the GFLJD Website
• Adoption of strategic plan by the C&F board members in July 2022 and January 2023 with targets/indicators/timeline.
- 2023
- (Publication) Local Mediation: This study identified the limitations preventing access to justice. It proffers community mediation as an alternative to traditional ADR and how the community mediation model can be more inclusive and sustainable.
- Training in Kenya on FGM
- Webinar on the Implications of Human Rights and Sustainable Development Due Diligence at the New Global Financing Pact Summit in Paris (+ 300 States, international Organizations, and civil Society representatives)
GFLJD Working Groups
- Law and technology (co-leaders: WBLEGVP /Unesco Chair of Bioethics and Human Rights/center for Digital Acceleration)
- 2 publications (white papers)
- 4 webinars (including event as part of LJD Week 2021)
- Expansion and diversification of WG members
- Recipient of FY22 Human Rights Umbrella Trust Fund Grant in collaboration with DD GP ($250,000)
- Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (Co-leaders WBLEGVP)
- 8 publications (Legal Training Manuals and Compendia)
- 15 webinars (including events in connection with the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM and as part of LJD Week 2021).
- Human Rights and Sustainable Development (Co-leaders: WBLEGVP and Leuven University
- 1 publication
- 8 webinars (including event as part of LJD Week 2021)
- Recipient of FY 23 the Human Rights Inclusion and Empowerment Trust Fund World Bank
Upcoming WGs
- Water Law (leader : WBLEGVP)
- Environmental Justice (co-leaders: WBLEGVP, French Development Agency)
- Fintech (leader: WBLEGVP)
