Rule of Law Expertise Programme

A4ID's Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK) Programme is funded by the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The Programme focuses on creating partnerships that connect UK legal expertise with legal actors in FCDO-focused countries, to improve and strengthen the rule of law in that country.

Ways to get involved

The Programme deploys UK rule of law expertise to assist organisations focused on capacity-building in their region. It also financially assists organisations to facilitate activities related to strengthening rule of law.

So, if you are a government, civil society organisation, or professional body that is interested in working with the Programme, contact the Team at roleuk@a4id.org.

The Programme harnesses the legal & technical expertise of legal sector partners to assist with capacity-building partnerships in FCDO-focused countries. In the past, it has leveraged the skills of UK lawyers, barristers, judiciary, and law enforcement, to facilitate strengthened rule of law in target regions.

So, if your organisation is interested in providing pro bono legal & technical assistance, contact the Programme Team at roleuk@a4id.org.

A4ID develops guides, research papers, and other resources, addressing challenges and lessons learned in relation to the rule of law. These include guides for organisations to work more effectively, like the M & E Toolbox, as well as research on behaviour change interventions, such as Stories of Change.

Browse the rule of law resources here.

A4ID also offers training sessions and events connected with its work in the ROLE UK Programme – see up-coming events here.

The ROLE UK Programme has been an integral partner to our work, we are inching closer and closer to removing many people from death row, and they have been there every step of the way … They have been a mediator and connector

ROLE UK Development Partner feedback, 2023

How has UK legal & technical assistance improved the rule of law?

Rule of law is essential to ensure a fair, just, and equitable society, as acknowledged by the United Nations in Sustainable Development Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. The ROLE UK Programme facilitates pro bono legal & technical assistance from the UK legal sector, to strengthen the rule of law in Africa, Asia, and South America. This assistance is delivered through collaborative partnerships with governments, professional bodies, and civil society organisations.

The Programme’s work has long term impact in its target regions, enabling local actors to build their expertise to strengthen their regions’ institutions. It has empowered local actors in relation to: anti-corruption law, death penalty reform, judicial and prosecutorial capacity-building, human rights, and more.

Examples of ROLE UK Programme’s work include:

The Programme also manages longer term rule of law projects that focus on strengthening legal networks for sustainable development. This includes the KAZA Legal Network Project, which aims to build a network of legal experts across the Kavango-Zambesi (KAZA) region in Southern Africa, to better tackle illegal wildlife trade.

Read more case studies on partnerships that the Programme has supported, or explore A4ID’s rule of law resources.