ABA Rule of Law Initiative

05/05/2026

The American Bar Association invites nominations for its 2026 International Human Rights Award, an annual award that recognizes exceptional achievements by an individual or organization that has been a champion and/or defender of outside the United States, consistent with international human rights law.

The award is given on behalf of the ABA's Rule of Law Initiative, Center for Human Rights, Litigation Section, Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, and International Law Section.

Submit a nomination by June 5 ➡️ ambar.org/ihra

11/05/2025

ABA ROLI in Action 💡 Yesterday, we had the honor of presenting at The World Bank’s Law, Justice and Development Week 2025 for their Legal Bolt session, Bright Insights on Development Impact.

Our presentation spotlighted ABA ROLI’s work in to address the widespread issue of petty corruption. Speakers Francisco Ciampolini and Carole Botello shared how we partnered with El Salvador’s Ethics Tribunal to design a safe, effective, and user-centered digital platform that empowered citizens to anonymously report corruption.

To build public trust and engagement in the platform, ABA ROLI launched a dynamic marketing and communications campaign across billboards, bus stops, and malls—featuring Chispa, the campaign's friendly digital mascot.

As noted during the presentation, changes in federal funding led to the program’s conclusion in early 2025; however future phases of similar programs could include AI integration to guide users in submitting their complaints, which would support a more responsive system.

👥 ABA ROLI was proudly represented by its Latin America team, Francisco Ciampolini, Carole Botello, and Andres Borjas, and current interns Anusha Anand and Karen Mansour.

🤝 Thank you, The World Bank for the opportunity to speak during . We look forward to future collaboration within the space ⚖️

11/03/2025

📢 Join us TOMORROW for our Legal Bolt talk "The Intersection of Technology and Citizen Participation in Combatting Corruption", as our staff will highlight ABA ROLI's Pilot Anti-Corruption Mechanism Program in , which collaborated with the Governmental Ethics Tribunal to provide Salvadorans with an online corruption complaint platform.

Learn how leveraging technological solutions and social media help generate in denouncing corruption, and hear best practices in agile management of rule of law development programs.

Event Details ⬇️
📅 Tuesday, November 4, 2025
🕙 12:05-12:15 ET
🎥 Livestreamed here ➡️ https://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2025/11/04/legal-bolts-i-bright-insights-on-development-impact
🤝 Organizers: World Bank Law, Justice and Development Week 2025

10/27/2025

Thank you for donating to the ABA's Center for Global Programs for . Your gift will go a long way to helping us build back our programming to advance the rule of law and support human rights defenders around the world.

With a breadth of work that is unrivalled in both geography and approach, ABA CGP is a trusted partner to justice institutions, bar associations, the judiciary, and human rights defenders in over 100 countries and through more than 1,000 programs in the last 35 years.

for your support!

10/15/2025

What does the mean to you?

Hear from distinguished voices from the American Bar Association—including our Board Chair Patricia Lee Refo and Chair Emeritus Justice Stephen Breyer (ret)—as they reflect on the importance of the rule of law and the critical role of international programming.

This , help us make an impact. ✊ Make a gift to the ABA Center for Global Programs and be a part of building a better world. bit.ly/cgpgivingday

For decades, we have partnered with justice institutions, bar associations, the judiciary, and human rights defenders around the world to bridge justice gaps and promote the rule of law. In 2024 alone, our work had a tangible impact before the halt in US foreign aid assistance.

⚖️ In hashtag , we led training workshops to equip judges and court staff with tools to combat public corruption.

🤝 In hashtag , our transitional justice initiatives strengthened civil society and promoted government accountability.

⛓️‍💥 In hashtag , we expanded alternatives to incarceration (ATI), enhancing public awareness and support for fair and effective justice solutions.

Your donations tax-deductible and go a long way to serving those most in need.

10/09/2025

📍 Upcoming Event ➡️ Next month, ABA ROLI will present at the World Bank's Law, Justice and Development Week on its work preventing corruption in El Salvador. Our Pilot Anti-Corruption Complaint Mechanism (PACCM) program created a trustworthy complaint form that combated petty corruption within the country. Success of the program relied on key partnerships with civil society organizations and a flexible adaptation strategy that increased civic participation.

Livestreamed on the event page, hear from ABA ROLI's Francisco Ciampolini and Carole Botello on the intersection of technology and citizen participation in combating corruption and best practices in agile management of rule of law development programs.

Read more in our recent article 📰 bit.ly/cggpaccm
Tune into the event on November 4 🎙️ www.worldbank.org/en/events/2025/11/03/ljdweek2025

10/06/2025

For this year’s , we are fundraising for CGP's ongoing campaign "Invest in Justice, Build a Better World" to close a significant global justice gap, where 5.1 billion people lack meaningful access to justice. Since the disruption in US foreign aid assistance, ABA CGP has been forced to close over 80 programs, 25 field offices, and laid off hundreds of employees around the world and in Washington, DC. To continue our meaningful work defending the and , 100% of all donations to this campaign will go directly to supporting CGP's work in assisting communities and institutions around the world.

Donate today (and share with your networks) to help shape the future of justice ➡️ https://givingday.americanbar.org/campaigns/center-for-global-programs

09/24/2025

📢 Internship Opportunity ➡️ Interested in strengthening your research and writing skills and furthering your knowledge in digital media, marketing, visual communications, and the rule of law? Apply today for CGP's Unpaid Communications Internship for the fall semester. Applications due on Monday, September 29, 2025.

To learn more and apply ➡️ bit.ly/cgpinterns

09/16/2025

✍ In a recent American Evaluation Association's AEA365 blog article, Courtney Geary and Jessie Tannenbaum, two democracy, rights, and governance professionals—whose work at ABA CGP was sharply impacted by abrupt cuts to US foreign assistance—share lessons learned on how crisis program closeout can still support organizational resilience and mission fulfillment in the face of extreme challenges.

Read more ➡️ bit.ly/aea365article

09/15/2025

📬 Our latest newsletter is out now! It covers CGP updates in August and September, including the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, our TrialWatch report launch in Peru, and other CGP news. Subscribe today! ➡️

In August, at the ABA's Annual Meeting in Toronto, ABA CGP officially welcomed it's new Board Leadership for 2025-2026: Past ABA President Patricia Lee Refo as Board Chair of the Rule of Law Initiative (ROLI); Steven Richman as Board Chair of the Center for Human Rights (CHR); and Past ABA President