International Collaboration

In its international work, NJI seeks to strengthen the rule of law through judicial education and judicial reform. International development and the attainment of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are often stalled by the effects of weak or fragile governance and rule of law. Through strengthening judicial institutions, progress can be made towards poverty alleviation and development.

Judicial education is an integral part of effective and sustainable judicial reform. Working closely with partners in Canada and in developing countries, the NJI, responds to requests for judicial expertise from around the world. The NJI’s contribution focuses on capacity building of judicial education institutions, the design and delivery of judicial education projects and other initiatives in judicial reform where the Institute has a comparative advantage. Programs are judge-led, judging-focused, and based on the experiential learning model. NJI has undertaken judicial education and reform work in a long list of countries as diverse as Australia, Chile, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jamaica, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Rwanda, Scotland, and Singapore, among others. It also worked in Ukraine for a period of 15 years.

The involvement of the Canadian judiciary in international work is grounded in its reputation for being socially aware, ethical, independent, and progressive. Canada’s bilingual and bijural legal system reflects its multicultural society and has provided Canadian judges with the ideal background for collaborating with counterparts around the world.