International Development Law Organization

The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) is an Intergovernmental Organization devoted to empowering people and enabling governments to reform laws and strengthen institutions to promote peace, justice, sustainable development and economic opportunity.

IDLO works along the spectrum from nation- and peace-building to economic recovery in countries emerging from conflict or striving towards democracy. It supports emerging economies and middle-income countries to strengthen their legal capacity and rule of law framework for sustainable development and economic opportunity.

Since its establishment in 1983, IDLO has worked with governments, civil society organizations, and other actors and over 20,000 legal professionals in more than 175 countries. IDLO’s network of forty-four national alumni associations provides continuing legal education, assistance, research, and publications for lawyers and policy-makers.

In 2008, IDLO fully adopted and implemented a Results-Based Management (RBM) system. RMB sets realistic goals, benchmarks and monitors progress, evaluates performance, and integrates lessons-learned into decision making.

In line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and Accra Agenda for Action, IDLO seeks to enable its partners to take charge of their own development agendas. IDLO counts among its stakeholders individual lawyers, policy-makers, regulators, and judiciaries as well as representatives of civil society organizations, private firms, and governments. To catalyze change, IDLO empowers these diverse stakeholders to identify economic, social, and institutional developmental needs and undertake needed reforms.

IDLO’s professional staff is mainly composed of legal professionals who come to the organization with extensive experience in core subjects such as judicial reform; international trade and investment law; governance, including public financial management, procurement, and anti-corruption; microfinance; environmental law; and gender equality and human rights.

IDLO is headquartered in Rome, Italy and has an office for Permanent Representation to the United Nations in New York City. IDLO currently operates project offices in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Kenya, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Tajikistan.

IDLO was established pursuant to an international convention and is governed by its Assembly of Parties currently comprised of twenty seven Members.

In 2001, IDLO was granted ‘Permanent Observer Status’ by the United Nations General Assembly and, in 2007, the organization established a Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York. IDLO is supported by voluntary contributions from governments, multilateral organizations, private foundations, and the private sector.