TIJ and IGLP - Harvard Law School Moving Forward the Rule of Law and Policy Agenda through Workshops for Scholars and Emerging Leaders
The Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ) and the Institute for Global Law and Policy (IGLP) at the Harvard Law School are hosting The 2019 TIJ-IGLP Workshops for Scholars and Emerging Leaders on the Rule of Law and Policy. The workshops will provide a platform for leading scholars and emerging leaders from Thailand, Asia, and other regions to learn about how the rule of law operates within multi-faceted societies, apply their different backgrounds and experience to innovative solutions, and form networks of collaboration for the long term.
As Professor Dr. Kittipong Kittiyarak, Executive Director of TIJ, has stated, “the Workshops on the Rule of Law and Policy will be focusing on building the capacity, not only of legal practitioners and personnel involved in the justice system, but also personnel from various sectors, encouraging them to exchange views and build mutual understanding and recognition of the importance of promoting the rule of law as the fundamental foundation for sustainable development.” The Executive Director also added that “one of the important goals, out of the total of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as set out by the United Nations, is Goal No. 16—Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions—which targets the promotion of a peaceful and inclusive society for sustainable development, the provision of accessibility to justice for everyone, and the establishment of effective, accountable, and inclusive institution.”
The highlight of these workshops will be the opportunity to learn from real-life case studies in “problem labs,” a form of simulation lab to create an integrated and enriched learning experience for policymakers and young academics drawn from diverse fields of work. The topics of discussion will be based on interesting social issues in Asia, such as cyber security, access to justice, inequality, anti-corruption, women’s empowerment, etc. Another highlight will be the “policy analytical tool” course, which is intended to enhance critical thinking skills and problem analysis skills that will provide inclusive alternatives for solving the social development-related problems in various countries.
Moreover, the workshops will provide the participants with the opportunity to attend lectures given by some of the world’s most honorable speakers, such as Professor Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, former Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister for the Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who will give a lecture on the topic “Navigating a Changing Global Landscape;” and Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, former Under Secretary General of the United Nations and former Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, who will discuss the topic “The United Nations in the Field.” The participants will also be mentored by distinguished professors from the IGLP in the Harvard Law School network, who will share their valuable thoughts and concepts regarding both theory and policy on contemporary issues such as human rights and justice, the 21st century Silk Road initiated by China, and how blockchain science and technology can cause social changes.
These international courses on the rule of law and policy for scholars and emerging leaders are part of the Rule of Law and Development Program of TIJ. The program was established with the belief and intention that the contribution from emerging leaders—with broad-based stakeholders’ approaches from the public, private, and civil society sectors—will incubate new concepts in solving existing problems in the justice system. It will also help to create other areas of development, such as the concept of innovation for justice through the perspectives of the rule of law, which are interwoven in every social dimension. The generation of new concepts is easier in this era of disruptive technology and will play a significant part in the sustainable development of society in the future.
