The International Bar Association (IBA) has launched a new educational initiative aimed at empowering young people to understand, value and defend the rule of law as global indicators show continued democratic backsliding and the weakening of legal institutions around the world. The IBA Rule of Law Educational Project, an IBA presidential initiative developed in collaboration with the Danish Bar and Law Society, is being piloted in seven secondary schools across Denmark to raise awareness among students and inspire them to uphold rule of law principles throughout their civic lives.
The initiative comes at a critical moment. According to the World Justice Project, the rule of law declined in 68 percent of countries between 2024 and 2025 – the eighth consecutive year in which more countries experienced a deterioration, rather than an improvement. Against this backdrop, the IBA’s new Rule of Law Educational Project aims to equip the next generation with the knowledge and tools necessary to play a pivotal role in strengthening legal systems and institutions, defending fundamental rights and safeguarding democratic societies.
Running now until May 4, the pilot will engage 10 classes and more than 400 students aged 15–19. The programme is structured in five phases:
1. Pre-workshop phase – remote (teacher-led)
Students review introductory materials on the rule of law, including the IBA Rule of Law video series, to build foundational knowledge ahead of the in-person workshops.
2. One-day workshop phase – in person at school (lawyer-led)
Students participate in a one-day, in-person workshop combining interactive legal instruction, dilemma-based discussions and creative exercises. Each workshop will be led by a practising lawyer, fostering direct dialogue between students and legal professionals, and will bring rule of law principles to life through practical examples. Working in groups, students will draft storylines for videos with narratives focused on the rule of law, with a view of having them professionally produced.
3. Selection phase
A selection committee evaluates all student narratives and selects the five best concepts, which will be professionally produced in collaboration with a video production company.
4. Video production phase – in person at the production company (video production expert-led)
The students who authored the five winning narratives collaborate with professional video production experts to adapt their written narratives into short videos illustrating one or more rule of law principles.
5. IBA Annual Conference – in person at the event (IBA member-led)
As the 2026 IBA Annual Conference is due to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, the project will culminate in all participating students attending the event where they will meet international legal practitioners and engage in discussions on the state of the rule of law worldwide. This experience is designed to deepen students’ understanding of legal principles while demonstrating the global legal community’s commitment to upholding them.
The project will be evaluated following the Danish pilot with a view to adapting and expanding it to other jurisdictions.
The initiative comes at a critical moment. According to the World Justice Project, the rule of law declined in 68 percent of countries between 2024 and 2025 – the eighth consecutive year in which more countries experienced a deterioration, rather than an improvement. Against this backdrop, the IBA’s new Rule of Law Educational Project aims to equip the next generation with the knowledge and tools necessary to play a pivotal role in strengthening legal systems and institutions, defending fundamental rights and safeguarding democratic societies.
Running now until May 4, the pilot will engage 10 classes and more than 400 students aged 15–19. The programme is structured in five phases:
1. Pre-workshop phase – remote (teacher-led)
Students review introductory materials on the rule of law, including the IBA Rule of Law video series, to build foundational knowledge ahead of the in-person workshops.
2. One-day workshop phase – in person at school (lawyer-led)
Students participate in a one-day, in-person workshop combining interactive legal instruction, dilemma-based discussions and creative exercises. Each workshop will be led by a practising lawyer, fostering direct dialogue between students and legal professionals, and will bring rule of law principles to life through practical examples. Working in groups, students will draft storylines for videos with narratives focused on the rule of law, with a view of having them professionally produced.
3. Selection phase
A selection committee evaluates all student narratives and selects the five best concepts, which will be professionally produced in collaboration with a video production company.
4. Video production phase – in person at the production company (video production expert-led)
The students who authored the five winning narratives collaborate with professional video production experts to adapt their written narratives into short videos illustrating one or more rule of law principles.
5. IBA Annual Conference – in person at the event (IBA member-led)
As the 2026 IBA Annual Conference is due to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, the project will culminate in all participating students attending the event where they will meet international legal practitioners and engage in discussions on the state of the rule of law worldwide. This experience is designed to deepen students’ understanding of legal principles while demonstrating the global legal community’s commitment to upholding them.
The project will be evaluated following the Danish pilot with a view to adapting and expanding it to other jurisdictions.
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