The World Justice Project defines the rule of law as a durable system of laws, institutions, norms, and community commitment that deliver: Accountability, Open Government, Just Law, and Accessible and Impartial Justice.
While the rule of law has continued to weaken in a majority of countries, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the rule of law varies widely from country to country. Some countries have made significant progress in promoting the rule of law, while others continue to struggle.
In the latest Rule of Law Index, Rwanda emerged as the top performer in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Namibia and Mauritius. At the other end of the spectrum, Mauritania, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo secured the lowest scores in the region.
The World Justice Project (WJP) ranked countries based on eight key factors: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice, and criminal justice.
The report also noted that the index is a composite measure, with significant variation within countries on each of the eight factors. For example, while Rwanda ranks first overall, it ranks 62nd for fundamental rights.
Here is a list of the top 10 and bottom 10 Sub-Saharan African countries on the 2023 WJP Rule of Law Index:
Culled from Business Insider Africa
