This study examines the relationship between gender-related aid and legal frameworks governing women's economic opportunities. Using data from 116 countries (2009-2022), we analyze how significant (SGRA) and principal (PGRA) gender-related aid influence the Women, Business, and Law (WBL) Index,...

This Brief introduces the Justice Pillars Towards Evidence-Based Reform (JUPITER) initiative, a standardized yet flexible, country-based assessment tool that evaluates the effectiveness of justice systems across countries. Developed by the World Bank's Global Program on Justice and the Rule of...

This Brief examines the complex relationship between statutory courts and customary law systems, highlighting the historical context that fostered legal pluralism in many countries. It argues that attempts to replace customary practices with uniform legal frameworks have largely failed,...

Judicial map reforms refer to an emerging stream of reform programs that attempts to improve the responsiveness of the justice system by adjusting the courts' location, size, and jurisdiction to demographic and socio-economic factors. Building on the World Bank's experience in supporting client...

Adequate budgeting of the judiciary is critical for the effective delivery of justice. This brief presents trends in judicial budgets. Courts account for less than 2 percent of total government expenditure on average, with significant portions dedicated to fixed costs such as salaries, thereby...