Egypt ranking 135/140 in WJP’s Rule of Law Index

The World Justice Project (WJP) has ranked Egypt 135th out of 140 countries on the Rule of Law Index.

The 2022 WJP Rule of Law Index evaluates 140 countries and jurisdictions around the world. For the fifth year in a row, the rule of law has declined in most countries.

The Middle East region’s top performer was the United Arab Emirates (ranked 37th out of 140, globally), followed by Jordan and Tunisia.

The three countries with the lowest scores in the region were Lebanon, Iran and Egypt.

Globally, Denmark ranked first in the rule of law index, followed by Norway and Finland.

Last year, Egypt ranked 136th out of 139 countries in the Rule of Law Index.

The World Justice Project is an independent, multi-disciplinary international organisation founded in 2009, with offices in several capitals, including Washington, and its mission is to work on building awareness and stimulating action to advance the rule of law around the world.

The index, related to commitment to the rule of law and justice, is based on eight factors, namely:

1- Constraints on Government Powers: It measures the extent to which those who govern are bound by law. It comprises the means, both constitutional and institutional, by which the powers of the government and its officials and agents are limited and held accountable under the law. It also includes non-governmental checks on the government’s power, such as a free and independent press.

2- Absence of Corruption: It measures the absence of corruption in government. The factor considers three forms of corruption: bribery, improper influence by public or private interests, and misappropriation of public funds or other resources. These three forms of corruption are examined with respect to government officers in the executive branch, the judiciary, the military, police, and the legislature.

3- Open Government: It measures the openness of government defined by the extent to which a government shares information, empowers people with tools to hold the government accountable, and fosters citizen participation in public policy deliberations. This factor measures whether basic laws and information on legal rights are publicized and evaluates the quality of information published by the government.

4- Fundamental Rights: It recognizes that a system of positive law that fails to respect core human rights established under international law is at best “rule by law,” and does not deserve to be called a rule of law system. Since there are many other indices that address human rights, and because it would be impossible for the Index to assess adherence to the full range of rights, this factor focuses on a relatively modest menu of rights that are firmly established under the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and are most closely related to rule of law concerns.

5- Order and Security: It measures how well a society ensures the security of persons and property. Security is one of the defining aspects of any rule of law society and is a fundamental function of the state. It is also a precondition for the realization of the rights and freedoms that the rule of law seeks to advance.

6- Regulatory Enforcement: measures the extent to which regulations are fairly and effectively implemented and enforced. Regulations, both legal and administrative, structure behaviors within and outside of the government. This factor does not assess which activities a government chooses to regulate, nor does it consider how much regulation of a particular activity is appropriate. Rather, it examines how regulations are implemented and enforced.

7- Civil Justice: It measures whether ordinary people can resolve their grievances peacefully and effectively through the civil justice system. It measures whether civil justice systems are accessible and affordable as well as free of discrimination, corruption, and improper influence by public officials. It examines whether court proceedings are conducted without unreasonable delays and whether decisions are enforced effectively. It also measures the accessibility, impartiality, and effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

8- Criminal Justice: It evaluates a country’s criminal justice system. An effective criminal justice system is a key aspect of the rule of law, as it constitutes the conventional mechanism to redress grievances and bring action against individuals for offenses against society. An assessment of the delivery of criminal justice should take into consideration the entire system, including the police, lawyers, prosecutors, judges, and prison officers.

Measuring the rule of law since 2008, the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index has been at the forefront of creating positive social change through information. Discover our approach and purpose.

The WJP’s Rule of Law Index is the world’s leading source for original, independent data on the rule of law.