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Constitution-Building and the Rule of Law

Meeting the Challenges of Today and the Future

Experts present constitutional and legal responses of governments around the world to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Experts present constitutional and legal responses of governments around the world to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
As governments and societies evolve and become more complex, the number of issues covered by constitutions continues to grow. International IDEA proactively identifies emerging social, political, and economic trends that impact constitutional process and design, and conducts research to provide knowledge for constitution makers on how to address new issues such as digitalization and climate change.

In 2020, International IDEA convened eminent constitutional experts from around the world to participate in a video series exploring Government Responses to Covid-19. The aim of the series was to identify strengths and weaknesses in legal frameworks for emergency responses, which may have even greater significance in the future considering rising global migration and the pressing climate emergency. 

Our ongoing series on Conversations on Innovative Constitutional Design brings together academics, practitioners and constitution-makers to explore and showcase pioneering innovations in constitutional process and design. The series has covered a diverse array of substantive and technical topics, including institutional strategies for addressing dis/misinformation in the digital age, constitutionalizing environmental institutions to foster a safer environment and combat climate change, empowering the political opposition to enhance democratic resilience, and promoting alternation of power by decreasing the advantages of incumbents in elections. 

International IDEA also supports constitution-makers by providing them with cutting-edge comparative research. This equips constitution-makers to craft constitutions that will remain highly responsive to evolving opportunities and challenges in democratic governance. In response to requests from constitution-making bodies, the Constitution-Building team has provided in-depth analysis of critical trends such as:

  • Political rights of the diaspora in the age of globalization;
  • Constitutionalized environmental protection;
  • Fourth-generation economic, social, and cultural rights; and
  • Data protection in the context of the digital state and digital citizenship.

To find out more, contact us.
 

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