In recent years, the development of rule of law has been undermined in many parts of the world. Work to promote and reinforce the principle of rule of law is more important than ever. As Finland is one of the countries most strictly governed by the rule of law, its expertise is in wide demand across the world.
Established cooperatively by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the University of Helsinki, the Rule of Law Center will bring together specialists and experts in the field of rule of law. It will cooperate with developing countries in establishing and consolidating the foundations of rule of law, developing the functional capacity of rule of law institutions, and strengthening legislation. The Center’s operations will also make it possible to strengthen research and teaching related to rule of law issues.
“Finland and Finnish specialists have a huge amount to contribute to international work on the rule of law. We have both high-quality academic and productive pragmatic expertise in related leadership as well as widely shared historical experience in how to establish a society with a high level of trust and education when the foundation is provided by confidence in the rule of law. ‘Land skall med lag byggas’ – a nation shall be built upon laws. This idea has been a part of our Nordic history of the rule of law since the Middle Ages. The Rule of Law Center will play a highly topical role in continuing his tradition,” says Tuija Brax.
Brax has diverse experience in legal matters, having served as both a member of parliament and the minister of justice. As the minister of justice, she was responsible, for example, for the drafting of the current Constitution of Finland, the Act on a Candidate’s Election Funding and the Emergency Powers Act. As a member of parliament, she served as the chair of the Legal Affairs Committee and the Audit Committee of the Parliament of Finland and, for three terms, as a member of the Constitutional Law Committee. Currently secretary general of the Finnish Heart Association, Brax will take up the position of director of the Rule of Law Center on 9 August 2021.
The Rule of Law Center will function under the auspices of the University of Helsinki Faculty of Law. It will begin to operate in summer 2021.
The Center's operations will be financed with the development cooperation funding of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The Center can also acquire other funding and use it to extend its operations beyond developing countries.
Further information on the Rule of Law Center:
Further information:
Tuija Brax
phone +358 50 511 3115
Dean Pia Letto-Vanamo
Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki
phone +358 29412 3336