International Bar Association raises rule of law awareness through short film series

The series was released in time for the 2025 United Nations International Day of Education

International Bar Association raises rule of law awareness through short film series

The International Bar Association has released an eight-video film series to raise awareness about rule of law in line with the 2025 United Nations International Day of Education.

The central theme of the series is “Look after the Rule of Law, and it will look after you.” Each video is about a minute long, with the series focusing on the following:

  • Introducing the rule of law
  • Showing the impact of governmental threats and bribery on judicial independence and fair trials
  • Highlighting how society can be negatively affected by limiting press freedom and abolishing peaceful protests
  • Showing how corruption creates societal decline
  • Depicting how rule of law shields discriminated individuals

“Upholding the Rule of Law is a core principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and vital for creating a just and peaceful world. However, we see that the Rule of Law is backsliding in many countries. Without a universally agreed definition of the Rule of Law, it can be difficult for citizens to grasp its meaning and/or importance,” IBA president Jaime Carey said in a statement. “Nevertheless, there are some principles that should be universally understood including nobody should be above the law, that people have the right to a fair trial and that judges are independent.”

Carey explained that the videos would depict situations in which rule of law was breached or ignored to bolster understanding.

“As an organisation, founded to protect and promote the Rule of Law and encourage adherence to it, on this UN Day of Education, the IBA is beginning a campaign to educate the public on the crucial role the Rule of Law plays in protecting liberties,” he said.

The videos have been released in English, Italian, Polish and Spanish.

“The foundation of a well-functioning society is the Rule of Law. The idea is not abstract. For citizens to become guardians of the Rule of Law, they must be aware that their rights and the rights of society are safeguarded, and must be upheld by the state. We hope the IBA Rule of Law educational videos will help citizens better understand the need to protect the Rule of Law,” IBA executive director Dr Mark Ellis said.