The world is entering a period of profound disruption. Trust in public institutions is declining. Democratic norms are under strain. Justice systems are failing to meet people’s everyday needs. More than five billion people face unresolved justice problems, disputes over land, family, work, safety, and business, weakening social cohesion and political legitimacy. At the same time, funding for justice and rule of law is shrinking. Official development assistance is increasingly redirected toward defence, migration, and short-term geopolitical priorities. For justice actors, this creates real constraints. But it also demands sharper focus, greater clarity, and demonstrable impact. HiiL’s 2026–2029 strategy is our response to that reality.
Justice as a Foundation for Stability and Prosperity
We begin from a clear conviction: justice is not only a fundamental right, it is a practical foundation for stability, economic development, and peace. When people can resolve disputes fairly, affordably, and quickly, trust grows. Markets function better. Communities become more resilient. Businesses invest with confidence. Social tensions are addressed before they escalate. Our approach focuses on people-centred justice, justice that responds to lived experiences and real needs. It moves beyond narrow institutional reform and focuses on outcomes that matter to people and businesses: safety, fairness, resolution, and dignity. This understanding anchors our strategy.
Continuity and Three Strategic Shifts
Continuity is central. HiiL remains committed to people-centred justice, evidence-based reform, innovation, and partnership. What changes is how we achieve impact at scale:
First, we move from a primarily “design and influence” role toward a stronger “design and deliver” approach. Experience shows that promising solutions often fail during implementation. We will increasingly support piloting, delivery, and pathways to scale — shepherding solutions from concept to institutionalisation. Second, country programmes gain greater ownership. Local teams, working closely with partners, will design context-fit strategies within our overall framework. This reflects our commitment to localisation, demand-driven programming, and contextual relevance. Third, partnerships become foundational. Sustainable justice reform is driven by justice ecosystems.
“This strategy sharpens our emphasis on delivery. We are shifting toward implementation that is owned locally and sustained through strong justice ecosystems, while our commitment to people centred justice, evidence, and partnership remains firm. Experience has shown us that good ideas alone are not enough to create impact.” – Udo Jude Ilo, CEO of HiiL
A Realistic Theory of Change
Justice reform is complex and non-linear. Sustainable change happens when purpose, services, governance, financing, and measurement reinforce one another. Aligned with the OECD Recommendation on Access to Justice and People-Centred Justice Systems, we focus on:
- Embedding people-centred purpose and culture
- Designing and delivering services based on data
- Enabling supportive regulatory and financing environments
- Measuring justice by outcomes that matter to users
Our role is to activate these elements together through evidence, innovation, convening, and implementation, tailored to context and demand.
Country-Led, Locally Grounded Action
Country programmes sit at the centre of this strategy. In close collaboration with local partners, country teams will lead strategic design and programme choices. We will continue working across multiple countries, including ongoing programmes in: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Netherlands, Iraq and Syria.
Partnerships as the Route to Scale
No single organisation can close the justice gap alone. HiiL positions itself as an ecosystem builder and convenor. Partnerships with governments, civil society, informal justice actors, international organisations, private sector actors, and social investors are essential for scale, legitimacy, and sustainability, particularly in fragile and transitional settings.
Strategic Focus: Where Justice Meets Stability and Growth
To strengthen impact, HiiL will deepen its work in high-demand thematic areas where it has proven expertise:
- Land justice
- Family justice
- Gender-based violence
- Legal problems affecting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises
These themes sit at the intersection of justice, economic development, social stability, and peace. They offer concrete opportunities to demonstrate what people-centred justice delivers in practice.
Five Strategic Objectives
Our ambition translates into five mutually reinforcing objectives:
- Promote a global shift toward people-centred justice through research, advocacy, leadership, and communication.
- Build and support strong national justice ecosystems using data, innovation, and learning.
- Make justice processes fairer and easier to use by strengthening links between formal and informal systems.
- Support governments and institutions to deliver people-centred justice at scale, especially in fragile contexts.
- Demonstrate effective solutions in priority thematic areas.
Organisational Resilience and What Success Looks Like
We recognise a tougher funding environment ahead. HiiL will diversify its funding base, including advisory services, foundations, and private sector engagement, while continuing to invest in people, systems, partnerships, and security to remain agile and credible. Success will be measured by tangible improvements in how people and businesses experience justice, by stronger justice ecosystems, and by our contribution to a global movement for people-centred justice.
This strategy positions HiiL as a mature and adaptive organisation: realistic about constraints, focused on delivery, and committed to reducing the justice gap through evidence, partnership, and practical action.
