American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative

Several of you have asked about what it is I'm doing down here. Some have suggested (well, really only one has suggested it!) that I'm down here on some covert operation. Since I haven't really explained it before, and to spare you from doing independent research, I'll tell you a bit about the ABA Rule of Law Initiative.

The Rule of Law Initiative is a public service project of the American Bar Association dedicated to promoting the rule of law around the world with the belief that the rule of law is the most effective, long-term solution to pressing problems, including poverty, economic stagnation, and conflict, facing the world community today.

I am the Director of the Rule of Law Initiative in Ecuador, based in Quito. I have overall field responsibility for in-country programs, including grant-funded programs; manage international and local staff; identify program methodologies and develop long-term and short-term strategies and work plans to improve the rule of law in Ecuador. I implement, monitor and evaluate in-country programs and activities. I am responsible for financial oversight of all programs and for donor relations in-country. In cooperation with headquarters-based program staff, I draft grant proposals and undertake fundraising in-country.

The major program in existence before I got here was the criminal justice reform project. That project focuses on transitioning from the inquisitorial to the adversarial legal system, and we provide all types of support and training in that regard. Since I got here, I have been developing new programs, including (1) the women and children's rights project (focusing on how to prevent exploitation of women and children in the region, especially by better prosecuting human trafficking cases), (2) the anti-corruption project (focusing on measuring corruption in Ecuador as compared to the region and suggesting ways to improve anti-corruption efforts), and (3) the ethics project (providing support for judges and lawyers on how to improve the ethical guidelines and disciplinary processes to ensure the highest ethical standards in the legal profession).

Well, that's the nutshell version of what I do. Most of the time I am in government meetings and staff meetings and doing research or reading research on these topics. No day is the same, the work is very interesting and exciting, and the home office gives me great support to keep developing the projects. All in all, I couldn't ask for more.

The only thing that is a little rough is being out of pocket, in unfamiliar surroundings, and feeling a little disconnected from my fiends back home ...But then I'm just getting adjusted here, so I think that will improve with time. And then there is also the fact that the last few weeks I have just been hit with so many changes (work, travel, personal, etc.).

Then being away has its advantages, too. I am meeting new people and seeing lots of interesting things. Once I'm settled in here in Quito, I will start expanding out to see other things in Ecuador and the region, and that will be exciting. Lots of fun travel opportunities await down here not only in Ecuador, but also, neighboring Colombia and Peru ...not to mention all of South America.

Well, enough for now. Time for a local pilsner --which are pretty good, but the way --and some reading. Keep dropping in and I'll keep posting. See you all soon back here.