Law-Abiding Culture

Law-Abiding Culture

The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (ComisiónInternacional contra la Impunidaden Guatemala, CICIG), together with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Department of Legal Sciences of Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala have developed a program to promote a law-abiding culture. So far, this culture has been fostered among more than 2 thousand students in primary and secondary education, and 150 teachers, as well as public officials.

This project originates in the need to promote observation and sympathy for the Rule of Law, as a common denominator found in the investigations led by the Commission and the Attorney General’s Office. Likewise, in the expressions of the population as broadly evidenced during the demonstrations of 2015, it was established that the primary demand of the Guatemalan society is the respect of the rule of law as an act of citizenship.

The Law-Abiding Culture is a concept under construction that contains the background of the concept, theoretical foundation of law and other legal systems that support a law-abiding culture. It is estimated that the definition of this term should revolve around three fundamental areas: respect for the rule of law; thinking and attitude to be consistent with the legality, willingness to abide by the rules and regulations and rejection of crime, corruption, and impunity; and the structure of an efficient justice system that evidences the consequences of the transgression of the law.
The content of the project is unprecedented; Guatemalans created it with the purpose of integrating the State and its society as part of their public policies and in their sense of civic duty. It seeks to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of respecting the rule of law and the transparent and responsible participation of citizens.

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Lectura de interés:  Report on the Dialogue for the Strengthening of Justice and the Fight Against Impunity in Guatemala