Democratization Rule of Law The centuries-old idea of the rule of law is based on the understanding that laws should restrain the state and its actors, as well as protect people from abuse of power by individuals or by the state. Accordingly, the government itself should comply with the law and ensure that all its agents do so. This is especially important in spheres where the state is authorized to exercise coercive measures against individuals, such as in the area of criminal justice. The ODIHR supports participating States in their efforts to comply with commitments on the rule of law, focusing in particular on criminal-justice reform and the implementation of fair-trial standards in courtroom practices. It does this through initiatives in the areas of capacity- and institution-building and legislative reform, as well as through the provision of policy advice to decision makers and enhancing dialogue with and between civil society and state actors. The ODIHR also works directly with legal policy makers by supplying governments and non-governmental partners with decision- and policy-making tools with respect to reform, e.g., the public website www.legislationline.org. Capacity-building activities target judges, prosecutors, and defence lawyers to ensure that they respect human rights and the rule of law in their work. Main Issues cannot afford it. Citizens of participating States must enjoy equality under the law and equal protection of the law regardless of their social status, wealth, or power. Insufficient political will to ensure this leads to unequal application of the law, when the rich and powerful are able to procure a favourable outcome from the legal system, while the poor are often left without redress. Moreover, corruption contributes to greater inequality before the law and erodes legal institutions and respect for the law. k Reform of criminal-justice systems: The ODIHR pays particular attention to criminal-justice systems and reform of their key components. A professional and effective criminal-justice system is essential for combating crime, ensuring public safety, and upholding the rule of law. Poorly functioning criminal-justice systems undermine public trust in the administration of justice and erode the very foundations of the legal order. Criminal procedures in many participating States do not contain adequate safeguards for the protection of human rights, and existing safeguards are not vigorously enforced. Of particular concern are insufficient numbers of criminal defence lawyers and poor professional training, which, in some countries, undermine the ability of defendants to get a fair trial. In many countries, there is a lack of institutional and procedural checks on the activities of the police, investigative authorities, and the prosecution, thus leaving room for abuse. k Access to justice: Legal and constitutional reforms alone are not enough without effective means to protect the rights set forth in legislative frameworks. Despite progress in recent years, the courtroom reality in some countries still points to a situation where laws are in force but are not enforced. Access to justice is at the core of rule of law in our countries. This implies ensuring access to legal assistance to those who 24 Annual Report  Activities The ODIHR continued its long-term programme activities in 2006 in two main areas: k Fair trials; and k Criminal-justice reform.