On March 28, The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) proudly presented “Bold Voices: One Woman + the Rule of Law,” featuring the award-winning international human rights lawyer Hauwa Ibrahim and moderator Susan Karamanian, dean of the Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law, at a private member’s club in Washington D.C. Over 40 individuals representing various Washington D.C. and international business, legal, and nonprofit communities attended the event.
"The rule of law can mean different things to different people. The simplest way to explain The Center's perspective [is through] words given to us by our founder, Robert Storey, who said: "The rule of law is the opposite of the rule of force," opened Thomas Cubbage, CAIL's president. "It is the commitment to resolve conflicts and controversies with impartial justice and reason rather than violence or raw power. That is the goal of The Center for American and International Law."
Throughout the fireside chat, Dean Karamanian and Ibrahim spoke about women's education in northern Nigeria. Ibrahim shared anecdotes about her journey to securing an education, her experience as a lawyer working on cases with women and children being tried under Sharia law, and her role in helping secure intelligence leading to the release of Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram.
She closed the evening by emphasizing that her experiences started at one crucial point in her life: her participation in CAIL's 2000 Academy of American and International Law, where the simple act of being able to take a cup of coffee to the classroom helped her realize, for the first time, what freedom could look like.
Mimi Bason, CAIL's vice president for advancement, closed the event by leaving the audience with final thoughts about the importance of promoting the rule of law. She shared, "Why is the rule of law important to Hauwa, Susan, and CAIL? Why does promoting the rule of law matter? The rule of law is foundational to successful societies. It ensures everyone is equal under the law, regardless of power or position. Everyone is held accountable. Everyone's rights are protected. Everyone has access to impartial justice when disputes arise. [There are] compelling correlations between the rule of law and positive societal outcomes, including economic development, stronger democracies, more peaceful communities, and better health and education. When businesses can count on predictable laws, enforcement of contracts, and impartial resolution of disputes, investments flow, and economies flourish. This is our why."
The Bold Voices: One Woman + The Rule of Law event was held to help educate the public about CAIL's impact and why promoting the rule of law in the United States and worldwide is just as important now as it was when CAIL was founded over 75 years ago. Through the public's participation and support for events like these, CAIL continues to fulfill its mission of advancing the justice system by enhancing the skills of those dedicated to protecting the rights of others.
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About The Center for American and International Law - Founded in 1947, The Center for American and International Law is a nonprofit institution based in Plano, Texas, dedicated to improving the quality of justice by providing continuing education to lawyers and law enforcement officials in the United States and throughout the world. Since its founding, CAIL's educational institutes have established internationally recognized forums and educational programs addressing law enforcement administration, energy law, international and comparative law, transnational arbitration, law and technology, criminal justice, and other relevant topics. During its 75-year history, CAIL has served tens of thousands of lawyers and law enforcement officers from all 50 states and 130 countries.