New programme works to enhance access to justice in Myanmar

The peoples of Myanmar will have better access to justice
The Danish Institute for Human Rights has started working on the important issue of access to justice in Myanmar as part of a new EU funded British Council led ‘My Justice’ programme.

On November 8, Myanmar will hold its first general election since a civilian government was introduced in 2011. While the country is poised at an important juncture in its history, it is not just through the ballot box that Myanmar is experiencing change.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights is part of a new programme devoted to furthering access to justice for the poor and marginalised across Myanmar. ‘My Justice’ is a four-year 20 million Euro programme funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council.

“We are excited to be part of this programme which has the potential to spur real change on the ground,” says Senior Adviser Lise Dahl from the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

The institute will provide technical expertise to justice centres in six regions in Myanmar, including the training of lawyers and mobile paralegals who will service the centres and provide outreach to communities.

“By better understanding and addressing dispute resolution needs from a grassroots level while simultaneous improving the capacity of lawyers and justice actors in Myanmar, this programme has the potential to make a significant and positive difference to the lived justice context in the country,” Lise Dahl explains.

Strict regime hindered justice

For several decades, Myanmar has experienced diminished rule of law and access to justice under a strict military regime. The deliberate undermining of the legal profession during this period has been an important contributing factor to hindering access to justice in the country. As a result, the country currently lacks a judiciary capable of delivering justice to the people. The poor and the marginalised are particularly affected by the gap that exists between their justice needs and access to the formal justice system. It is this gap that the ‘My Justice’ programme seeks to address.

“My Justice marks a major step forward in one of the country’s key development priorities. Fair application of the rule of law depends on trust between the individuals, communities and institutions that deliver justice,“ Kevin Mackenzie, Director of the British Council in Myanmar emphasises.

The programme, recently launched in Yangon, will adopt a community-driven and locally-led approach to empower communities to find solutions to the justice challenges they face. It will make legal services available in rural communities as well as increase the capacity of communities to resolve disputes and conflicts themselves through mediation and community paralegals.

The ‘My Justice’ programme runs to 2019.