Usaid Promoting the Rule of Law Project
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USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 16: JULY - SEPTEMBER 2017 USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT: April – June 2017 USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT: April – June 2017 i USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT: July – September 2017 Task Order No. AID-486-TO-13-00008 CONTRACTOR: TETRA TECH DPK DATE: October 25, 2017 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Tetra Tech DPK. The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. ii Table of Contents I. List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................. 3 II. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 4 III. Program Activities by Objective/Component ................................................................. 6 Objective 1: Promote More Effective, Accountable, and Accessible Justice Sector Institutions............................................................................................................................... 6 Objective 2: Increase Legal Literacy, Access to Justice for Marginalized Populations in Target Regions/States ........................................................................................................... 18 IV. Grantee Trainings, Workshops, and Conferences ...................................................... 29 V. F-Level Indicators ............................................................................................................. 31 Attachments: Attachment 1: Trip Report, ICT Consultant, Dr. Kazimierz Lobaza, September 2017 Attachment 2: USAID Snapshot: Anti-Human Trafficking Day Attachment 3: USAID Snapshot: Customer Service Training Attachment 4: USAID Snapshot: Gender-Based Violence Awareness and Advocacy Attachment 5: USAID Snapshot: Independent Lawyers’ Association of Myanmar Attachment 6: USAID Snapshot: Paralegal Network 2 I. List of Acronyms A2JI Access to Justice Initiative AAPTIP Australia Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons ACC Anti-Corruption Commission AG Attorney General ATTF Anti-Trafficking Task Force CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women CLE Continuing Legal Education CMS Case Management System COP Chief of Party CSO Civil Society Organization DCOP Deputy Chief of Party EU European Union GPI Green Peasants Institute GPS Genuine People's Servants HI Humanity Institute IBAHRI International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute ICT Information and Communications Technology IDEA Integrated Development Executive Association IDP Internally-Displaced Person IEC Information, Education, and Communication ILAM Independent Lawyers’ Association of Myanmar JCSDO Jeepyah Civil Society Development Organization KMSS Karuna Mission Social Solidarity LCM Legal Clinic Myanmar MCRB Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business MKLDO Mawk Kon Local Development Organization MIGS Myanmar Institute of Gender Studies MLAA Mahawthadha Legal Aid Association MJA Myanmar Justice Association MNA Myitmakha News Agency NGO Non-Governmental Organization OSCU Office of the Supreme Court of the Union PRLP Promoting the Rule of Law Project PEA Political Economy Analysis SCVG Social Care Volunteer Group SGBV Sexual and Gender-Based Violence SRYN Sagaing Regional Youth Network STRO Second Tap Root Organization TCDN Thwee Community Development Network TIP Trafficking-in-Persons TOT Training of Trainers UAGO Union Attorney General’s Office ULAB Union Legal Aid Board US United States USAID United States Agency for International Development UN United Nations UNCAC United Nations Convention Against Corruption UNDP United Nations Development Program 3 II. Executive Summary The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Promoting the Rule of Law Project (PRLP) continued to focus on building more effective, accountable, and accessible justice sector institutions during this last quarter of project year four. PRLP activities support the Office of the Supreme Court of the Union (OSCU) and the courts, the Union Attorney General’s Office (UAGO) and the law offices, increase legal literacy, improve access to justice, and develop civil society capacity to engage in public policy development and advocacy. A modification of the contract was signed in late July and a new Chief of Party (COP), Teresa Cannady, was fielded in mid-August. Robert Dean also joined the project in July as the Deputy COP. The COP and DCOP immediately began meeting with counterparts and building relationships to continue the ongoing work of PRLP. Achievements in each of the components during this quarter are described below: Component 1: Support the development of a Comprehensive Strategy for National Rule of Law Reform. PRLP began a Political Economy Analysis (PEA) that will continue into next quarter and result in a report that will outline the current rule of law context in Myanmar with recommendations on where gains can be made. PRLP fielded an expert who conducted interviews and focus groups to gather the relevant data to complete the analysis. In collaboration with USAID, PRLP developed a concept paper for a study tour in January 2018. The concept paper outlined participants, focus areas, a proposed agenda, and results. PRLP continued to coordinate with the Australia Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP) to organize follow-up trafficking-in-persons (TIP) related training that will be implemented in November for the UAGO and its law officers. Component 2: Enhance the Capacities of the Union Attorney General’s Office. PRLP staff visited the three newly designated pilot law offices to meet with the law officers/assistant law officers to discuss future activities. The DCOP and Senior Justice Program Manager met twice with UAGO Director General (Prosecution Department) and her staff to discuss and prioritize the pilot activities. As a result of these meetings, PRLP was able to meet with the Attorney General (AG) and obtain his approval for next steps in the pilot program. These approved activities represent a significant step towards a more modern, responsive, and engaged prosecution service that works cooperatively with the police and community to achieve justice and foster greater public confidence. Component 3: Support to Judicial Self-Governance and Judicial Reform. PRLP continued to work in the eight pilot courts, implementing case management and pre-trial procedures. PRLP conducted an evaluation workshop of the three initial Pilot Courts at the Supreme Court, presenting findings of court user satisfaction at 68%, up from a baseline of 61.5% in 2015. A notable and important increase was that 75% of people reported they were treated equally (up from 62% over baseline 2 years ago) and 76% say that court personnel treated them with courtesy and respect (up from 62% baseline 2 years ago). Court effectiveness was also rated at 60% this year, increasing both of the last two years from the initial baseline of 52%. Customer service training continued and has now reached 865 beneficiaries, including 448 women and 417 men at the OSCU. After seeing the benefits this program offered to the courts, the OSCU chose to replicate the program throughout Myanmar for High Courts, District Courts, and Pilot Courts in 6 Regions and 2 States. PRLP Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Consultant, Dr. Kazimierz Lobaza, returned to Myanmar during September to finalize the case management system (CMS), validate the testing, and to meet with judges and court personnel. There is consensus among judges and court staff that the current version of the CMS, for both criminal and civil cases, meets their requirements and no further testing is required. 4 PRLP is now assisting the OSCU to develop their five-year strategic plan by serving as the lead technical advisor to the Strategic Planning working group. This plan will address a nationwide legal aid program and the implementation of the CMS throughout the county, incorporating the lessons learned from the pilot court program, among other important justice sector reforms. Component 4: Develop the capacity of civil society to engage in public policy development and advocacy. PRLP is currently managing 13 Legal Aid grants and 5 TIP grants and working to building the capacity of grantees to sustain their efforts. (See Component 4, Objective 2 discussion of activities of each grantee). During this quarter, the PRLP grants team completed Project Cycle Management Training for all grantees and a Financial Management and Report Writing Training for the 5 TIP grantees and the Independent Lawyers’ Association of Myanmar (ILAM) secretariat. Grantees provided legal aid for 430 beneficiaries including 233 women and 197 men, as well as providing 4,284 awareness raising materials. ILAM launched the first issue of their newsletter and the ILAM website, as well as opening a legal library in a ceremony that included Dr. Myint Naing, the Prime Minister of Sagaing Region; U Win Myint, the Chief Justice of Sagaing Region; and U Khin Maung Hla, the Attorney General of Sagaing Region. 5 III. Program Activities by Objective/Component Objective 1: Promote More Effective, Accountable, and Accessible Justice Sector Institutions During this quarter,