Usaid Promoting the Rule of Law Project
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 19: APRIL - JUNE 2018 USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT: April – June 2017 USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY PRLP completed REPORT: a April “Judging – June in 2017 a Democratic Society” program for judges i USAID PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT: April - June 2018 Task Order No. AID-486-TO-13-00008 CONTRACTOR: TETRA TECH DPK DATE: July 23, 2018 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 ................................................................................................................. ii II. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 1 III. Program Activities by Objective/Component ................................................................. 1 Objective 1: Promote More Effective, Accountable, and Accessible Justice Sector Institutions ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Objective 2: Increase Legal Literacy, Access to Justice for Marginalized Populations in Target Regions/States ............................................................................................................. 13 IV. Grantee Legal Aid Services, and Legal Awareness and Outreach Activities ............ 23 V. Grantee Trainings, Workshops, and Conferences ............. Error! Bookmark not defined. VI. Map of PRLP Activities ................................................................................................. 25 Attachments: Attachment 1: CEELI Training Report Attachment 2: USAID Snapshot: GPS provides legal aid for community Attachment 3: USAID Snapshot: MKLDO engages retired citizens Attachment 4: USAID Snapshot: Community watch group saves child Attachment 5: USAID Snapshot: LCM improves access to justice Attachment 6: USAID Snapshot: Local collaboration provides speedy justice Attachment 7: USAID Snapshot: Building community skills to address corruption Attachment 8: USAID Snapshot: Judging in a Democratic Society Attachment 9: USAID Snapshot: Grantee provides safe house to support victims of violence i I. List of Acronyms A2JI Access to Justice Initiative AAPTIP Australia Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons ACMS Automated Case Management System ACC Anti-Corruption Commission ACMS Automated Case Management System ATTF Anti-Trafficking Task Force CEC Central Executive Committee CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women CLE Continuing Legal Education CMP Case Management Plan COP Chief of Party COR Contracting Officer’s Representative CSO Civil Society Organization CWG Community Watch Group DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DSW Department of Social Welfare GAD General Administrative Department 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 IOM International Organization for Migration IT Information Technology JCSDO Jeepyah Civil Society Development Organization JSP Judicial Strategic Plan KMSS Karuna Mission Social Solidarity LAMS Legal Aide Management System LCM Legal Clinic Myanmar LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender M&E Monitoring & Evaluation MDC Migration Development Center MJA Myanmar Justice Association MKLDO Mawk Kon Local Development Organization MLAA Mahawthadha Legal Aid Association MNHRC Myanmar National Human Rights Commission MNA Myitmakha News Agency MP Members of Parliament NCMP National Case Management Program NDI National Democratic Institute NGO Non-Governmental Organization OSCU Office of the Supreme Court of the Union PIO Public Information Officer PRLP Promoting the Rule of Law Project SCVG Social Care Volunteer Group SGBV Sexual and Gender-Based Violence SRYN Sagaing Regional Youth Network ii 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 UNDP United Nations Development Program WON Women’s Organization Network iii II. Executive Summary The USAID Promoting the Rule of Law Project (PRLP) continued to focus on building more effective, accountable, and accessible justice sector institutions with activities supporting the Office of the Supreme Court of the Union (OSCU) and the courts, the Union Attorney General’s Office (UAGO) and the law offices, the Union Legal Aid Board (ULAB), and civil society. 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. During the quarter, the OSCU released their 2017 Annual Report in Nay Pyi Taw in an event attended by members of the court, the Attorney general, MPs, international organizations, and the media. Supreme Court Chief Justice Htun Htun Oo opened the event by emphasizing the importance of promoting public awareness and understanding of the judiciary. PRLP conducted three roundtables sessions with Hluttaw members focusing on issues in sentencing. The programs, which included 55 MPs (F/28 and M/27) and held in conjunction with NDI, were led by the PRLP DCOP. Judges from the U.S. and Croatia also participated in the session to provide the judicial perspective and international best practices. Component 2: Enhance the Capacities of the Union Attorney General’s Office. On April 24th, the Union Attorney General led the first coordination meeting for key justice sector institutions, including 38 participants from the OSCU, Ministry of Home Affairs (various police units including the TIP unit, CID, anti-narcotics, and Police Chief’s office), Department of Social Welfare, Department of Health, and PRLP. The event was designed to explain the procedural reforms being adopted in the pilot law office program and to discuss common issues, build collaboration to increase efficiency, and ensure speedy justice. PRLP completed two 2-day training sessions entitled Effective Prosecution for Today’s Law Officers- Issues and Approaches for Law Officers and staff from the three pilot law offices. The topics included the role of the modern prosecutor, adopting internationally recognized effective practices with an emphasis on developing the investigative skills of the law officers, and strengthening the relationship between the law officers, the police, and the victims and witnesses. Component 3: Support to Judicial Self-Governance and Judicial Reform. PRLP completed three 3-day workshops with 98 District Court Judges in a program entitled Judging in a Democratic Society. This program was led by three international judges and addressed several key issues common to judges everywhere including judicial independence, relations with other branches of government, relations of the judiciary with the public and the media, and judicial ethics. PRLP provided significant support to the OSCU’s preparations to implement the National Case Management Plan (NCMP), including a three-day training of trainers program, and development of both a user’s guide and training manual. On June 4-5, PRLP conducted a roundtable with the Union Legal Aid Board (ULAB) to develop work plans for eight newly appointed committees. Component 4: Develop the capacity of civil society to engage in public policy development and advocacy. During this quarter 12 grants were concluded with 4 remaining to be finalized next quarter. (See Component 4, Objective 2 discussion of activities of each grantee). During this quarter, grantees provided legal aid for 952 beneficiaries (496 male and 456 female) and provided 5008 awareness raising materials. PRLP continued a series of anti-corruption trainings in collaboration with the Access to Justice Initiative (A2JI) and grantees in another 14 locations. In May, the ULAB conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at their new offices in Nay Pyi Taw. To build CSO sustainability, PRLP conducted a 3-day Organizational Assessment and Leadership training in April for 27 participants from 12 grantees to help grantees identify the key requirements for a healthy organization and provide an assessment tool to gauge CSO capacity. 1 III. Program Activities by Objective/Component Objective 1: Promote More Effective, Accountable, and Accessible Justice Sector Institutions During this quarter, PRLP supported a combination of activities that contribute to the overall enhancement of justice sector effectiveness, accountability, and accessibility in Myanmar. COMPONENT 1: OSCU public outreach. The OSCU developed and released a 25- SUPPORT THE minute video highlighting achievement over the past 2 years. The DEVELOPMENT OF video included the launch of the ambitious Judicial Strategic Plan A COMPREHENSIVE (2018-2022), the new Judicial Code of Ethics, and an overview of the USAID/PRLP-led pilot court program.