Promoting the Rule of Law Project FINAL REPORT (1 December 2014 – 30 April 2016) Promoting the Rule of Law Project Grant Number: PRL-G-001-05 Implemented by: Bridges Across Borders South East Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEACLE) Myanmar Address: No. 16, 1st Floor, Mahar Baw Ga Street, Sanchaung Township, Yangon, Myanmar (+95) 95154630 (+95) 9400301999 Thailand Address: 41/1 Soi 1 Sirorot Road, Suthep, Muang, Chiang Mai Thailand 50200 (+66) 53273980 www.babseacle.org Contact Person: Bruce Lasky Email: [email protected] Project Name: Promoting the Rule of Law Project Grantee Name: BABSEACLE Grant No.: PRL-G-001-05 Table of Contents Program Description ................................................................................................. 3 Area of Operations in Myanmar ................................................................................ 4 Accomplishments ...................................................................................................... 5 General Objectives ......................................................................................................... 5 Activities/Outputs Achieved ........................................................................................... 5 Challenges and Barriers ........................................................................................... 20 Fostering Strong and Clear Communication ................................................................. 20 Lack of Myanmar-Language CLE Teaching Materials ................................................... 20 Law Department Scheduling, Time Management and Availability of Law Teachers ... 21 Unintended Consequences of Other Legal Education Strengthening Initiatives ......... 21 Systemic Challenges ..................................................................................................... 22 Findings ................................................................................................................... 25 University Information.................................................................................................. 26 Impact of CLE in Myanmar............................................................................................ 26 Understanding and Support of CLE .............................................................................. 27 Recommendations for Sustainability ....................................................................... 29 Activities Report ...................................................................................................... 33 Meetings / Conferences/ Ceremonies .......................................................................... 33 Trainings / Workshops / Presentations ........................................................................ 35 Activity Photos and Participants’ Quotes ................................................................. 39 Annexes .................................................................................................................. 41 Annex 1: Newspaper article on Inaugural National Myanmar CLE Mock Trial Training Event at YUDE ................................................................................................. 41 Annex 2 - ICIR Newsletter Article in the BABSEACLE Quarterly Newsletter ................. 44 Annex 3: Taungoo University’s article on the 2nd Myanmar National CLE Summer School ........................................................................................................................... 46 Annex 4: Mawlamyaing University’s article on Interviewing and Counselling Training ......................................................................................................................... 47 Annex 5: International Clinician in Residence Placement Report ................................ 48 Annex 6 – A reflective report written by the teacher who attended the GAJE/IJCLE 8th worldwide conference in partnership with the 13th IJCLE conference and training of trainers workshop in Turkey ............................................. 56 Annex 7: 2016 Myanmar University CLE Development Interim Survey ....................... 66 Annex 8: Agenda/Handouts/Report of the workshops attended and organized during the grant period ................................................................................................ 78 Page 2 of 78 Project Name: Promoting the Rule of Law Project Grantee Name: BABSEACLE Grant No.: PRL-G-001-05 Program Description This grant activity supports BABSEACLE and its university partners (a project currently co-funded by UNDP, subsequently referred to as the Myanmar CLE Program) to expand and enhance the Clinical Legal Education (CLE) programs designed to strengthen legal education reform and have a positive impact on marginalized communities, specifically in PRLP’s targeted regions and also more broadly. These innovative justice education programs will provide a key focus for research that can influence national reform in the justice and human rights sectors. The current Myanmar CLE program uses an established model of best practices, but each university will also create a specific approach tailored to their own community. In the past months this project successfully employed a CLE Trainer who was trained by BABSEACLE staff and international partners, as part of the Myanmar CLE Program. The Trainer is now able to continue supporting CLE programs throughout Myanmar beyond the end of this funding cycle. More specifically, BABSEACLE placed volunteer CLE experts (International Clinicians in- Residence) into Myanmar for 4 weeks at 3 universities. These clinicians worked with 3 target universities and also provided the opportunity for other universities, justice officials and community members to maximize the advantages of having these experts in the regions. The Myanmar CLE program is funded to assist 14 of the 18 universities that have Law Departments. However, this funding and support is limited and is not able to provide essential support to all of the universities and the regions they operate in. The PLRP grants is enabling much greater assistance to be given to the four areas listed in the proposal through providing further essential support to 3 specific Myanmar universities; Taungoo University in the North Bago region and Mawlamyaing University in the Mon State. Legal education programs are offered to the Hlaing Thayar Township by the University of Distance Education Yangon. This funding is ensuring their CLE programs receive much greater and needed support than the Myanmar CLE program is able to offer to them. The target populations include: 1. Marginalized communities seeking access to justice. The potential benefit is great as community members learn about the law and legal process through clinical programs and are able to pass on that knowledge to family and friends. Current university partners have identified specific groups within their communities with which they would like to engage using CLE methodologies such as CLE Community Teaching to marginalized communities including women and children experiencing violence, engaging young people through schools and community groups to understand the laws and procedures to achieve a civil society. 2. University law departments through increasing the skill level of law teachers to engage and motivate their students to give back to their communities through clinical programs. The number of law teachers that are engaging in the Myanmar CLE program training is small, but as they become more skilled, they will teach their department colleagues. This has already occurred as a direct result of the CLE Summer Schools held in Taunggyi and Taungoo as part of the Myanmar CLE program. 3. Law graduates as they will complete their law degree with knowledge and practical skills of being an ethical and responsible lawyer who are prepared to contribute to providing access to justice for all the community. 4. The justice system more generally as stronger relationships are built between the Universities and civil society organizations and governmental ministry, which have already demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of an agreement with the goals and values of CLE programs. 5. Helping Myanmar legal education institutions become an active participant in international CLE networks, forming a national CLE network association that is closely linked to others in the region and globally which applies best CLE practices Page 3 of 78 Project Name: Promoting the Rule of Law Project Grantee Name: BABSEACLE Grant No.: PRL-G-001-05 Area of Operations in Myanmar Dagon University Dawei University East Yangon University Magway University Mandalay University Mandalay University of Distance Education Mawlamyaing University* Monywa University Myitkyina University Pathein University Pinlong University Pyay University Sittwe University Taunggyi University Taungoo University* Yadanabon University Yangon University Yangon University of Distance Education* *Activities related to these universities are supported in part under this grant Page 4 of 78 Project Name: Promoting the Rule of Law Project Grantee Name: BABSEACLE Grant No.: PRL-G-001-05 Accomplishments The following information shows the accomplishments achieved throughout the whole project. General Objectives The university law departments in the designated regions were successfully assisted in the development of high quality Clinical Legal Education (CLE) programs. The USAID-PRLP funds has enabled the strengthening