UNDP’s Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development supported extensive programming on housing, land, and property rights, and enabled the development of the “interim protection approach” with measures to protect and improve the resilience of civil society in Myanmar.
Through collaboration with legal civil society organizations in Rakhine, UNDP conducted community awareness sessions, advocated for the rights of persons with disabilities, and provided legal aid support to over 1,600 individuals, empowering them to seek redress for grievances related to housing, land and property (HLP) rights and issues of sexual and gender-based violence. A cross-community approach ensured that people from all religious and ethnic backgrounds could benefit from these services.
UNDP introduced the Collaborative Dispute Resolution Programme (CDR) in Kachin and Shan states to improve the ability of village leaders and civil society organizations (CSOs) to negotiate dispute resolution fairly. In the villages, UNDP’s civil society partners provided mediation and negotiation support in 86 land and labour disputes, benefiting 580 individuals, including almost 300 women. UNDP support enabled organization of 74 trainings reaching over 1,600 village inhabitants. Almost 1,000 women benefitted from the community training on CDR.
Civil society activists and paralegals provided over 500 legal consultations on HLP rights, contributing to mitigating protection risks and improving livelihood opportunities. Over 80 people, including 16 women, received legal assistance, and in 13 cases legal representation was provided.
UNDP enhanced the digital literacy and capacities of vulnerable and marginalized rural women, displaced individuals and marginalized communities. A total of 380 women and 254 men participated in the thirty-seven digital literacy sessions held by e-hubs being piloted in the Kachin region.
Three years after the 2021 military takeover in Myanmar, communities suffer from displacement, land grabbing, economic hardships, paralyzed public administration and repression from the military. The rule of law, justice, security, and human rights situation continued to deteriorate, with more limitations to accessing formal justice and administrative systems. Operating in a highly repressive and volatile environment, CSOs, lawyers and paralegals have become essential human rights defenders who require protection and support.
In this context, UNDP’s portfolio Community First Programme aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities and to protect human rights and democratic space. It combines three areas-based projects (the Rakhine Triple Nexus Project, the Urban Resilience Project and the Enabling Community Recovery and Resilience Project) and includes four cross-cutting approaches (civil society strengthening, innovating through digital transformations, leveraging private sector partnerships and evidence-based programming). UNDP adopts a people-centred approach to justice by enabling CSOs and legal aid partners to implement community-based human rights and access to justice initiatives. To support its implementing partners and to improve their safety and security, UNDP strengthened the capacity of 34 CSOs in digital security: to protect their data, secure online accounts and lay the basis for the CSO-led cyber security initiatives.
The intervention supported by UNDP’s Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development (the Global Programme) has benefited UNDP’s portfolio in Myanmar. It allowed UNDP to concentrate on housing, land and property (HLP) rights, and to develop a context-adapted “interim protection approach” which comprises measures to protect and improve the resilience of HLP CSOs.
UNDP also collaborated with other UN agencies, such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), particularly in relation to areas inhabited by displaced persons requiring durable solutions.
COMMUNITY-BASED DISPUTE RESOLUTION
UNDP introduced the Collaborative Dispute Resolution programme (CDR) in Kachin and Shan states to improve the ability of village leaders and CSOs to negotiate dispute resolution fairly. In the villages, UNDP’s civil society partners provided women and men with direct mediation and negotiation support in 86 land and labor disputes, benefiting 580 individuals, including almost 300 women. The programme showed potential to improve the quality of access to justice at the village level, particularly in enhancing women's participation and influence in community-based dispute resolution processes. Almost 1,000 women benefitted from the community training on CDR. In total, 74 trainings were conducted for over 1,600 village inhabitants.
DIGITAL LITERACY: INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
Through the CSO-led initiatives, UNDP enhanced the digital literacy and capacities of vulnerable and marginalized rural women, displaced individuals and marginalized communities. Despite delays caused by internet shutdowns, UNDP developed and implemented a Training of Trainers (ToT) curriculum and a community-based pilot for e-hubs in the Kachin region to increase women’s access to digital tools, deliver digital literacy workshops and training and improve digital literacy among women and vulnerable groups in rural and conflict-affected communities. Thirty-seven digital literacy sessions were held engaging 380 women and 254 men.
HOUSING, LAND AND PROPERTY RIGHTS
CSOs faced access constraints due to intensified conflict and obstacles created by the military, such as checkpoints, searches and surveillance. The CSOs have navigated these challenges using their adaptive strategies when travelling. As a result, civil society activities and paralegals were able to provide women and men farmers with direct counselling and legal assistance concerning their HLP rights, contributing to mitigating protection risks and improving livelihood opportunities. Over 500 legal consultations were delivered to 252 men and 258 women. Over 80 people, including 16 women, received legal assistance, and in 13 cases legal representation was provided.
UNDP’s CSO partners supported over 1,800 beneficiaries (including 811 women) in vulnerable communities with land registration and community land mapping, applying various context-based strategies.
Through its civil society partners, UNDP organized 116 sessions in the villages in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine States to raise legal awareness on HLP issues such as land registration, land claims, customary land rights, land restitution, gender issues related to HLP laws and other matters of importance for women and men farmers. Over 2,000 individuals were sensitized, including over 1,100 women.
Having analysed the challenges faced by farmers and communities, UNDP developed a training on HLP and land laws for different audiences in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States. Three trainings were provided to the CSO partners in 2023, with more to follow in 2024, with a focus on Rakhine, to fill in the knowledge gap there.
To improve knowledge sharing and strengthen partnerships, UNDP facilitated seven Communities of Practice (CoPs) and networks on HLP and other human rights. The UN Human Rights Office and UNESCO were involved in the organization.
Lessons learned and good practices
Investing in local networks of CSOs and volunteers in Rakhine proved instrumental in enhancing UNDP’s outreach and effectiveness. Collaborating with grassroots organizations and community volunteers facilitated deeper engagement with target communities, enabling more tailored and context-specific interventions, and local ownership.
UNDP analysed the support it provided to CSOs from a broader perspective, looking into issues of equitable risk management, due diligence and duty of care. This resulted in both a strategy for CSO support and a series of questions for UNDP to analyse its own policies and practices, particularly in a setting of military surveillance and shrinking civic space.
Innovative activities, such as Collaborative Dispute Resolution were effective in promoting people-centred justice in Myanmar in the post-coup context.
Digital empowerment of women transforms communities, enhancing women's access to information and education and facilitating their access to justice. UNDP’s approach of blending digital literacy with gender equality initiatives promotes a culture of inclusivity and non-discrimination, enabling women to use technology to improve their lives and communities.
Looking forward
UNDP will continue providing support to grassroots entities, enabling them to effectively engage in peacebuilding efforts and promote social cohesion. UNDP will facilitate capacity-building initiatives to strengthen local governance structures, promoting inclusive decision-making and community empowerment.
UNDP will continue educating communities on their legal rights and providing legal support to address grievances and ensure access to justice.
The digital literacy sessions for women will continue, compensating for the delay caused by the internet shutdown in Kachin late in 2023. Community of Practice (CoP) sessions will be organized on artificial intelligence (AI) tools and national identity, including e-ID. UNDP will further accelerate its efforts in integrating its work on housing, land and property, as well as collaborative dispute resolution with capacity-building support to civil society.