As many as 80 lawyers, lecturers and civil society representatives have completed an IDLO-supported, three-month rule of law course in Myanmar -- to find their achievements commended by veteran pro-democracy activist and Nobel laureate Aung san Suu Kyi.
The training covered rule of law principles and international standards, as well as local law and practice. It also focused on building links with local communities through fora on local justice issues and mock trials.
"Rule of law is not just for lawyers and judges, it is for the whole country. Only when we have rule of law can we enjoy peace of mind and security,” Dame Aung San Suu Kyi said at the graduation ceremony. She was there as chair of the Myanmar Rule of Law Centers.
This capacity building is seen as the first step towards building public trust in the justice system in Myanmar.
“We feel privileged to have played a role in these first important steps towards the building of a more just and open society in Myanmar, governed by the principles of the rule of law," said Jasper Pauw, the Country Representative for IDLO in Myanmar.
Thu Thu Aung, a student from Lashio University, said one of the key things she had learnt from the training was that “the rule of law cannot be achieved with only one person or organization, it needs the participation of all people.”
The course was part of a UNDP pilot project, in which IDLO was a training partner.