Namati Call for Partners: Land Paralegals in Myanmar
Namati is pleased to announce we are seeking to collaborate with additional organizations on landfocused community paralegal efforts in Myanmar.
Namati is accepting applications from local or national organizations in Myanmar interested in: (1)
partnering to jointly implement a land-focused paralegal program; (2) receiving technical assistance as a
paralegal model is adopted; or (3) participating in an intensive training on land paralegal best practices.
About Namati
In a world where 4 billion people live outside the protection of the law, Namati is dedicated to putting
the law in people’s hands. We’re building a movement of grassroots legal advocates, also known as
“community paralegals,” who work with communities to bridge the gap between the law and real life.
In less than three years we’ve built a frontline of paralegals in eight countries. These advocates are
fighting on the front lines to ensure that people can protect their land, access essential services, and
take part in the decisions that govern their lives.
We draw on that grassroots experience to seek large-scale structural reforms in the law itself, and in the
institutions by which law is applied. Namati also hosts a global network of 300 organizations from every
region in the world, and is fostering greater learning and collaboration among these groups. Our goal is
to have grassroots legal advocates empowering communities worldwide. For more information on
Namati, please visit www.namati.org
Community Paralegals and Namati’s Myanmar Program
Community-based paralegals, also known as “grassroots legal advocates,” use knowledge of law and
skills like negotiation, education, and organizing to seek concrete solutions to instances of injustice.
Paralegals help people understand and use the law. Instead of treating their clients as victims requiring
an expert service (“I will solve this problem for you”), community paralegals can focus on legal
empowerment: “We will solve this together, and when we’re done you will be in a stronger position to
tackle problems like these in the future.”
Since August 2013, Namati and a local partner organization have trained and supported a network of 30
paralegals to address a range of land issues across seven states and divisions in Myanmar. Land-focused
paralegals represent a specialized cadre trained to handle land registration, land classification, and land
grabbing cases. They are able to conduct community education outreach, assist farmers with application
forms or complaint letters, accompany clients to government offices, collect data, and conduct followup and negotiation as needed. Paralegals encourage farmers to complete as much of the process as
possible on their own, though for the many farmers who have complex cases, the paralegals provide
accessible legal services at the community level.
Specifically, we aim to:
 Empower small-hold farmers to make informed decisions about their land and achieve longterm land tenure security through community paralegal services.
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Collect data on each case to build an understanding of how the land laws are implemented in
practice – how farmers experience the administrative systems, how cases move through the
government, and how decisions are made.

Use the data from paralegal cases in advocacy to push for large-scale changes in the laws,
policies, and government practice related to land protection for small-hold farmers.
Based on the experience and experimentation of Namati, our current partner, and our paralegals on the
ground, we have developed an evolving paralegal model for effective program implementation and the
resolution of land issues in the current Myanmar context. In our next phase, Namati plans to share
these insights and support additional land organizations in Myanmar adopt a similar paralegal approach
– expanding the availability of paralegal assistance to small-hold farmers throughout the country.
Who Are We Looking For?
Namati is seeking to collaborate with Myanmar local or national organizations that have:
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Genuine commitment to land protection, legal empowerment values, and strategic program
design and implementation
Strong experience working on land issues in Myanmar, including evidence of impact
Close relationships and ability to build trust with rural farming communities; a solid
understanding of local context and dynamics in the organization’s area of operation
A dynamic staff team that has the availability, skills, and enthusiasm to adopt and adapt a landfocused community paralegal approach in collaboration with Namati
What Can We Do Together?
Namati’s Myanmar Program is seeking organizations interested in:

Partnering to jointly implement a land-focused paralegal program (1 org)
o Namati and our joint implementation partner will work together to start and manage a
paralegal program, jointly establishing the program design, training and supervising
paralegals, refining program operations, troubleshooting challenges, collecting and
analyzing case data, and seeking to continually innovate with new and creative solutions
to justice challenges. Each organization may play a different role, drawing on its unique
experience and expertise, but Namati and our partner organization have an equal stake
and voice in the program. Namati has a set of core principles for implementation
partnerships that we agree to with each of our partners around the world. These include
joint decision making, equality, and regular, open communication, among others.

Receiving technical assistance to support implementation of a land paralegal model (2-3 orgs)
o Namati will provide intensive technical support during the program conceptualization
and design process, as well as during the initial stage of paralegal implementation. Our
Myanmar team will advise, share practical tools, and facilitate connections to existing
partners and experienced land paralegals. As the new paralegal effort matures, Namati
will continue to provide additional resources – training agendas and materials, sample
supervision report templates – as well as mentoring and advice by request.
o All organizations receiving technical assistance will be trained on Namati’s current
paralegal case tracking system and gain access to our data collection tools and database.
Together, the data from multiple land paralegal efforts will support stronger
recommendations for changes to Myanmar national law and policy.

Participating in an intensive training on paralegal best practices and lessons learned from
Namati’s Myanmar Program to date (up to 10 orgs)
o In mid-2015, Namati will host a 2 to 3 day training aimed at equipping land
organizations to recruit and manage a paralegal program, based on a forthcoming
paralegal manual specific to land in the Myanmar context. The training will introduce
paralegal concepts, methodologies, best practices from paralegal efforts around the
world, and lessons learned in Myanmar to date.
How to Apply
These opportunities are open to
members of Namati’s Global Legal
Empowerment Network. New
members are invited to sign up at
www.namati.org/join
Interested organizations should fill
out the following application form and
return it, along with one to two
organizational publications or
documents on the impact of current
programs, to Myanmar@namati.org
by May 29, 2015. Applications can be
submitted in English or Burmese.
Selection Process
Applications Due
Shortlisting of Partner Applicants
Discussions and Due Diligence with
Shortlisted Organizations
Selection of Partner Organization
Discussions with Technical Support
Applicants
Selection of Technical Support Recipients
and Training Participants
Paralegal Best Practices Training &
Technical Assistance Begins
Implementation with New Partner Begins
Timeframe
May 29, 2015
June 1 to 5
June 5 to 25
July 1
July 1 to 15
July 31
August/Sept 2015
August/Sept 2015
Application Form
Contact Information
Organization Name:
Organization Website:
Mailing Address:
Telephone Number:
Primary Contact
Person:
Position/Title:
Primary Contact
Phone Number:
Email Address:
Organization Information
Organization Mission:
Thematic Areas of
Focus (i.e., health,
land, etc.):
Number of Staff:
Office Locations:
Year Org. Founded:
Registration Status:
Annual Budget:
Major Donors (if any):
Expression of Interest
Place a check mark next to the opportunity or opportunities to which the organization is applying. (It is
possible to apply to be considered for more than one opportunity.)
___ Partnering to jointly implement a land-focused paralegal program
___ Receiving technical assistance to support implementation of a land paralegal model
___ Participating in an intensive training on paralegal best practices and lessons learned
Why does the organization want to work with Namati? What does the organization hope to gain from the
experience?
Programs and Activities (Please expand space as needed for your response)
Briefly describe the key programs and/or activities of the organization.
Please list the areas of Myanmar where the organization is active.
List two to three major accomplishments of the organization over the past two years. Attach evidence of this
accomplishment or impact, if documentation is available.
Land Experience
Please describe the organization’s experience working on land issues in the Myanmar context. Which land
issues have been a focus of the organization to date? What activities and methods has the organization used
to address these issues?
What are the most urgent land issues faced by the communities with whom the organization works?
How does the organization envision a paralegal approach would meet these community needs?
Potential Paralegal Program Operations
In which specific townships, districts, or states/divisions would the organization propose to pilot a paralegal
approach? Why?
If the organization already uses a community-based paralegal approach on land issues, please explain how
many paralegals the organization supports. What issues are paralegals trained to address? Approximately
how many cases have the paralegals handled in the past 6 months?
List primary staff members who would contribute time to a land-focused paralegal project. For each staff
member, provide their title and one to two sentences about their role and professional experience/skills. If
the organization would hire new staff to implement a paralegal program, please specify how many additional
staff would be hired and for what roles.
Technical support from Namati does not include funding for implementation. Please outline the
organization’s plan to secure funding for starting and sustaining a paralegal effort. Please include information
about any resources the organization may already have for use in implementing a land-focused paralegal
program.