Myanmar’s transition toward democracy has been ongoing since 2010. Parliamentary elections in 2015 shifted the country from military rule to civilian leadership. Still, the country faces challenges, with a huge gap in access to justice for poor and vulnerable communities.    

Myanmar took a tremendous step forward in 2016 by adopting a national legal aid law. The law was set into motion after Myanmar’s participation in the International Legal Aid Conference, co-convened by the ILF in June 2014. Building on Myanmar’s continued progress toward a more equitable justice system, the ILF established its Myanmar program with a small office in Yangon in 2017. We’ve since grown to serve communities in Yangon, Mandalay, Pathein (Ayeyarwady Region), Lashio (Shan State), and Rakhine State.