Press Release

Mr. KARASAWA Masayuki, Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar Office delivered the opening addresses at the one-year anniversary of commencement of Pilot Court-Led Mediation

What comes up to your mind when you hear a word "court" or "litigation"? You may imagine that it is burdensome, time-consuming or a place where you feel scared and nervous. The Court-Led mediation introduced by the Supreme Court of the Union (SCU) in March 2019 has been gradually but successfully changing such stereotypes of the people towards courts.

The Court-Led Mediation is different from civil litigation in many ways. Strict and rigid court procedures do not apply. The mediation does not require lengthy witness examinations. It can provide citizens with timely and cost-effective dispute resolution. In addition, the mediation seeks to find a solution that best fits the both parties' interests, expectations and emotional settings. Therefore, the mediation plays an important role to serve as a user-friendly dispute resolutions mechanism.

With its great leadership and dedication, the SCU successfully introduced pilot court-led mediation in March 2019 in mediation centers in Dekkhina, Takkone and Taungoo with the cooperation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The one-year anniversary of the commencement of the pilot Court-Led Mediation was celebrated on 4 March 2020 at the Myanmar Convention Center II.

During the ceremony, KARASAWA Masayuki, the Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar Office, stated that the mediation is especially suitable for small disputes arising from daily life. Out of 498 cases referred to the mediation during one-year period, 291 cases are money lending cases and 107 cases are family related cases, both of which are the disputes arising from daily life of ordinary people.

The Honorable Chief Justice, U Htun Htun Oo stated that the SCU is making various preparation to expand mediation nationwide by 2022 in accordance with the judicial strategic plan which includes the expansion of pilot mediation to the whole Naypyitaw area this year. The JICA welcomes such initiatives towards people-centered judicial system to realize justice for all in Myanmar, and will continue to support these efforts made by the SCU.

Since November 2013, the JICA Judicial and Legal Project has been cooperating with the SCU and Union Attorney General's Office (UAGO), who have both been making great efforts to establish the rule of law in Myanmar. Currently, the project is working to assist UAGO and the SCU on various fields, such as a) Court-led mediation, which is started in four pilot courts around Naypyitaw since March 2019 in order to realize fair and efficient procedures, b) Drafting court regulations for intellectual property disputes, c) Development of a business-law-related casebook and its training, d) Support for establishing effective regular training systems and e) Formulation of commercial contract guidelines such as joint venture contract /land lease contract.

Mr. KARASAWA Masayuki, Chief Representative of JICA Myanmar Office and distinguished guests posed for the commemorative group photo at the one year anniversary of commencement of Pilot Court-Led Mediation