Participants in the Mekong Legal Advocacy Institute (MLAI) learn from Chompoo Korn, a Bertha Legal Fellow at EarthRights International. MLAI is an annual two-week program that aims to inspire and train the next generation of young legal advocates working for human rights and the environment. Participants attend to learn about topics that are not traditionally taught at local law schools – including Environmental Impact Assessments, human rights, and international financial institutions.
Participants from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam get to know one another through a game before starting the day’s workshops. MLAI provides a safe, welcoming space for earth rights defenders to learn and connect.
Activities were held at the Mitharsuu Center for Leadership and Justice in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The name “Mitharsuu” means “family” in Burmese and the MLAI program reflects this idea by developing a network of young legal advocates who can support one another’s work.
Participants present case studies from their country, sharing the legal and policy strategies they use with their peers. The MLAI program intentionally focuses on the expertise and leadership of women.
MLAI emphasizes community-led responses to top-down development. Here, Tom Weerachat of International Accountability Project (IAP) teaches about case studies, stakeholder power analysis, and community-led research.
In the last session of the workshops, MLAI participants meet with members of the Mekong Legal Network (MLN) to learn about their experiences and build relationships. MLN is a network of senior public interest lawyers who work together to promote access to justice in the Mekong region around human and environmental rights.
