Download the file - United Nations Rule of Law

sort out the conflicting elements and determine themost promising strategic direction to take for theircommunity, their country or their region. We listthem as follows:• Legal Empowerment of the Poor is easiest toimplement where it is needed least.• A rich base of comparative international experienceexist, but there are no ready-made formulasfor legal empowerment.• Think systemically, act incrementally.• Think long, go short.• Start from afar, but change from within.• Support associations of the poor, but do notcompromise their independence.• Bundle service delivery.• Support Alternative Dispute Resolution.• Collaborate with professional organisations.Change agents may consider employing these suggestions.While remaining true to the core valuesof the legal empowerment agenda, they may makeit possible for many more poor people to improvetheir lives in the foreseeable future. Of course,these agents must be prepared to come up againstcountervailing factors, and there can be no guaranteeof successful implementation; but steady andmodest progress in fighting poverty with legal toolsand rights is well within the realm of possibility inmost countries.• Work from the bottom up and the top down.• Decentralise — except when it is better to centralise.• Balance demand for change with the capacity toaccommodate change.• Put together informal and formal institutions.• Look for cooperation, but anticipate confrontation.While walking the tightrope of these strategic suggestions,change agents can call upon a variety ofimplementation tactics they can use, including:• Be opportunistic.• Use plain and local language.• Work with para-professionals.• Bring existing technical solutions up to date.• Bring together technical expertise and grassrootsexperience.• Dedicate resources to support participatory processesand coordination.• Provide effective outreach.• Provide access to information.282