Against the backdrop of the current COVID 19 global pandemic and with whole countries and cities in lockdown, travel suspended, and in-person meetings postponed or cancelled, MRLG is taking an advantage of virtual operations in order to keep our plans and commitments moving forward.
On 24 March, MRLG Myanmar Customary Tenure Alliance successfully conducted a virtual alliance meeting to discuss progress, confirm ongoing activities and to make plans for the future. 13 participants from partner organisations, MRLG representatives from Myanmar and representatives from the regional office in Vientiane were participated in this virtual meeting.
While some of communications can be done via email, video or audio conference allows for a far more personal experience and immediate fruitful exchange of ideas.
Since international and domestic travel is banned during this time, maintaining contact with project partners is essential as it allows MRLG better understand issues and difficulties, maintain in so far as is physically possible our commitments, identify activities that can continue, strategize future work and ensure that we are ready to move quickly when the current situation improves.
As the Customary Tenure Alliance meeting in Myanmar acted to prove the feasibility and advantage the virtual meeting, two other important meetings; a Project Steering Committee and Regional Advisory Committee are planned in the coming weeks using the same approach.
All MRLG staff in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam are working from home during this time to protect ourselves and our family members from this contagious disease, we are using online platforms to communicate regularly to update each others on our work plans, commitments, and to lift our spirits during this time of isolation.
