COMMUNITY FACILITATOR CODE OF CONDUCT/ ETHICAL PRINCIPLES, NAMATI SAMPLE ETHICS TOOL 1. Clients first. Our greatest duty is to the communities and individuals with whom we work. We must treat them with respect, courtesy, and solidarity. Community facilitators and program teams should constantly evaluate whether our program is doing its best to serve our clients and communities, and to help to improve services wherever possible. 2. Solving justice problems. The aim of our work is to help people achieve concrete, practical solutions to their justice problems. We must be creative and determined in doing this and follow through all cases to full completion. 3. Empowerment. Our interventions should increase our clients’ knowledge, ability, and confidence to stand up for themselves and to solve justice problems on their own whenever possible. 4. Confidentiality. We are required to respect the privacy of our clients and do not share information about our clients to the public. We use information we gather to solve their problems. We only use information for other aims such as advocacy with client consent. 8. Impartiality. We must always be unbiased and impartial. We do not handle cases in which we have a personal interest so as not to run the risk of taking sides. We can refer such cases to another community facilitator or organization. 9. Personal and Professional Responsibility. We maintain a high level of personal and professional integrity. 10. Work within the framework of the law. We respect and follow the law in carrying out our community facilitator work. For example, we cannot force people to sign complaint letters or mediation agreements. We cannot pay bribes or help clients pay bribes. 11. Working as a team. We support each other in our collective mission. It is important for us to communicate clearly and respectfully, to build each other’s capacity, and to maintain an atmosphere of teamwork. 12. Responsible use of resources. Any allowances and program funds should be used to fulfil our responsibilities to clients and we must use all resources—time, energy, funds, or office materials—in a wise and careful manner. 5. Free-of-cost service. We shall not take fees or gifts for any services provided to a client. 6. Accurate presentation. We must remember that we are not lawyers and must make this clear to clients 7. Promptness. We provide prompt services and do not keep people waiting unnecessarily. We follow up on a regular basis with clients to keep both us and them informed, even if the case takes a long time. This code of conduct was developed by Namati’s Myanmar Program, drawing on the experience and best practices of Timap for Justice in Sierra Leone. A C O M M U N I T Y- B A S E D P R A C T I T I O N E R ’ S G U I D E : D O C U M E N T I N G C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D OT H E R F O R M S O F L E G A L I D E N T I T Y | 87