Latest
Press Release
31 January 2023
MEDIA ADVISORY: As Myanmar crisis enters third year, Special Envoy Heyzer urgently calls for international unity on humanitarian aid, stance on elections and civilian protection
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Press Release
30 January 2023
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General - on Myanmar
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Press Release
27 January 2023
Two years after coup, Myanmar faces unimaginable regression, says UN Human Rights Chief
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Myanmar
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Myanmar:
Video
29 December 2022
António Guterres (Secretary-General) New Year's Message 2023
Every New Year is a moment of rebirth.
We sweep out the ashes of the old year and prepare for a brighter day.
In 2022, millions of people around the world literally swept out ashes.
From Ukraine to Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond, people left the ruins of their homes and lives in search of something better.
Around the world, one hundred million people were on the move, fleeing wars, wildfires, droughts, poverty and hunger.
In 2023, we need peace, now more than ever.
Peace with one another, through dialogue to end conflict.
Peace with nature and our climate, to build a more sustainable world.
Peace in the home, so women and girls can live in dignity and safety.
Peace on the streets and in our communities, with the full protection of all human rights.
Peace in our places of worship, with respect for each other's beliefs.
And peace online, free from hate speech and abuse.
In 2023, let's put peace at the heart of our words and actions.
Together, let's make 2023 a year when peace is restored to our lives, our homes, and our world.
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Publication
19 October 2022
Livelihoods Hanging by a Thread: A Survey of Garment Workers and Firms
Building on existing evidence, this research report assessed the impact of the military takeover on both garment factory workers and owners.
A survey of 1,600 current and former garment sector workers was conducted to give a snapshot of the impacts. Survey questions captured changes in income since the takeover, as well as changes in the overall wellbeing.
This was coupled with a qualitative survey of 55 garment sector and allied firms, such as retail, transport, and hospitality companies. Questions covered a wide range of topics including changes in production, coping with these changes, and the outlook in the near and medium terms.
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Press Release
04 October 2022
Civil society organization in Myanmar wins the regional Nansen Refugee Award
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is pleased to share that Meikswe Myanmar has been selected by an independent selection committee as this year’s regional winner of the Nansen Refugee Award in the Asia region.
Meikswe Myanmar is a civil society organization operating in several states and regions in Myanmar. It serves a diverse range of vulnerable groups from people living with HIV to internally displaced people and their host communities.
Meikswe Myanmar has been named a regional winner of the Nansen Refugee Award in recognition of their longstanding commitment to aiding and empowering communities uprooted by conflict. It also acknowledges their contributions in supporting and building the capacity of local organizations to effectively respond to the needs of displaced populations and host communities.
Founded in 2004, Meikswe Myanmar – meaning Friends of Myanmar - implements a range of activities to support internally displaced people, their host communities and other vulnerable groups in close to 300 locations across six states and regions, namely Kayin, Rakhine and Shan States as well as Magway, Mandalay and Yangon Regions.
“Our value is the focus on fragile and forgotten communities that are often in hard-to-access areas, as well as minority groups,” said Naw Bway Khu, Meikswe Myanmar’s founder.
The award highlights the crucial role of local organizations in responding to growing humanitarian needs in Myanmar.
“First responders are often local communities and grassroots organizations. Rapid humanitarian action would not be possible without them”, said Hai Kyung Jun, UNHCR’s Representative in Myanmar. “Humanitarian assistance undertaken by the international aid agencies like UNHCR complements what resourceful local organizations like Meikswe Myanmar are already doing on the ground to help those in need.”
Meikswe Myanmar’s programming is centered on long-term, bottom-up philosophies of empowerment and resilience, grounded in community needs. Emphasis is placed on supporting women and girls in particular.
“Communities are a fundamental building block of society. If they have strength, knowledge, and systems that enable them to progress, our country can also develop,” said Naw Bway Khu.
Keeping to its grassroots spirit, Meikswe also maintains close partnerships with a growing network of over 80 local organizations across Myanmar, acting a bridge between them and international organizations as well as donors that can provide resources. Additionally, trainings are provided by Meikswe, so that local organizations are capacitated to mount effective emergencies responses in times of crisis.
Established in 1954, the award is named for the late Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian diplomat, scientist, polar explorer and humanitarian who went on to serve as the first High Commissioner for Refugees for the League of Nations and won the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize. 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of his award.
The Nansen Refugee Award is an annual award that honours individuals, groups and organizations who go above and beyond the call of duty to protect and assist forcibly displaced and stateless people. It is sponsored by the governments of Norway and Switzerland.
This year, the global winner is Angela Merkel. There are also four regional winners, including Meikswe Myanmar in Asia, as well as winners in the Africa, the Americas and the Middle East.
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Speech
18 September 2019
Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar Oral Update to the Human Rights Council
Mr President, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with an update on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. This is an important session of the Human Rights Council, with the presentation of the first report from the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the final report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Myanmar. The establishment of both of those bodies came about after my recommendations. I had observed that the situation in Myanmar was serious enough to warrant such international action and that there was no prospect under the existing circumstances that a domestic mechanism would be able to credibly deal with the gross violations that were taking place.
Despite the fact that Myanmar refused to engage with the Fact-Finding Mission, it has made an enormous contribution to bringing to light the magnitude of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in Myanmar and I commend its work. The Independent Investigative Mechanism is just beginning its work and I have every expectation that it will make significant headway in the pursuance of justice for victims all over Myanmar. I strongly urge Myanmar and all other member states to cooperate with it.
Notwithstanding the existence and work of these mechanisms, Myanmar continues to be a state that commits ongoing gross violations of international law, is not cooperating with the United Nations and is consistently failing to meet its international obligations.
Key human rights advisors for the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office have not yet been accepted by the Government. It also declined to allow a visit of the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of opinion and expression, as well as continuing to refuse to engage with me. These are not the actions of a state that is engaging with the United Nations. I note that at this critical time, it is of great importance that the United Nations has strong leadership regarding Myanmar, particularly in light of the findings of Ambassador Rosenthal.
I have been informed of the difficulties faced by people from Myanmar living in other states, in particular the insecure situation of the Rakhine community in Singapore. I am also receiving more and more extremely worrying information about reprisals, surveillance and harassment of individuals in Myanmar and outside who are cooperating with international human rights mechanisms. I am extremely distressed by what this trend means for the safety and wellbeing of those in Myanmar and beyond who are striving for the enjoyment of rights for all people in the country. I am also terribly concerned about what it means for the conduct of mandates like mine, the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which is attempting to engage with the Government in a technical cooperation program, and the Independent Mechanism when it begins to gather evidence and interact with victims and witnesses. The situation in Myanmar remains sufficiently serious to warrant international action, and I therefore must urge you to remain urgently seized on it.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In Rakhine State, the Tatmadaw has been using helicopter gunships against the Arakan Army and both sides are accused of indiscriminate use of heavy artillery fire, gunfire and landmines in civilian areas. Up to 65,000 people have been displaced by the conflict across northern Rakhine and southern Chin States since January. Humanitarian access remains heavily restricted by the State Government in conflict-affected townships, significantly depriving at least 100,000 people of assistance and basic services, while imposed curfews are preventing people from reaching livelihoods, medical treatment and safe passage.
Throughout July, August and September I have continued to receive reports of civilians being killed, having been targeted, or as a result of indiscriminate fire. Three children were killed by mortar fire in Minbya last month, and last week a landmine explosion in Buthidaung seriously injured another two children. There have been disturbing reports of ethnic Rakhine men being arrested by the military on suspicion of association with the AA and held incommunicado for weeks. There have been 15 reported deaths in custody and allegations of torture and inhuman treatment. Chillingly, I have also received reports of villages being burned; as many as six since the end of June, which was also when the Government imposed the suspension of mobile internet services.
The suspension has been in place for nearly three months now. On 2 September it was partially lifted in five townships, but remains in place in Kyauktaw, Minbya, Ponnagyun and Mrauk-U, where the worst fighting is happening. The suspension cannot be justified under international law and is a violation of multiple rights; I call on the Government to lift the suspension immediately. The parties to the conflict must end their hostilities – the people of Rakhine have suffered enough.
Friends and colleagues,
On 15 August the conflict worsened, when the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army, known as the Three Brotherly Alliance, launched coordinated attacks in northern Shan and Mandalay, killing and injuring soldiers, police officers, and civilians. The attacks sparked intense fighting between the Tatmadaw and the ethnic armed organisations across inhabited areas and along main roads in northern Shan.
Weeks of fighting were waged with disregard for the safety, welfare and rights of civilians. Targeted and indiscriminate use of heavy artillery fire as well as landmines reportedly caused at least 17 civilian deaths. These include a farmer who was killed when Tatmadaw troops reportedly fired mortars into his village as people were fleeing military helicopters conducting air strikes nearby, and five people, including two children, who were sheltering in a house that was hit by a mortar after fighting broke out along the main road.
The fighting temporarily displaced an estimated 8,000 people in northern Shan. 1,600 of them remain displaced now. I received reports that in some areas civilians were trapped by the fighting, unable to reach safety, and that access for humanitarian actors was restricted. There were deeply concerning reports of rescue vehicles being attacked – on 17 August a humanitarian worker was killed and two of his colleagues injured when their ambulance was attacked near Lashio in violation of international humanitarian law. I condemn all targeting of civilians and humanitarian actors and demand that all parties protect civilians and respect human rights.
Last week the Three Brotherly Alliance declared a month-long unilateral ceasefire, to make way for reconciliatory peace talks. This was encouraging, with talks between the groups and the Government’s National Reconciliation and Peace Commission scheduled for tomorrow. However, despite its own declared unilateral ceasefire that was for the purpose of entering into peace negotiations having been extended until 21 September, the Tatmadaw subsequently launched an offensive against the TNLA in Namhsan, displacing 1,000 more people to whom they are blocking humanitarian aid. This bears the question of whether the Tatmadaw is serious about its stated commitment to bringing about peace.
Mr President,
I note the work that has been undertaken by the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, including prison visits, promotion of human rights, and investigations. However, reforms are needed to establish an independent and effective National Human Rights Commission in accordance with the Paris Principles. There are currently opportunities for improvement, including that the current Commissioners’ terms are coming to an end this month, and the Commission’s draft strategic plan being subject to public consultation. Notably, the draft plan includes advocacy to amend the Commission’s enabling law.
However, recent actions taken by the Commission illustrate its ongoing lack of independence and competency. As Myanmar suffers from protracted internal armed conflict and violence, it is critical the Commission conduct itself with a heightened level of vigilance and independence, and promote respect for the human rights of all individuals in all circumstances. Though it has undertaken investigations, the findings of several of them have yet to be published, undermining transparency and reducing the contribution that it could make towards combating impunity for human rights violations.
The Commission’s enabling law should be amended to ensure it greater financial autonomy, to include stronger protections against reprisals for those that engage with it, and to require regular, wide and systematic publication of its reports and findings. Critically, the Law should contain guarantees that Commissioners will be selected to ensure a pluralistic representation of society involved in the promotion and protection of human rights in Myanmar, including for example, members of civil society, health workers, journalists and others, through a transparent and inclusive process. At present the Law does not provide these guarantees and requires military-appointed personnel be involved in selecting Commissioners. Despite these limitations, I call for the new Commissioners to be selected in line with the Paris Principles.
Distinguished representatives,
We have just passed the two year anniversary of 25 August 2017, the beginning of the violent expulsion of over 700,000 Rohingya from Myanmar, a day that the refugees in Cox’s Bazar refer to as “Genocide Day”. In August this year, the refugees were subject to a different kind of violence and trauma as states colluded to attempt to repatriate 3,450 of them to Myanmar where they would only face persecution. I am concerned by information I have received that in early September, tighter restrictions were placed on refugee civil society in the camps and limits imposed on access to mobile internet, leading to increased vulnerability of refugees.
Myanmar claims to have done what is necessary for the repatriation to be successful, and continues to blame Bangladesh for any delay. However, information I have leads me to believe that the contrary is true. Myanmar has done nothing to dismantle the system of violence and persecution and the Rohingya who remain in Rakhine live in the same dire circumstances that they did prior to the events of August 2017. They are denied citizenship and recognition, face regular violence (including in the context of the ongoing conflict between the Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw), are unable to move freely and have little access to food, healthcare, education, livelihoods and services. Myanmar states that it has undertaken significant development and rehabilitation works in the area that was affected by the violence. However, satellite imagery reveals that that development has included 34 camps, the precise purpose of which is unclear but they may be intended to detain the remaining Rohingya population and those who decide to return. There are six military bases that have been built on the site of destroyed Rohingya villages. Of the 392 villages that were destroyed, there has been no attempt to reconstruct 320 of them, with 40% of villages having been completely razed to the ground. Some of that demolition occurred in 2018 and some even in 2019, and all of this is completely antithetical to the claim that Myanmar is ready to receive the refugees. I further note that under Myanmar’s land laws, burned land reverts to Government ownership. In this situation, even if the refugees wished to return to Myanmar, what have they got to go back to? Reform of these laws is one way to show that Myanmar is serious about receiving back the Rohingya who fled.
The Myanmar Government continues to assert that it and the military have taken substantial steps towards accountability for the enormous violations perpetrated against the Rohingya, with the Independent Commission of Enquiry and the military’s “investigation court”. However, despite there having been a proliferation of inquiries in Myanmar in recent years, none of them have resulted in steps taken towards an end of impunity and I do not believe either of the current inquiries will achieve this goal. My belief is unwavering that accountability is necessary for the country as a whole, as well as being key to successful repatriation: it will bring about an end to the military’s violence against ethnic minorities in Myanmar and the possibility that the Rohingya could live safely in Rakhine.
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Story
02 January 2023
A breath of hope for Rohingya women in Myanmar’s Rakhine state
Rakhine State, Myanmar – Daw Mya Mya Aye, 60, could not hide her joy as she joined fellow villagers in sharing how the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) breathed hope into their vulnerable families.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November in Matkalar village in Rakhine state, Daw Mya Mya Aye and her fellow beneficiaries explained how through the assistance from CERF they are now slowly rebuilding their lives after the COVID-19 pandemic and the escalation of the armed conflict following the military takeover in February 2021.
“I am happy that the programme gave my life back,” said Daw Mya Mya Aye, a single mother of two. “I received business training, cash, 17 piglets and stock feed to revive my pig business, which had collapsed. The training has improved my pig rearing skills, and the animals are healthier than my previous stock.”
After the armed conflict intensified, risks of gender-based violence increased, including child, forced and early marriages, and human trafficking. Daw Mya Mya Aye said she had seriously considered leaving her country out of desperation. “But I decided to stay here because I could not bear the thought of staying in a refugee camp with my small children.” The military takeover has seen more than 1.4 million people, 200,000 in Rakhine state alone, internally displaced in Myanmar, while more than 950,000 have sought refuge in nearby Bangladesh, Thailand and India.
However, after some weeks of sleepless nights pondering her next move to survive the effects of the conflict, she said a representative of one local women-led organization informed her about a new programme that intended to support vulnerable women. “That was my turning point.”
It is the plight of many women such as Daw Mya Mya Aye that required UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to join hands in the CERF-funded global multi-country programme to provide essential services to gender-based violence survivors and enhance their protection from exploitation and abuse. The programme also aimed to help women build back their small businesses for economic independence.
The initiative targets 7,192 women and girls in Rakhine and Kachin states, focusing particularly on survivors of, or those at risk of, gender-based violence.
Through this joint programme, UNFPA is also improving communities’ access to quality and comprehensive prevention and response services for gender-based violence. On the other hand, UN Women is complementing these efforts through provision of cash, business trainings and livelihood support to prevent women from opting for negative coping mechanisms such as selling family livelihood assets, exhausting savings for children’s education and other necessities, transactional sex and forced and child marriages. Support will ensure that women do not respond to difficulties using strategies that may provide a temporary means of survival, but seriously undermine their long-term wellbeing.
The cutting edge of this programme is that UN Women and UNFPA are not working alone. To further promote the localization agenda and expand the reach and access of services, the programme is partnering with 15 local women-led organizations and women’s rights organizations. This partnership is facilitating the capacity development of the women’s organizations for better engagement in humanitarian action, for them to promote reporting of gender-based violence incidents and increase accessibility of essential services such as mental health and psychosocial support and legal aid for delivery of justice.
Working in the camps for internally displaced persons and resettlement sites, the women’s organizations are engaging with various groups of people including community and religious leaders, men and boys to raise awareness on the negative effects of GBV and to improve local capacities to influence behaviour change and address social norms and gender stereotypes that fuel gender-based violence. In Rakhine state, where Daw Mya Mya Aye stays with her family, the programme is supporting 227 women, including 50 female-headed households.
The women were provided with business trainings to help improve their livestock production capacity for economic resilience, as well as in-kind support, namely piglets, chicks, stock feed and cash.
The acting interim UN Women representative in Myanmar, Karin Fueg, emphasized the importance of investing in multi-sectoral gender-based violence services and livelihood opportunities that can strengthen the protection of women and girls in conflict. She said expanding activities that can create opportunities for people to challenge gender norms and address unequal power relations between women and men can help prevent gender-based violence.
Humanitarian actors, she said, should work as a collective and put survivors and women and girls at risk of gender-based violence at the centre of protection efforts, while ensuring that life-saving services are delivered in a timely manner through different mechanisms, such as partnering with local women’s civil society organizations to ease access.
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Story
28 December 2022
Empowering Displaced Communities in Myanmar’s Northeast
Since February 2021, the humanitarian situation in Myanmar has deteriorated with the United Nations estimating that 1.5 million people displaced as of December 2022. Across the country, civilians are being displaced due to armed conflict. Many of them are also unable to move to safer locations due to insecurity.
In Myanmar’s northeastern Kachin and northern Shan States, over 121,000 people remain displaced. While the number of people forced to flee in these areas have increased since February 2021, the vast majority have lived in displacement for several years as the result of protracted conflict.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, remains committed to supporting displaced people across Myanmar. With the financial support of the European Union, UNHCR provides a comprehensive range of programmes in the country’s northeast, from life-saving assistance to resilience-building projects among displaced and conflict-affected communities. This is done through community-based protection activities, camp coordination and management and support (CCCM), and shelter and non-food items assistance, as well as support for initial returns and relocation that pave the way for longer term solutions. Through building resilience and cohesion, UNHCR works towards lasting solutions so that men, women, boys and girls of all ages, background and abilities have a safe place to call home and build a better future.
In Kachin and northern Shan States, camps and sites for internally displaced people are often set up on a spontaneous basis. Host communities are typically the first responders and take the lead in supporting the displaced. By accommodating the displaced and extending goodwill to support them, these host communities provide an essential lifeline to those fleeing armed conflict.
UNHCR’s approach is to complement the extensive support provided by host communities. At this host community in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State, UNHCR and partners supported a recently displaced community by providing them with zinc sheets so that IDPs are able to construct their own makeshift shelters.
When displacement occurs, those who flee often carry little possessions with them. Across Myanmar, core relief items, consisting of basic household items such as mosquito nets, kitchen sets, jerry cans, clothing items, sleeping mats, blankets and solar lights, are prepositioned like this one in Lashio, northern Shan State. When the need arises, these items are handed over to emergency teams on the ground so that they can quickly reach displaced populations.
Udi Doi Ra, 56, and her family of nine were displaced in 2011 when armed conflict forced them to flee their village and seek safety elsewhere. Prospects for return to their village remain slim due to continued fighting and insecurity. Despite challenges, displaced people like them remain resilient and find ways to continue living their lives while hoping to return to their homes one day.
Displaced people have the right to adequate shelter so that they can live in dignity. In situations where people are displaced for six months or longer, UNHCR provides targeted shelter support. At this camp for displaced people in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State, new homes are constructed for families to better protect them from the elements, provide space to live and store belongings as well as privacy, comfort and emotional security. Solar street lights are also installed to illuminate pathways and provide a sense of security.
Ah Chi Mee, 38, a camp committee member, observes the construction of new shelters for her community. Grateful for a roof over her head, she helps to organize basic services within her community. Many facilities, like water pumps, are communal and require care and maintenance.
Daily life in a camp for internally displaced people in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State. A woman is preparing food to feed her pigs. While humanitarian assistance remains important, especially for newly displaced families, there are others who are rebuilding their lives and seeking to achieve a greater degree of self-reliance, including through small plot farming and by rearing chickens and pigs.
To support his family, he runs a small provision shop selling basic supplies in the camp and also takes on odd jobs outside for additional income. Employment has, however, been harder to come by due to ongoing conflict and economic hardships facing Myanmar.
A woman holds a solar lamp provided by UNHCR inside her home in Namtu Township, northern Shan State. Many camps in northeastern Myanmar are not connected to the electrical grid. Solar lamps give residents a few additional hours in the evening to carry out family tasks, including household chores, studying at home, charging phones and accessing washrooms safely at night.
Lum Zawng lives at a camp for internally displaced people in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State. Together with other volunteers from his community, he assists with shelter support when repairs or rehabilitation are needed. Such self-help groups form the backbone of community resilience in many camps.
Life must go on. Marip Kai serves lunch to volunteers next to her shelter in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State which is being repaired. The temporary shelter she lives in require maintenance following several years of use.
To help ensure displaced people continue to live in dignity, UNHCR works with partners to carry out shelter maintenance. These can range from simple repair work such as changing of door locks and repairing damaged windows, to more comprehensive renovation work, which includes a complete change and replacement of walls and roofs.
Much more is needed for repair and maintenance of shelters in many of the IDP camps around Myanmar, especially as communities remain displaced, and new displacement puts greater pressure on limited funding resources.
Community empowerment is a key tenet of UNHCR’s assistance to displaced people in northeastern Myanmar. Displaced people are actively involved in service projects to support their communities. While humanitarian agencies like UNHCR provide basic support such as small grants and materials, communities have organized themselves to identify and prioritize projects based on their own needs.
Community volunteers at a camp in Kachin State come together to help reconstruct a community hall, a venue frequently utilized for meetings and other communal events. The initiative was kickstarted by the members of the Kachin IDP Youth Committee, consisting of youth volunteers from different camps in Myitkyina and Waingmaw Townships. UNHCR trained the committee in 2022 as part of efforts to include youths in community leadership and decision-making processes within camps.
Thomas, 22, gives a tour to show infrastructural improvements initiated by youths at a camp in Myitkyina, Kachin State. Rather than making referrals to camp management agencies, youths have been trained to use their local knowledge to improve the camp environment in a cost-effective way through small grants disbursed by UNHCR.
An active member of the Kachin IDP Youth Committee, Thomas is proud of the improvements made to the camp which he has lived in for over a decade. “We discuss ideas and share knowledge with each other to help develop ourselves and our community,” he says.
Community members from Sen Ja village in Namtu Township, northern Shan State, pose for a photograph in front of a newly completed community hall. The building was constructed as part of efforts to promote social cohesion between displaced families and their host community. Seng Ja, a largely Christian community, is home to some 500 families, of which a minority are Buddhist and internally displaced.
Mindful of the needs of the displaced families, community leaders approached UNHCR and a local partner to request for a hall to be built so that there could be an inclusive space for the community to hold meetings. By accommodating the displaced and extending goodwill to them, host communities like Seng Ja provide an essential lifeline to those seeking safety.
Ndau La Raw, 46, poses in front of a small grocery shop adjacent to his new home in Maina Sut Chyai - a new village in Waingmaw Township - set up by internally displaced people in Kachin State. To help them restart their lives, UNHCR constructed houses for each relocated family. Examples of displaced communities finding opportunities to move out of camps and into areas like Maina Sut Chyai, where they can better integrate, are increasingly common across Kachin State.
A child pumps water out of a hand pipe installed by community members of Maina Sut Chyai, a new village set up by internally displaced people in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State. To secure a real future for the village, residents have also been proactive in advocating for assistance with key infrastructure. Apart from constructing shelters and a community hall, UNHCR and its partners are also assisting the community to install latrines.
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Story
23 December 2022
Strengthening support and inclusion for persons with disabilities amid humanitarian crisis in Myanmar
“People think that we (persons with disabilities) cannot do anything. We want to show them our capacity that we can do like other people. Lack of support and discrimination make us more vulnerable to experience poverty, violence and limited access to essential services and information for our lives,” said Sabai, 20, a community person with physical disabilities in Yangon.
According to 2019 Myanmar Inter-Censal Survey, 12.8% of population (estimated 5.9 million people) are living with disabilities in Myanmar, and 12.4% for Yangon region. It means 896,242 people are living with disabilities in Yangon region alone. COVID-19 pandemic and political crisis have exacerbated the situation of persons with disabilities. It has imposed a triple burden on persons with disabilities particularly women and girls with disabilities. Moreover, persons with disabilities in Myanmar aged 15 and over are more than twice as likely to be unemployed than those without disabilities.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) which was adopted on 13 December 2006, reaffirms that all persons with any type of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Myo Myo, 19, a local youth with physical impairment in Yangon said, “I applied for a job at local sewing shop. When they saw my situation that I am with physical impairment, they rejected my application without any other reason. I was really sad and depressed at that time. Why didn’t they want to give me a chance? I have been asking myself that question again and again. There are no equal opportunity and equal rights for women in our society but even worse for women and girls with disabilities. Together with the support from international and local organizations, we can promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and provide awareness to change this community perception and end discrimination against persons with disabilities.”
Stigma and gender discrimination compound the denial of their rights and choices. Women with disabilities are up to 10 times more likely to experience gender-based violence and are often prevented from accessing health services including sexual and reproductive health information and services.
UNFPA is working with local organizations in Myanmar to empower women and young persons with disabilities and ensure their full participation in public life. These supports include providing knowledge and awareness of SRHR and GBV, providing vocational trainings, business skill trainings, assistive devices to facilitate their mobility, communication and participation in the society and seed money for their income generation.
Sabai has received vocational trainings and business skills trainings from one of the local disability organizations. With support of seed money she got, she opened a shop and sells Korean Rice Roll (Kimbap) and Grilled fish. She even manages to do the delivery with her e-bike.
Myo Myo also received seed money and vocational training. She has started small business at her home, such as sewing and knitting crochets.
Eri Taniguchi, Acting Deputy Representative of UNFPA, said, “Our intervention significantly contributes to initiate and promote the inclusive humanitarian and crisis response and disability-inclusive society in Myanmar. With our support through local partner organizations, mobility and assistive devices could improve the daily activities of persons with disabilities. They also help women and girls with disabilities access information and services related to sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence and participate in respective trainings.”
It is important to provide information and services for persons with disabilities considering their specific needs based on major types of disabilities, e.g. providing information with sign language for those with hearing impairment and delivering tailor-made services for those with visual and cognitive impairment. Through the right support and an inclusive approach, people with disabilities can attain a higher quality of life and enjoy their rights.
“Like everyone else, I have a dream to achieve. I want to show the world that we are ‘Able’ meaning we have the ability to contribute to our community,” Sabai said.
UNFPA works towards ensuring an accessible and equitable world where everyone has access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
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Story
09 November 2022
Promoting a better urban future in Myanmar
In Yangon alone, an estimated 400,000 residents live in informal settlements. High population densities, household crowding, unsanitary conditions, and lack of access to water and proper waste management systems, leaves residents with greater susceptibility to disease spread and pandemics such as COVID-19. Furthermore, poorly constructed structures also lead to an increased vulnerability to climate change, natural disasters and intensifying weather related events such as more frequent flooding.
Informal settlements are a result of both infrastructure and policy struggling to adapt to the new conditions created by rapid urbanization. Aiming to address these gaps, UN-Habitat Myanmar carried out a demonstration project to model basic housing improvements that are accessible to residents in informal settlements. The project was conducted in collaboration with the local organization, Doh Eain.
"Our organization is a participatory design practice based in Yangon, Myanmar. We are dedicated to making cities better by ensuring they remain places with identity and that they are liveable, inclusive, and sustainable. We have been working with local communities on research and engagement, public space design, restoration, and outreach," said U Yun Ye Wai, senior project architect from Doh Eain. During the 1st wave of COVID-19, Doh Eain initiated the Yangon Neighbourhood Network (YNN), which connects grassroot organizations working across the city to coordinate, strengthen, and advance their initiatives to respond to crises and improve community welfare and resilience
UN-Habitat collaborated with Doh Eain to identify a location and a community to be the beneficiary of the implementation works. The demo project occurred during the months of August to October 2022 in a community from Ward 67 in Dagon Seikkan township, Yangon. The community was chosen based on criteria such as site size and condition, beneficiary needs assessment, and active and engaged community members. Participatory methods and tools such as community vulnerability assessments were used to ensure community members were engaged throughout the different stages of the project. Community members played a critical role in determining what kinds of improvements were needed. Several families were then collectively chosen as recipients of demonstration housing improvements.
Ko Kyaw Htay, Ma Mar Mar Win, and their two young children were very grateful to be selected as a beneficiary of the demo project. After their small trade business failed, they fell into debt and lost their house. Both parents have been taking every available job to earn money including collecting and selling sweet potato leaves that grow around the neighbourhood.
Before the improvements the family lived in a small bamboo structure covered by a large green plastic tarp. In their own words, “There was no security, neatness and cleanliness around the house. That style of living was not the way we would like to live.” Furthermore, accessing water has been a consistent struggle for them. They often rely on the generosity of their neighbours and donations from local organizations to access drinking water.
With the help of the demo project, the family received several interventions including a new house constructed with easily replicable methods and local materials. Along with the improved housing, the family also received a rainwater collection system that utilizes the roof of the house to collect water in a gutter which is deposited into a barrel next to the house.
The most immediate impact that the improvements have had on the family’s lives is the door on their new house. They can now sleep more peacefully at night and leave during the day without fear of theft. They plan to continue improving their house by constructing a kitchen in the back and by planting fruit trees out front. Despite still living in a precarious situation, their generous character is humbling. “One thing we have learned from out past events and experience is to continue to donate as much as we can, no matter how little or how much we can.”
The demo project additionally supported a family of 11 who all share one house. Ma Eaint Thu Soe works as a mason in her community while also doing laundry at home. Their family was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic downturn made it difficult for them to afford repairs to their dilapidated house. “The roof of our house was really a bad situation to live in and when it came to the rainy season, we did not have a place where it couldn’t get wet from rain. My Mom, who had suffered a stroke, had to put the lid of the dan pot on her chest or stay under the umbrella so she wouldn’t get wet.”
Other family members work to help support the family, but it is still not enough income to cover their living expenses. The family frequently cannot afford enough rice and curry to satisfy the children. Ma Eaint Thu Soe feels a lot of pressure to provide for her family and that takes a heavy emotional toll on her and the other matriarchs.
Family members readily assisted with the demo project improvements, carrying concrete footings and digging holes. With their new house they feel “happy and excited for our better future”. They hope to use left over materials to build more rooms for her and her grandmother to sleep. The family’s 63-year-old grandmother was especially happy with the improvements. She is glad to have a door which locks so she can leave the house without worrying about protecting their family’s precious things. She hopes to save some money for her many grandchildren so that she can “make a ceremony of novitiation for them and give a lunch to all children in this ward.”
Their generosity despite hardships is also reflected in their pledge to not request any further help for their family as they want other households in the community to receive support. Ma Eaint Thu Soe concludes, “I’m sure that everybody in this community would like to live in a house that can guarantee the safety of their family and sleep peacefully. I truly want to give another chance to other vulnerable households.”
While the impact is profound for these individuals, it is not enough. These interventions must be urgently replicated. Results of the model demonstration project have been used to develop a Design and Resilience Toolkit targeting residents of informal settlements, focusing on housing improvements, rainwater harvesting and sanitation. The toolkit is available in Myanmar language and English.
This article was originally published on the UN Habitat Myanmar website and has been edited for the UN Myanmar website.
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Story
02 November 2022
Women-led organizations are key to ensure the Women, Peace and Security Agenda
Twenty-two years on from the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on 31 October 2000, women activists and women-led organizations all over the world continue to drive efforts to make, build and sustain peace. They have successfully broadened the view that women must be meaningfully engaged in the decisions that impact their lives and that their participation in peacebuilding processes can contribute to more lasting peace. UNSCR 1325 represents an important commitment made by Member States to take active steps in addressing the ways in which women and girls are impacted by violent conflict and ensure they are represented in peace and security processes.
The escalating conflict in Myanmar has increased pre-existing inequalities and vulnerabilities of women and girls to conflict-related sexual violence, early and forced marriages, human trafficking, sexual exploitation and irregular labour migration. The compounded crisis dramatically increased levels of poverty and food insecurity across the country, with many reports highlighting the disproportionate impact on women. In the words of a Kachin woman: “I feel unsafe and I always have to be prepared to flee from shootings and bombings. Surviving is the priority, and I’m not able to make money.”
Despite facing significant challenges, women-led organizations are ensuring that the gendered aspects of violent conflict are recognized and women are meaningfully engaged in the humanitarian response. As a result of their efforts and strategic adjustments to provide relief and recovery support, Myanmar was amongst a small number of countries that saw an increase in the participation of local women-led organizations in humanitarian planning between 2020 - 2021, according to the UN Secretary-General’s 2022 Report on Women, Peace and Security. These organisations are also looking to the future, through initiatives focused on developing a cadre of women peace trainers, or identifying strategies to ensure women’s participation and representation in future political processes. “Some people are now demanding Myanmar be a Federal Union,” a female participant* at a Gender and Federalism training said. “We’re analysing the importance of women’s participation in politics, the role of civil society organisations, and identifying the opportunities and challenges of Federalism in advancing gender equality,” she added. Unfortunately, global aid to peace and security continues to underprioritize gender equality, with women-led organizations’ contributions being undervalued and under-resourced. The Women, Peace and Security agenda in Myanmar is more relevant than ever, and there remains a clear need for dedicated resources to support women-led civil society efforts to respond to current situation. At the core of this agenda is the recognition of the immense sacrifices, the determination, persistence and the innovation of women and women-led organizations. UN Women Myanmar works with various partners to ensure women and girls affected by crises lead, participate in and benefit from relief, response, peace and development efforts. *Name of the female participant is not revealed for security reasons.
Despite facing significant challenges, women-led organizations are ensuring that the gendered aspects of violent conflict are recognized and women are meaningfully engaged in the humanitarian response. As a result of their efforts and strategic adjustments to provide relief and recovery support, Myanmar was amongst a small number of countries that saw an increase in the participation of local women-led organizations in humanitarian planning between 2020 - 2021, according to the UN Secretary-General’s 2022 Report on Women, Peace and Security. These organisations are also looking to the future, through initiatives focused on developing a cadre of women peace trainers, or identifying strategies to ensure women’s participation and representation in future political processes. “Some people are now demanding Myanmar be a Federal Union,” a female participant* at a Gender and Federalism training said. “We’re analysing the importance of women’s participation in politics, the role of civil society organisations, and identifying the opportunities and challenges of Federalism in advancing gender equality,” she added. Unfortunately, global aid to peace and security continues to underprioritize gender equality, with women-led organizations’ contributions being undervalued and under-resourced. The Women, Peace and Security agenda in Myanmar is more relevant than ever, and there remains a clear need for dedicated resources to support women-led civil society efforts to respond to current situation. At the core of this agenda is the recognition of the immense sacrifices, the determination, persistence and the innovation of women and women-led organizations. UN Women Myanmar works with various partners to ensure women and girls affected by crises lead, participate in and benefit from relief, response, peace and development efforts. *Name of the female participant is not revealed for security reasons.
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Press Release
31 January 2023
MEDIA ADVISORY: As Myanmar crisis enters third year, Special Envoy Heyzer urgently calls for international unity on humanitarian aid, stance on elections and civilian protection
Over the past two years, the military’s disruption of Myanmar’s democratic transition has inflicted enormous damage on the country and people, and led to a multidimensional crisis spanning severe humanitarian, human rights and socio-economic consequences with serious regional ramifications. As of the end of last year, 15.2 million people were food insecure, more than 1.5 million internally displaced and an estimated 34,000 civilian structures had been destroyed since the military takeover. The Rohingya people in refugee camps and those remaining in the country, as well as other marginalized communities, are at heightened risk with 2022 marking one of the deadliest years for people forced to undertake perilous sea journeys.
The Special Envoy renewed the United Nations’ solidarity with the people of Myanmar and the need for protection of all communities, which the United Nations Secretary-General reinforced in his recent statement. She reiterated the Secretary-General’s concern regarding the military’s stated intention to hold elections, which threatens to worsen the violence and instability in the absence of inclusive political dialogue and conditions that permit citizens to freely exercise their political rights without fear or intimidation.
The Special Envoy urgently calls for greater unity and commitment among the international community in three key areas:
First, the international community, and particularly donors and Myanmar’s neighbours, must come together with humanitarian actors including local humanitarian networks to scale up urgently needed assistance to all those in need without discrimination and through all available channels. A commitment to increase levels of cross-border aid, along with more flexible banking and reporting rules, will facilitate humanitarian support to people most in need.
Second, the international community must forge a stronger unified position regarding the military’s potential elections which will fuel greater violence, prolong the conflict and make the return to democracy and stability more difficult.
Third, the international community must implement measures to increase protection for civilians inside Myanmar as well as for Myanmar refugees in the wider region. Such measures could include an on-the-ground monitoring mechanism as part of the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and its commitment to stop the violence in Myanmar, and regional frameworks for the protection of refugees and forcibly displaced people.
“It is inconceivable any form of peaceful and democratic transition can be initiated by those perpetrating harm on their own citizens,” Special Envoy Heyzer said. “The violence has to stop, including the aerial bombings and burning of civilian infrastructure along with military’s ongoing arrests of political leaders, civil society actors and journalists.”
Guided by her ongoing consultations with women and youth, ethnic, political and community leaders, and refugee representatives, the Special Envoy is focusing on the following four areas: an Inclusive Humanitarian Forum; upscaling access to education for Rohingya refugees and host communities; regional frameworks for the protection of refugees and forcibly displaced people; and advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Myanmar.
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Press Release
31 January 2023
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General - on Myanmar
The Secretary-General welcomes the 21 December 2022 adoption of Security Council Resolution 2669 (2022) as an important step and underlines the urgency for strengthened international unity. As called for by the Security Council, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy will coordinate closely with the new Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair to engage intensively with all relevant parties in Myanmar to achieve an end to the violence and to support a return to democracy.
The Secretary-General is concerned by the military’s stated intention to hold elections amid intensifying aerial bombardment and burning of civilian houses, along with ongoing arrests, intimidation and harassment of political leaders, civil society actors and journalists. Without conditions that permit the people of Myanmar to freely exercise their political rights, the proposed polls risk exacerbating instability.
The United Nations is committed to staying in Myanmar and addressing the multiple vulnerabilities arising from the military’s actions since February 2021. This requires full and unhindered access to all affected communities as well as prioritizing the safety and security of the United Nations agencies and its partners. The Secretary-General renews his call for neighboring countries and other Member States to urge the military leadership to respect the will and needs of the people of Myanmar and adhere to democratic norms.
The Secretary-General is concerned by the military’s stated intention to hold elections amid intensifying aerial bombardment and burning of civilian houses, along with ongoing arrests, intimidation and harassment of political leaders, civil society actors and journalists. Without conditions that permit the people of Myanmar to freely exercise their political rights, the proposed polls risk exacerbating instability.
The United Nations is committed to staying in Myanmar and addressing the multiple vulnerabilities arising from the military’s actions since February 2021. This requires full and unhindered access to all affected communities as well as prioritizing the safety and security of the United Nations agencies and its partners. The Secretary-General renews his call for neighboring countries and other Member States to urge the military leadership to respect the will and needs of the people of Myanmar and adhere to democratic norms.
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Press Release
30 January 2023
UNODC Report – major opium economy expansion is underway in Myanmar
Bangkok (Thailand) – The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) opium survey for Myanmar has found that cultivation has increased significantly, reversing the downward trend of 2014 to 2020.
The report announced today “Myanmar Opium Survey 2022: Cultivation, Production and Implications” has analysed data collected during the first full growing season since the military takeover, showing an increase of 33% in cultivation area to 40,100 hectares, and an 88% increase in potential yield to 790 metric tonnes. Following a moderate increase in cultivation area of 2% and yield of 4% during the 2021 season, the 2022 results confirm a significant expansion is underway of Myanmar’s opium economy.
UNODC Regional Representative Jeremy Douglas remarked, “economic, security and governance disruptions that followed the military takeover of February 2021 have converged, and farmers in remote often conflict prone areas in northern Shan and border states have had little option but to move back to opium.”
The most significant increases were registered in Shan State where cultivation went up 39%, followed by Chin and Kayah states which increased 14% and 11%, while cultivation in Kachin rose a moderate 3%. The average estimated opium yield also increased by 41% to 19.8 kg/ha – the highest value since UNODC started measuring it in 2002 – pointing to increasingly sophisticated farming practices and availability of fertilizers.
The average price paid to farmers increased by 69% in 2022 to about US$280/kg even as the supply surged, demonstrating the attractiveness of opium as a crop and commodity, and strong expanding demand as the Golden Triangle opium and heroin trade appears to be reconnecting to the global market. Combined with higher production, farmers earned more than twice as much from opium as in the previous year, although the jump in income did not necessarily translate directly into purchasing power as the country has experienced soaring inflation, a devalued currency, and increasing costs of fertilizers and fuel.
The increase in opium has taken place at the same time that the production of synthetic drugs has continued to expand, with the drug economy in the country and surrounding region generating substantial profits. The value of opium in Myanmar ranges up to US$2 billion, with the regional heroin trade valued at approximately US$10 billion.
Representative Douglas added, “the growth we are witnessing in the drug business is directly connected to the crisis the country is facing. The impact on the region is profound, and the country’s neighbours need to assess and candidly address the situation, and they will need to consider some difficult options.”
Solutions need to take into account the challenges and vulnerabilities faced by people living in traditional opium-cultivating areas, including isolation and conflict. UNODC works with these realities in-mind, supporting communities and farmers to strengthen local livelihoods that can compete with the opium economy.
“At the end of the day, opium cultivation is really about economics, and it cannot be resolved by destroying crops which only escalates vulnerabilities,” commented Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC Country Manager for Myanmar. He added, “Without alternatives and economic stability it is likely that opium cultivation and production will continue to expand.”
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Press Release
27 January 2023
Two years after coup, Myanmar faces unimaginable regression, says UN Human Rights Chief
“By nearly every feasible measurement, and in every area of human rights – economic, social and cultural, as much as civil and political – Myanmar has profoundly regressed,” he said, reflecting on the spiralling crisis since the attempted coup of 1 February 2021.
“Despite clear legal obligations for the military to protect civilians in the conduct of hostilities, there has been consistent disregard for the related rules of international law. Far from being spared, civilians have been the actual targets of attacks – victims of targeted and indiscriminate artillery barrages and air strikes, extrajudicial executions, the use of torture, and the burning of whole villages.”
“At this somber time, I want to acknowledge the courage of all those whose lives have been lost in the struggle for freedom and dignity in Myanmar, and the continuing pain and suffering of their families and loved ones.”
According to credible sources at least 2,890 people have died at the hands of the military and others working with them, of whom at least 767 were initially taken into custody. This is almost certainly an underestimation of the number of civilians killed as a result of military action. A staggering further 1.2 million people have been internally displaced, and over 70,000 have left the country - joining over one million others, including the bulk of the country’s Rohingya Muslim population, who fled sustained persecution and attacks over the past decades.
Credible information indicates that over 34,000 civilian structures, including homes, clinics, schools and places of worship, have been burned over the past two years. Myanmar’s economy has collapsed with nearly half of the population now living below the poverty line.
Since the coup was launched, the military has imprisoned the democratically elected leadership of the country and, in subsequent months, detained over 16,000 others – most of whom face specious charges in military-controlled courts, in flagrant breach of due process and fair trial rights, linked to their refusal to accept the military’s actions.
“There must be a way out of this catastrophic situation, which sees only deepening human suffering and rights violations on a daily basis,” said Türk. “Regional leaders, who engaged the military leadership through ASEAN, agreed a Five-Point Consensus that Myanmar’s generals have treated with disdain.”
“Two of the critical conditions that were agreed - to cease all violence and to allow humanitarian access - have not been met. In fact, we have seen the opposite. Violence has spiralled out of control and humanitarian access has been severely restricted.”
The High Commissioner pointed to other measures that would be crucial to a political foundation for resolving the crisis: the release of all political prisoners, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, as called for by the UN Security Council; inclusive dialogue with all parties -- involving both the ASEAN Chair and the UN Special Envoy; and allowing the UN Human Rights Office meaningful access to the country to monitor the situation independently and impartially.
“Restoring respect for human rights is a key to ending this crisis, to end this situation where Myanmar’s generals are trying to prop up through brute force a decades-old system in which they answer to no-one but themselves,” said Türk.
“Those responsible for the daily attacks against civilians and the human rights violations must be held accountable. The military needs to be brought under real, effective civilian oversight. This will be difficult to achieve, but these elements are critical to restoring any semblance of democratic rule, security and stability to the country.”
In its first year of independence, Myanmar was among the first Member States of the United Nations to vote in favour of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Sadly, as we mark 75 years since the Declaration’s adoption, the military is actively engaged in violating its fundamental values, principles and rights enshrined in it,” the High Commissioner said.
“How can a military that purports to defend the country have brought their own people – from all parts of Myanmar’s rich and diverse society – to such a point of desperation?”
“Last month, the Security Council united to adopt a path-breaking resolution that demanded an immediate end to the violence, among other urgent steps. Now it is time for the world to come together to take common actions to stop the killing, protect the people of Myanmar, and ensure respect for their universal human rights.”
ENDS
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Press Release
09 January 2023
Myanmar: Political detainees
The release of political prisoners in Myanmar is not only a relief to those unfairly detained, but also their families. Importantly, however, we take this opportunity to call for the release of the thousands of others who remain in detention for opposing military rule. Even as news emerged about the amnesty to mark the country's independence day, we continued to receive reports of people being detained for opposing military rule, many of whom have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Such detentions are not only intended to silence the junta’s critics, but are also designed to instil fear.
As we mark the 75th anniversary this year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the High Commissioner has called for an end to arbitrary detention once and for all. This week he called on governments and all detaining authorities globally to put the milestone Declaration into action by granting an amnesty, pardon or by simply releasing all those detained for exercising their rights.
The pathway out of Myanmar’s crisis is not by locking people up – it is by allowing them to freely, fully, and effectively participate in political life.
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