European Parliament Calls on the MNHRC to Intensify its Work of Promoting and Safeguarding the Fundamental Rights of Citizens

By Burma Partnership • April 20, 2012

In a resolution dated 20 April, the European Parliament, among other things, called “on the National Human Rights Commission to intensify its work of promoting and safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens.” This statement came only few days after Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative announced that she has launched a programme to help the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission.

We welcome this statement as the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission is not yet an independent and effective mechanism to promote and protect human rights for the people of Burma.

We hope that the European Union will work closely with the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission in order to ensure it respects the Paris Principles. These principles are minimum conditions that must be met for a national human rights institution to be considered independent and effective in protecting and promoting the rights of the people.

The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission is currently in the process of drafting its enabling law that will have to be adopted by the Parliament. We consider that if the government is serious about creating a commission that complies with the Paris Principles, it must work in consultation with civil society in order to ensure transparency, foster human rights and that the commission meets the needs of the people of Burma.

The European Union, while working with the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, must ensure it involves civil society and broad consultations with the public, as required by the Paris Principles.

Tags: Burma Partnership, EU, Myanmar National Human Rights Commission

This post is in: Blog, NHRC Monitor

European Parliament Calls on the MNHRC to Intensify its Work of Promoting and Safeguarding the Fundamental Rights of Citizens

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