Announcement: Burma Partnership Transitions to Progressive Voice

This year, Burma Partnership celebrated its 10^th Anniversary. Over the last decade, our organization, born out of Burma’s border-based movement for democracy, ethnic equality, human rights, peace and justice, has had the privilege to work alongside a vibrant civil society – from inside the country, along Burma’s borders, and networks from across the Asia Pacific region and around the world – in mobilizing and coordinating a solidarity movement with a common strategy for a democratic and free Burma. This mandate was bestowed on us by our partners at the inception of the network in Thailand in 2006.

However, since 2011, Burma has experienced a considerable political and economic shift, culminating in the first free elections of 2015. Burma’s civil society movement has grown throughout a changing political landscape, expanding and redefining itself constantly to address new challenges or to propel forward new ideas.

Reflecting on these changes in Burma and on the solid linkages formed between civil society organizations, both inside and out of the country, Burma Partnership’s mandate to coordinate and mobilize the solidarity movement has come to an end.

As of 10 October, 2016, Burma Partnership is pivoting in a new direction, under the banner of Progressive Voice. This new participatory and rights-based policy research and advocacy organization will draw on Burma Partnership’s existing strengths, networks and values, as well as the changing political and civil society landscape, to fill the need for a rights-based policy narrative on Burma that reflects the voices from the ground. As in the past, Progressive Voice will continue to produce the Weekly Highlights, briefing papers, press releases, as well as disseminating valuable commentary, press releases and reports from our partners in civil society that aims to expose and improve the human rights situation in Burma.

Please continue to follow updates regarding the human rights situation in Burma through Progressive Voices’ website, facebook and twitter accounts. You can also sign up to the mailing list here.

For more information regarding the transition, read a letter from the Coordinator of Burma Partnership, Khin Ohmar here.

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