Statement of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission on the Plan of Action for Prevention Against Recruitment of the Under-Aged Children for Military Service

The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission welcomes the signing of the Plan of Action for Prevention against Recruitment of the Under-Aged Children for Military Service between the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the United Nations on 27 June 2012 in Nay Pyi Taw […]

Support for Rights of the Child and Human Rights in Myanmar

Foreign Minister Bob Carr today announced a new $3 million package of Australian assistance for human rights initiatives in Myanmar. Senator Carr said the package would assist the Government of Myanmar to meet human rights commitments […]

Indian NHRC Asks Myanmar Counterpart to Take up Persecution Issue

The NHRC has asked its Myanmar counterpart to take up with their government the issue of migration from their country to India due to reported fear of systematic persecution at the hands of the ruling junta […]

APF Discusses Myanmar NHRI’s Founding Legislation

As part of its program of support for Myanmar’s newly established national human rights institution, the APF recently travelled to Yangon to take part in discussions on the development of legislation to formalise the NHRI through an Act of Parliament […]

Win Mra, Chairman of the MNHRC says the Release of Political Prisoners is Not a Priority

According to an article published in the Irrawaddy, Win Mra, Chairman of the MNHRC said he has made some attempt to get remaining prisoners on the agenda, but acknowledged it’s not a government priority […]

Burma’s Civil Society Calls for Transparency and Inclusiveness in Drafting of the National Human Rights Commission Enabling Law

Fifty-four civil society and community-based organizations and networks from Burma released a statement today welcoming recent efforts to establish the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) through an act of Parliament […]

Empowering the Myanmar Human Rights Commission

Skepticism regarding the value of the Myanmar Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has been virtually universal—leading to tired jokes that the very term is in itself an oxymoron. A perpetual cycle of human rights violations exposed over the course of half-a-century—including systematic rape, forced labor, child soldiers, land confiscations and extrajudicial killings—has not inspired optimism that […]

UN Secretary General Offers Support to strengthen MNHRC’s Independence

During his visit to Burma United-Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, expressed his strong commitment to work with the people and Government to build a closer partnership between the UN and Burma in support of different programs […]

APF Offers Assistance to Myanmar’s New NHRI

The APF and representatives of Myanmar’s newly established national human rights institution have identified a number of areas for initial cooperation, following a visit to the south-east Asian country this month by APF secretariat Director Kieren Fitzpatrick and APF Senior Consultant Professor Chris Sidoti […]

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

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 […]