Open Letters Call for Civil Society Consultation on the Enabling Law of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission

On 8 May, the Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI), a network of 30 organizations from 17 countries across Asia advocating for the strengthening of the independence and effectiveness of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in Asia along with 25 organizations from Burma, sent letters to President Thein Sein and Thura U Shwe Mann, Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, about civil society consultation on the enabling law of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) […]

Open Letter: Civil Society Consultation on the Enabling Law of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission

Mr. President,

It has come to our knowledge that the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) has been tasked with drafting the Commission’s enabling law in collaboration with the President’s Office and that a draft of the legislation will be soon submitted to the Parliament […]

Open Letter: Civil Society Consultation on the Enabling Law of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission

Dear U Shwe Mann,

It has come to our knowledge that the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) has been tasked with drafting the Commission’s enabling law in collaboration with the President’s Office and that a draft of the legislation will be soon submitted to the Parliament […]

Conducting Meaningful Stakeholder Consultation in Myanmar

Shift’s April 2013 report is designed to assist companies with the challenge of conducting meaningful consultations with stakeholders, as they consider or commence operations in Myanmar. The report (1) provides a survey of stakeholder views regarding the entry of companies into Myanmar; and (2) sets out key elements for companies to consider in their stakeholder engagement strategies […]

World Bank returns to Burma amid criticism

After leaving over suspended debt repayment in the late 1980s, the World Bank officially returned to Burma, also known as Myanmar, in early August. It signed off $85 million in grants, but no loans will be approved until the $400 million Burma still owes to the Bank are cleared. Concerns remain that the Bank is failing to engage constructively and transparently with civil society […]

IFIs must “engage with the Burmese people”

Over 20 civil society groups from Burma, also known as Myanmar, have written to the heads of the IMF and World Bank requesting that the IFIs involve grass roots actors in their newly revived activities in the country and that their operational policies “guarantee maximum transparency, accountability, social inclusiveness and safeguards”. International NGO Human Rights Watch has also written to Bank president Robert Zoellick calling on the Bank to “actively engage with the Burmese people” and ensure that “no one who engages with the Bank shall face reprisals” […]