Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC)

Establishment of MNHRC Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Parliament) enacted the “Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Law” on 28 March 2014 MNHRC was established on 24 September 2014 with 11 Members with the aim of : promoting and protecting the fundamental rights of citizens enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; the human rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the human rights contained in the international human rights instruments applicable to the State.

Mandate (salient features) Promoting public awareness of human rights; Verifying and conducting inquiries in respect of complaints of human rights violations; Visiting the scene of human rights violations and conducting inquiries; Inspecting prisons, jails, detention centres and public or private places of confinement; Recommending to the Government the international human rights instruments to which Myanmar should become a party; Reviewing existing laws and proposed bills for consistency with the international human rights instruments to which the State is a party;

Consulting, engaging and cooperating with other national, regional, international human rights mechanisms including the Universal Periodic Review as appropriate; Responding to any matter referred to the Commission by the Parliament Responding to specific matters referred by the President Submitting annual report on the situation of human rights in the country, the activities and functions of the Commission with such recommendations as are appropriate to the President and Parliament.

Promotional Activities Has conducted human rights training workshops for police officials, government officials and MNHRC’s staff Has conducted human rights talks Has conducted human rights training workshops for grass root levels Has conducted human rights talks at training courses held by Central Institutes of Civil Services in Upper and Lower Myanmar for a total of 49 times Has conducted human rights talks at the National Defense College yearly (3 times) and the Military Staff College at Kalaw, Shan State twice Has celebrated International Human Rights Day

Protection Activities In 2016, from January to August, MNHRC received 408 complaints 75 meetings were held to examine 399 complaints out of 408 Received 343 replies from concerned Ministries from January to August 2016 field visits were made on the complaints in Kyaik-Hto Township and Ye Township in Mon State and Waw Township in Bago Region from January to August 2016 Developing computerized complaint-handling mechanism with the facilitation of Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI)

Inspected prisons, jails, detention centres and police lock-ups for a total of 7 times from January to August 2016, submitted recommendations to the authorities concerned and also issued statements for public information

Human Rights Policy and Legal Affairs Recommended the government to ratify the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children Gave comments and recommendations on the Older Persons Law (Bill) to the Parliament Recommended the government to ratify International Covenant on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights Gave comments and recommendations on the Bill on Personal Freedom and Security of Citizens to the Parliament

International Relations Became Member of South East Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) in September 2012 Became associate member of Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) in November 2012 Accorded “B” status by Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) in 2016

Submitted own report to the Second cycle of UPR on Myanmar in 2015 Submitted own report to CEDAW Committee on Myanmar’s 4th and 5th combined report Assumed the Chairmanship of the SEANF for 2016 and organized two technical working group meetings and two special meetings Convened 13th Annual Meeting of SEANF in Nay Pyi Taw in September and at the conclusion of the meeting issued a Statement on the Rights of Older Persons

Has conducted the following workshops in 2016 among others:- In cooperation with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Workshop on the Rights of Minorities In cooperation with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) , the Workshop on Universal Periodic Review - Myanmar In cooperation with the UN Women, Workshop on the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and related resolutions Has established yearly program of cooperation for promotion and protection of human rights with Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) since 2012

Issue of particular significance In accordance with Section 43 of the MNHRC Law which empowered the Commission to inspect prisons, jails, detention centres and places of confinement, the Commission visited these places for a total of 7 times from January to August 2016. The most common problem of the prisons was overcrowdedness The Commission recommended to the authorities to take necessary measures to redress the problem. The Ministry of Home Affairs has taken the recommendations into serious consideration and has responded to the Commission that they would take appropriate actions to remedy the overcrowdedness of the prisons

This is the first time that the Commission has ever been responded positively by the authorities on such a serious matter

Thank You