1. Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC)

2. 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.

3. 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;

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. Thank You