Consultation guides new strategic plan for Myanmar’s NHRI

The APF has congratulated the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission for the commitment to consultation and transparency it has demonstrated in developing its four-year strategic plan.

As part of this process, the Commission sought input and feedback from a broad range of stakeholders, including civil society organisations, government ministries, parliamentarians and the Supreme Court.

"A good strategic process and plan can be motivational, by providing a clear purpose and direction," said Pip Dargan, APF Principal Adviser, Capacity Assessments and International Engagement, at the launch of the Commission's strategic plan in Yangon on 7 October 2019.

"However, the process to develop a strategic plan is as important as the plan itself. It requires leadership, consultation and engagement," she said.

In addition to developing annual work plans, Ms Dargan noted that the Commission has committed to regularly review and update its strategic plan, taking account of national developments.

"These are significant changes the Commission has introduced to its organisational planning and processes and they should be acknowledged," Ms Dargan said.

Developing a comprehensive strategic plan was a key recommendation from the November 2018 capacity assessment program with the Commission, led by the APF in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Commission quickly acted on the recommendation and sought support from the APF – represented by Senior Envoy Rosslyn Noonan and expert consultant Thanuja Navaratne – to guide it through the strategic planning process.

The 2020-2024 strategic plan seeks to make progress towards six goals:

• Inspire greater public trust and confidence in the Commission

• Create a human rights culture in Myanmar through education and awareness raising

• Reduce human rights violations in Myanmar

• Protect and promote human rights through ratification of international human rights treaties

• Protect and promote human rights through engagement with international human rights mechanisms and organisations

• Develop a team of well-qualified committed personnel at all levels of the Commission.

Cynthia Veliko, Regional Representative, OHCHR, and Peter Batchelor, Resident Representative UNDP Myanmar, joined Commission Chairperson U Win Mra at the launch of the strategic plan.

In his address, Mr Batchelor noted that the Commission operates in one of the most difficult human rights environments in the world, due to conflict, poverty, ethnic diversity and environmental risks.

"The more difficult the situation on the ground is, the stronger a national human rights commission must be institutionally and legally," he said.

"The launch of the Commission's strategic plan is a milestone achievement and something to be proud of."

Date: 18 October 2019