On 30 and 31 May 2019, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, with the support of the Myanmar ILO Liaison Office (ACTEMP Myanmar project), organized a two-day Forum on Myanmar Responsible Business and Human Rights. The forum was an important platform for UMFCCI and national and international stakeholders for stock-taking, lesson-sharing and future planning on efforts to move the role of responsible business conduct in promoting sustainable development and human rights from paper to practice.

Over two days, the forum counted the participation of around 300 participants including business representatives, government officials, Ambassadors, representatives of the international community and local CSOs and students from Law faculties.  Union Minister of Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi opened the event. “Five years ago, even writing on a newspaper the words human rights would have been impossible; they would have been censored. It is fantastic that now the leading business organizations in the country has organized this Forum” said U Zeya Thu, Publisher/CEO of the newspaper “The Voice”.

Several topics were debated: trade agreements with labour and human rights clauses and their impact on Myanmar; the role of UMFCCI and other organizations in awareness raising, networking, providing services on sustainability issues; best practices in due diligence and supply chains by big companies in the country, including conflict areas; the role of independent and free business associations to hold government to account and in protecting civil shared space.

“UMFCCI and the private sector we represent have a fundamental role in advising the government on how to shape the future of our country in a way that can allow responsible business to flourish” said UMFCCI President U Zaw Min Win. And Deborah France-Massin, Director of the ILO Bureau for Employers Activities, echoed “The Forum clearly positioned UMFCCI as a leader organization demonstrating that UMFCCI stands for human rights, peace and sustainability and is capable of guiding its members and advocating for those values”.

“UMFCCI is already taking part in a number of initiatives aiming at promoting sustainability, but the next challenge will be to systematize all these experiences and eventually create an ad-hoc department dealing with Responsible Business Conduct”, remarked the Joint Secretary General of UMFCCI, Daw Khine Khine Nwe. UMFCCI can definitely play a leading role in supporting the adoption of sustainable and socially responsible policies, further pushing companies to subscribe to the UN Guiding Principles and engage with the government to the lay the basis for a national plan on business and human rights.

The Forum aimed also at contributing to create better connections between industry and University. Over 80 students from Law Faculties of East Yangon and Dagon University attended the event and contributed to the discussion. The Union Minister of Education, Dr Myo Thein Gyi, who delivered a key note speech at the inauguration of the Forum, formally announced the introduction from second semester 2019 of a compulsory course on Human Rights (with a component on Business and Human Right) for third-year law students all over the country. East Yangon and Dagon University had been the first faculties in piloting these courses in 2017 and 2018.

Several Foreign Chambers and MNEs representatives strongly encouraged UMFCCI to organize this sort of Forum on a regular basis and continue to engage with companies-members on these topics.

“It was remarkable to see a new generation of students speak with such passion and understanding on a wide range of human rights issues.  It is important that business leaders hear these expectations and translate this into follow-up actions,” remarked Rory Mungoven, ILO Liaison Officer for Myanamr.