On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Myanmar LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Myanmar country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Myanmar COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Myanmar.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Myanmar is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Myanmar is not party to either the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or the 1967 Protocol. Similarly, it is not party to any of the succeeding treaties, such as the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
Similar to the lack of international legal frameworks in Myanmar, there is no current domestic law for refugee protection in the region. However, studies have indicated that a significant number of people have no access to citizenship documents in Myanmar, including ethnic minorities, refugees, and internally displaced people. Myanmar’s current 1982 Citizenship Law grants ‘full citizenship’ to members of 135 ethnic groups and provides the framework for recognition of ethnic groups, including refugees.
Legal aid organisations
We have not yet identified any NGO or law firm that offers refugees legal assistance in Myanmar.
We would welcome suggestions for individuals or organisations. If you have any suggestions, please get in touch.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
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CARE International has had presence in Myanmar since 1995. Their work in Myanmar focuses on public health and hygiene, HIV prevention and care, water, sanitation, and hygiene projects, disaster risk reduction, access to basic financial services, nutritional support for children and pregnant women, and tackling barriers to gender equality.
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Address: No. 604-605,6th Floor, KanTharyar Condo Kyee Myindaing Kanner RoadKyiMyinTine Township, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (+95) 9 400 447 181
Email: hello@colorsrainbow.org
Colors Rainbow (formerly the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma) is Myanmar’s leading LGBTQI+ rights organisation. Their work includes enhancing public understanding and acceptance of dignity and human rights of LGBTQI+ people by providing trainings, discussions, network meetings, community events, lobbying, advocacy, and research projects.
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Contact Person: Dania Al Sharif (dania.sharif@drc.ngo)
The DRC responds to the immediate needs of the internally displaced people and communities hosting them in Myanmar. Humanitarian assistance from the DRC is provided through multi-sector and integrated responses in Rakhine, Kachin and Northern Shan states. The sectors of particular attention include Protection, Economic Recovery, Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding, Shelter & Settlements, and Camp Coordination & Camp Management, as well as WASH services.
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The IRC in Myanmar provides a range of social services including health care, water and sanitation services, and general community support including career training and support for community development projects. Some of the specific projects include operating a women and girls’ center that provides skills training and support to survivors of violence, as well as training community health workers to improve access to health care.
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Contact Person: Daniel Tyler (nrc@nrc.no)
The NRC responds to a variety of needs faced by populations in Myanmar including camp management, education, livelihoods and food security, and shelter and settlements. Some of the specific services within such projects include cash assistance, sanitation assistance, non-formal education, psychosocial support, and protective measures.
Address: Room No. 27 Kyauk Phyar Street, Bayint Naung Quarter, Kawthaung Township.
Tel: 95 (9) 250799408 or (66) 9 29850976
Email: naylinhtike.ror@gmail.com
RoR is a community-based organization located in Kawthaung, Myanmar. The organization was established in March 2006 in Ranong, Thailand along the Myanmar border with the aim of promoting human rights including women rights and LGBTQI+ rights within the Burmese migrant community. RoR’s overall approach is to raise awareness of human rights and LGBTQI+ rights among LGBTQI+ and non LGBTQI+ persons from Kawthuang, Myeik and Dawei,- and to conduct networking and advocacy campaigns with non-LGBTQI+ persons from local CBOs, NGOs, and political parties from Kawthaung. RoR focuses their efforts toward both LGBTQI+ as well as non-LGBTQI+ people, introducing non-LGBTQI+ community members to the basic concepts of human rights and encouraging them to become involved with RoR.
Myanmar LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Myanmar.
Myanmar COI
Find Myanmar Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated June 2023