Since its establishment in 2011, C.A.N-Myanmar has played an important role in Myanmar’s LGBTQIA+ movement and broader civil society development.
2011 — Establishment
C.A.N-Myanmar was founded in Mandalay as an LGBTQIA+-led human rights organization committed to promoting human rights awareness, preventing violations, and strengthening community responsibility.
2014 — Supporting Democratic Participation
C.A.N-Myanmar became an initiative and founding member organization of the Election Observers Network Mandalay (E.O.N-M), contributing to inclusive civic participation and democratic processes.
2015 — Regional LGBTQIA+ Movement Engagement
C.A.N-Myanmar became the second organization from Myanmar to join the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World and ILGA Asia).
The organization also became part of the Mandalay Civil Society Network, collaborating with approximately 75 local civil society organizations.
2017 — Regional Leadership
The Chairperson of C.A.N-Myanmar’s Board of Consultants was elected as a Board Member of ILGA Asia, strengthening Myanmar’s representation within the regional LGBTQIA+ human rights movement.
C.A.N-Myanmar also became a founding and leading member of the Coalition of LGBTQIA Organizations for the Electoral Sector in the Democratic Transition of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (CLOES-DTRUM).
2020 — Founding of the LGBTI-Inclusive Election Observation Mission of Myanmar (LIEOMM)
On September 15, 2020, CAN-Myanmar founded the LGBTI-Inclusive Election Observation Mission of Myanmar (LIEOMM)—the nation’s first-ever LGBTI domestic election observation mission.
In collaboration with 20 LGBTI organizations and activists, LIEOMM secured official accreditation from the Union Election Commission (UEC) through CAN-Myanmar. The mission deployed 100 LGBTI observers across 10 states and regions (Kachin, Kayin, Mon, Shan, Sagaing, Bago, Magway, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Yangon) to support free, fair, and inclusive elections.
2021 — Responding to Crisis
Following the military coup in Myanmar, C.A.N-Myanmar expanded its human rights work to respond to increased risks faced by LGBTQIA+ communities and other vulnerable populations.
2022 — Myanmar LGBTQIA Human Rights Watch Forum
C.A.N-Myanmar became a founding organization of the Myanmar LGBTQIA Human Rights Watch Forum, a coalition established to monitor, document, and report human rights violations against LGBTQIA+ communities following the military coup.
The Forum brings together LGBTQIA+ organizations and activists working toward accountability, justice, and protection of human rights.
Public Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships in 2024
Participated in the 76th International Human Rights Day Ceremony
On December 10, 2024, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, our Chairperson of the Board represented C.A.N-Myanmar as a key panelist at the 76th International Human Rights Day ceremony, organized by Equality Myanmar.
The discussion focused on the rights, challenges, and resilience of Gender and Marginalized Communities in Myanmar. We were honored to contribute to these critical dialogues and express our deepest gratitude to Equality Myanmar, fellow panelists, and all participants advancing human rights for all under the global theme:“Our Rights. Our Future. Right Now.”
2025 — Emergency Earthquake Relief Response in Mandalay and Sagaing
Following the devastating earthquake in Sagaing, CAN-Myanmar mobilized a global crowdfunding campaign, raising approximately $15,000 USD from the global Myanmar diaspora.
The emergency assistance specifically prioritized vulnerable and underserved populations, including LGBTIQA+ community members, women, and marginalized Muslim villages.
2026 — Founding Member of the Queer Forced Displacement Network (QFDN)
CAN-Myanmar became a founding member organization of the Queer Forced Displacement Network (QFDN), a global coalition launched in Bangkok alongside Rainbow Railroad and partners from 30 countries to address forced displacement affecting LGBTQI+ communities.
CAN-Myanmar delivered a keynote address at the global launch conference and contributed to endorsing the Chao Phraya Principles, driving international advocacy and cross-border protection for displaced queer and trans individuals.
Keynote Address at QFDN
Representing the organization, Saw Zin Maung Soe @ Cicer delivered a keynote speech on the second day of the network’s launch conference, highlighting the struggles, resilience, and rights of displaced LGBTQIA+ individuals from Myanmar.
Representing the organization, Saw Zin Maung Soe @ Cicer delivered a keynote speech on the second day of the network’s launch conference, highlighting the struggles, resilience, and rights of displaced LGBTQIA+ individuals from Myanmar.
2026 — Speaker at IDAHOBIT 2026 Conference (Bangkok, Thailand)
Invited by the APCOM Foundation and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Saw Zin Maung Soe represented CAN-Myanmar as a featured speaker in two key panel sessions at Siam Paragon, Bangkok:
Decriminalisation in Asia Pacific: Are we moving forward? — Highlighted the ongoing human rights struggles and movement of LGBTQI+ communities in Myanmar under the current political regime.
Don’t leave us behind: Struggles for LGBTQI+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers — Shared critical insights and lived experiences regarding the challenges, legal protection gaps, and security risks faced by displaced Burmese LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers in Thailand.
Global Partnership & Advisory Roles
C.A.N-Myanmar expanded its global advocacy reach through an invitation to serve on the Advisory and Alternative Ethics Board for the Global LGBTIQ+ Asylum and Forced Migration Observatory (GLASO), led by UKRI Future Leaders Fellow Dr. Diego Garcia.
Through this engagement, C.A.N-Myanmar brings activist expertise, community insights, and context-specific knowledge from Myanmar to shape global policy, research ethics, and protection strategies for LGBTIQ+ displaced persons worldwide.