Advocacy & Policy Reform

Driving Legislative Change and Human Rights Protection in Myanmar

CAN-Myanmar actively leads policy advocacy, legal reform, and capacity-building initiatives to protect and advance LGBTIQA+ rights in Myanmar. By bridging grassroots activism with institutional legal reform, we strive to create an inclusive legal framework that safeguards human dignity and equality for all.

Key Pillars of Our Advocacy Work

Drafting the “Myanmar Equal Treatment Act”

• Pioneering Legislative Reform: Since 2019, CAN-Myanmar has convened and collaborated with legal professionals, legal experts, and a coalition of over 35 LGBTIQA+ organizations across Myanmar to draft the nation’s first comprehensive Anti-discrimination legislation.
• A Comprehensive Blueprint: Originally initiated as an Anti-discrimination Bill, it evolved through extensive public feedback into the landmark “Myanmar Equal Treatment Act.” This historic framework was designed to protect LGBTIQA+ individuals, women, children, persons with disabilities, and indigenous groups. While the 2021 political shifts halted enactment, this bill remains the bedrock blueprint for future inclusive legislation in Myanmar.

Empowering Community Leaders 

• Public & Policy Advocacy Capacity Building: CAN-Myanmar conducts basic and advanced advocacy training programs for LGBTIQA+ community leaders nationwide.
• Empowering Grassroots Voices: We equip local activists from diverse states and regions with essential legal literacy, policy analysis, and strategic communication skills to advocate confidently within their respective communities and at the national level.

Parliamentary Advocacy & Legal Reform

• State & Regional Advocacy Trips: CAN-Myanmar organized historic advocacy trips to the Myanmar Parliament, bringing together grassroots LGBTIQA+ organizations from various states and regions to directly engage with lawmakers and decision-makers.
• Repealing Discriminatory Laws: We actively engaged in negotiations with parliamentarians to advocate for the repeal of punitive and discriminatory laws most notably Section 377 of the Penal Code and other legal provisions that targeted and endangered LGBTIQA+ individuals.

Our Commitment to Equality

Through collective leadership, legal expertise, and relentless grassroots advocacy, CAN-Myanmar continues to push for systemic legislative reform, policy recognition, and a Myanmar free from discrimination.