WHAT WE DO
The Swedish Burma Committee (SBC) has extensive experience and a strong track record of providing support to Myanmar civil society and independent media. We have been supporting the build-up of resilient rights-based civil society organisations for almost 20 years.
Today, we are running two impactful programmes in Myanmar: one supporting independent media organisations, and one supporting civil society organisations, including community-based human rights defenders, women’s groups and human rights organisations across the country. Our partners are making important progress standing up against violence and oppression and laying the foundations for a democratic future. They operate all across Myanmar, including in ethnic areas and the dry zone.
Independent evaluations have consistently shown that our civil society programme plays a vital role in strengthening civil society and delivering tangible results despite an incredibly repressive environment. It has enabled human rights groups across the country to adapt and survive, protect civic space, and promote human rights in very tangible ways, including by strengthening community organising, halting forced conscription, addressing sexual violence, and organising protection mechanisms in conflict-affected areas. Internationally, our partners have been instrumental in pursuing legal accountability against junta leaders, uncovering illicit business networks, and pushing for targeted sanctions against military-controlled companies to limit their access to weapons and funding.
Support to human rights defenders at the community level
A significant part of our work is about strengthening rights holders' possibilities to organise and stand up against violence and oppression. We support dozens of human rights defender groups from different religious, ethnic and geographical origins across Myanmar, reaching about 10 000 community members annually in areas controlled by both junta and resistance forces.
Advocacy to end impunity and increase pressure on the military
The second component of our strategy supports human rights documentation, research and advocacy aimed at ending systemic impunity and increasing pressure on the junta. An important part of this work is to investigate and expose companies that sell arms and do business with the military junta, aiming to limit their access to money and weapons.
Democratic reforms in areas held by the opposition
The third component of our program pushes for democratic reforms in parts of the country that are governed by opposition groups. We are supporting civil society’s efforts to strengthen emerging local level governance institutions, not least in terms of human rights, gender and diversity.
Supporting independent journalism
Independent journalism is under enormous pressure in Myanmar, while the need for reliable information is greater than ever. We are supporting five prominent media organisations so they can continue to deliver independent and investigative journalism despite a tightly controlled media climate.
SBC's international advocacy
Together with our partners, we also advocate Swedish and international decision-makers. We often collaborate with other Swedish and European organisations to achieve greater impact. Our recent review of Swedish public pension funds' investments in companies that sell weapons to or cooperate with the junta led to disinvestments of more than 1 billion SEK.