Myanmar’s enabling environment for civil society remains severely constrained following the military coup of 1 February 2021, which ended a fragile democratic transition and triggered widespread civilian resistance. Mass protests and the Civil Disobedience Movement were met with brutal repression by the junta, including arbitrary arrests, torture and lethal force. Many civilians subsequently joined existing Ethnic Resistance Organisations, new resistance groups and People’s Defence Forces aligned with the National Unity Government.

The conflict has fragmented governance across the country, with the junta controlling only part of Myanmar’s territory and other areas administered by the NUG, Ethnic Armed Organisations and resistance groups. Conditions for civil society therefore vary by region, but the junta’s continued control over key administrative and economic mechanisms means repression in junta-held areas remains central to the overall assessment.

Since 2021, the military has intensified attacks on civilians, restricted fundamental freedoms and used conscription to address troop shortages. Civil society actors face detention, surveillance, violence and displacement, while civilians have been subjected to widespread abuses and forced movement. Fighting has also expanded, including through Operation 1027 and the advance of armed resistance groups, some of which have also been accused of abuses.

The humanitarian and economic situation has sharply deteriorated, with millions displaced, widespread food insecurity and severe currency depreciation. Despite these conditions, civil society continues to operate where possible, documenting abuses, supporting communities and navigating a deeply fragmented and dangerous civic landscape.

Network Member:
Altsean-Burma