Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar is an IDRC and Global Affairs Canada partnership that seeks to support democratic transition in Myanmar through policy research.
As Myanmar transitions to a democratic government, it is crucial to nurture meaningful dialogue about the process and to promote economic growth that benefits women and men of all ethnicities.
Several approaches will be used to strengthen analytical thinking and research capacity among civil society, business leaders, and government, including legislators and policymakers, at organizational and individual levels.
Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar is based on two thematic objectives:
- Democratic transition: To enhance the number of voices, especially women’s perspectives, that feed into decision-making. Issues to be addressed include women’s political representation, justice during the transition process — especially gender-based and sexual violence — and vulnerable groups’ access to land and natural resources.
- Economic development: To understand the barriers for the economic empowerment of women and youth in Myanmar, and to find practical solutions to break them down. A number of issues will be addressed, including skills development; better working conditions; and policies that promote job creation and a better business environment that will connect Myanmar to the region’s production chains in a sustainable and responsible manner.
Working with other development partners, Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar will use several methods to meet these objectives:
- Building institutional capacity through training and mentorship of key stakeholders on:
- conducting small research grants
- policy planning and decision-making for democratic transition and economic development
- discussing research findings openly with wider audiences and in the media;
- Providing core funding to independent think tanks in Myanmar to enhance their organizational capacity;
- Supporting training for civil servants, parliamentary secretaries, parliamentarians, and others about using evidence in their everyday functions; and
- Funding grants for larger research projects on democratic transition and economic development by research institutions in Myanmar.
For more information about the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar initiative, please contact myanmar@idrc.ca.
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