The Pyin-Nya-Man-Daing (PNMD) Consortium, which translates to Pillar of Wisdom in English, was established to ensure continued access to education and research in human rights, democracy, and peace, with the long-term goal of conflict transformation, peace dialogue, and nation-building capacities grounded in human rights and the rule of law. Pyin-Nya-Man-Daing Consortium initially had support from the Danish Embassy in Myanmar and is now supported by the governments of Canada, the Netherlands and Norway.
Note: The names of students have been made up for purposes of the article only and not the real names of the students.
“Before taking the course, I didn’t even know what human rights were. I didn’t realize that we are born with these rights.
Hay Thi was just 20 years old and a second-year university student when the military took over Myanmar in the 2021 coup. Amid the turmoil, she decided to set aside her studies to join the civil disobedience movement and became an active member of the resistance.
But it wasn’t until Hay Thi came to Mahidol University’s Institute for Human Rights and Peace Studies and enrolled in the Human Rights Fundamentals Certificate Programme that she understood just how her people’s human rights were being trampled, including in the digital space. That sparked a desire to become a human rights defender working to protect the citizens of her home country. She now works to educate her family, friends and community about human rights, and how to improve their digital security and safety under the oppressive regime.
She is one of many students and academics from Myanmar who have received support to attend the institute from the Pyin-Nya-Man-Daing (Pillar of Wisdom) Programme, which aims to provide human rights education, training, scholarship and research mentorship for Myanmar students to study about human rights.
Many who come through the programme have similar stories of upheaval, unrest and persecution. With support from Canada’s International Development Research Centre and the governments of the Netherlands and Norway, they can get the knowledge and skills to defend themselves, their communities and their fellow citizens against human right violations.
“I decided to become a human rights defender after attending this course. Many people in Myanmar don’t know their own rights and have faced serious violations, especially in this digital age. I want to protect the rights of the people of Myanmar.”
Khin Kaing’s studies were also interrupted by the coup, and was drawn into resistance through the civil disobedience movement. Like so many others, Khin Kaing longs for peace for their nation. “After completing the Peace and Conflict Transformation course, I came to understand that peace is a necessary and achievable process in Myanmar,” Khin Kaing says. “I realized that conflict resolution methods can be applied and lead to reconciliation, which could positively impact the country.” In 2024, Khin Kaing gave a presentation to the World Student Federation meeting in the Philippines – a gathering of student movements and civil society groups across the Asia-Pacific – detailing the worsening human rights situation in post-coup Myanmar and sharing insights from her course on peaceful resistance and civic responsibility.
Another student, Shwe, has been working to provide aid and medical supplies to the people of West Bago, as well as connecting recently freed political prisoners with civil organisations to help document human rights violations.
Shwe is a graduate of the Human Rights in Practice diploma course and also completed the Human Rights and Technology self-study course. In her studies, she learned about the interaction between science and technology, and human rights. “As technology and ideas continue to evolve, we must ensure they’re guided by human rights principles,” she says.
“I’ve learned how technological advancements can impact human rights, and how some high-tech tools can actually violate them.”
Myo came to the programme to explore the factors driving discrimination against LGBTQIA+ youth in Myanmar. The research and support from the programme have given him the tools to make a difference for young people in the LGBTQIA+ community. Myo has been meeting with LGBTQIA+ activists and stakeholders from Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Japan to share the key findings of his research on the struggles of LGBTQIA+ people in post-coup Myanmar. He has now expanded his research to look at solutions to tackle discrimination, and is also mentoring emerging researchers in Myanmar. “One of the problems in Myanmar is the lack of accessible and credible information,” Myo says. “We need to build and promote a strong research culture.”
Another important element of the fight for human rights in Myanmar is documenting the impact of the military coup and the mass displacement of so many civilians within the country. Khin Maung’s research examined the effect of restrictions on access to humanitarian aid in the northern mountains of Karen state based on information gathered from a wide range of sources, including community leaders, revolutionary groups, and even government officials. The hope is that documenting these impacts can help identify possible solutions and how local community leaders can work together to implement them. “Some interviewees have started to shift their approach—focusing more on localized and community-driven aid mechanisms to overcome access restrictions,” he says. Khin Maung’s conversations with those leaders have also encouraged them to see beyond historical barriers of different religion, ethnicity and political views and work together to improve things.
Some researchers are working to help the students themselves. Tin Lin and his research team are studying the challenges faced by students who were part of the civil disobedience movement in Myanmar and are now living and studying in Thailand.
“Many Thai and Myanmar universities require complete academic transcripts from civil disobedience movement students, documents that are nearly impossible for them to obtain,” he says. Their work has led to changes in attitudes and policies towards these students, enabling many to enrol even with incomplete transcripts and thus continue their education in Thailand. One of the research teams themselves was able to enrol thanks to these changes and will soon be graduating. The team also spoke to Thai parliamentarians about the issue, which could lead to greater understanding of and support for displaced students from Myanmar.
A DAY IN MY LIFE – Watch video diaries of two PNMD students
Designer studying Digital Rights course
She is a designer from the Rohingya community at a refugee camp on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, studying Digital Rights at PNMD. https://youtu.be/fjizPToS6Fw
Law student studying Women’s Rights Course
He is a CDM law student seeking to further his education with PNMD’s course on Women’s Rights and presently working at a civil society organisation. https://youtu.be/ZAlk8v_RyC8
READ BOOKS BY PNMD RESEARCHERS (Available for download)
The PNMD Research Highlights: Key Insights From Myanmar
https://yri-mm.org/the-pnmd-research-highlights-key-insights-from-myanmar/
The Roles of Livelihood Remittances and Social Capitals of Myanmar Migrants in Mae Sot, Thailand Post -2021 Coup
