or web-based startups. Individual companies in the sector may also play multiple roles, for example, manufacturing mobile phones and network components, or providing both mobile telecommunications and Internet access services. 21 Chapter 3 provides a brief description of the ICT value chain and the kinds of companies (foreign and national) involved in Myanmar’s ICT sector. This SWIA for the ICT sector looks at the entire value chain of ICT activities in Myanmar, other than manufacturing which is very limited in Myanmar. It includes some focus on the telecommunications operators, infrastructure and network equipment providers, and some ‘over the top’ web-based service providers in Myanmar – both local Myanmar companies as well as foreign companies. The SWIA does not address technical operating standards for the ICT industry. Instead, it looks at the sector through the lens of responsible business and the international standards that set out the expectations for responsible business (See Section B below). It involves assessing impacts on individuals and groups that may arise from individual projects and operations in the sector as well as the sector’s potential impact on the society as a whole. It is set in the context of the current operating environment in Myanmar. A SWIA is intended to sensitise planners, decision-makers, businesses and civil society, including the media, by highlighting the likely risks and impacts of business activities in the ICT sector, so that appropriate steps can be taken at an early stage to prevent and mitigate risks and amplify positive human rights impacts through changes in policy, law, contracts, operations or other relevant measures. Uses for the ICT SWIA Because a SWIA is a new concept and because human rights issues round the ICT sector are relatively unknown in Myanmar, the SWIA report (the Report) is extensive and provides detailed explanations of the core human rights considerations to contribute to the knowledge base in the country. Targeted at multiple audiences, it aims to: • Inform companies conducting operational-level due diligence and help them understand the overall potential impact of their sector and their operation(s) on the country and on human rights in particular. The SWIA provides a strategic review of the broader policy and legal frameworks relevant to the sector, their implications for businesses, and their impacts on human rights and society. It also crystallises the acute issues that are central to operating in Myanmar and require proactive management by ICT companies. It highlights a number of issues that will be best served if tackled collectively. Readers from business, who are keen to understand the immediate implications for them are encouraged to read in particular the ‘Recommendations for ICT companies’ in the ten sections of Chapter 4 on Operational Level Impacts. • Help the Government and Parliamentarians as they shape ICT-relevant policy and law, enforcement and other initiatives to better prevent and mitigate human rights harms and enhance the potential for positive outcomes. Adequate attention to longer-term 21 For a broader understanding of the ways in which the ICT sector can impact human rights, and how the UN Guiding Principles can be operationalised, see: European Commission, “ICT Sector Guide on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights” (2013). CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 43 1