A/HRC/56/CRP.8 earlier, is due in large part to the advocacy of women’s groups and other civil society organizations within the NUCC. 223. Interim bodies are actively establishing foundational gender policies that will help to ensure the promotion and protection of key rights in a future Myanmar. The NUCC’s Joint Coordination Committee on Gender Policy has been developing a women, peace, and security policy in collaboration with the National Unity Government’s Ministry of Women, Youth, and Children Affairs and women’s organizations. Though the policy remains to be passed by the NUCC and implemented by the National Unity Government at the time of writing, it represents a critical and promising opportunity to advance gender equality and justice in Myanmar. An NUCC member involved in the development of the policy noted that although implementation will be challenging, having a policy helps guarantee the protection of women and girls and “recognizes their role as change makers rather than passive victims.” 224. The NUCC’s Joint Coordination Committee on Gender Policy also developed a gender equality position paper, which has been approved by the NUCC and details its core commitments on gender issues.98 The position paper includes a commitment for all NUCC member organizations to incorporate policies and guidelines to ensure women’s representation and empowerment. An NUCC member said that the Coordination Committee’s next step is to review each of the National Unity Government’s ministries’ internal policies to ensure they are gender inclusive. 225. Efforts to develop policy protections for women and vulnerable groups also appear to be growing among some ethnic resistance organizations and interim governance institutions. A Women Leadership and Political Participation committee, comprised of representatives from some NCA-signatory ethnic resistance organizations has developed a women, peace, and security framework. Some ethnic resistance organizations have reportedly expressed interest in developing their own women, peace, and security frameworks. As described in the previous section, emerging regional and state governance structures such as the Karenni Interim Executive Committee and the Ta’ang Political Consultative Council have developed quota systems concerning the participation of women. 226. Resistance groups have taken important steps toward protection and justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. The National Unity Government’s Military Code of Conduct prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation. A March 2024 update to the Code of Conduct strengthens existing prohibitions against sexual and gender-based violence, including by prohibiting transactional sex acts and explicitly extending its protections to LGBT people. It also requires resistance forces under the National Unity Government’s control to apply international humanitarian law and international human rights law.99 227. Ethnic resistance organizations have reportedly expressed interest in developing common guidelines and standards concerning gender-based violence in areas under their control. Some are also reportedly providing support to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. 98 99 48 The position paper details seven core commitments of the NUCC on gender issues, including to end all forms of discrimination; address gender-based violence; implement a women, peace, and security agenda; ensure women’s representation and participation; integrate gender mainstreaming and gender responsive budgeting; provide humanitarian assistance; and implement mechanisms that advance women’s empowerment and gender equality. National Unity Government, Military Code of Conduct for People’s Defence Force, November 2021, https://www.facebook.com/NUGmyanmar/posts/227866216100684/; National Unity Government, Military Code of Conduct for People’s Defence Forces, March 2024, https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=729583349344891&set=pcb.729583549344871.