BSR | Human Rights Impact Assessment: Facebook in Myanmar
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support, and Facebook should actively coordinate with
these groups.
BSR notes that the timing for the Myanmar elections
could be very similar to that of the U.S. 2020 elections,
and it will be important that attention is paid to Myanmar
in addition to the U.S.
Explore opportunities to develop new Facebook
products and services that accelerate the
development of the digital economy in Myanmar.
Opportunities to explore could include enabling users to
download Apps from Facebook App pages, bringing
Facebook Marketplace to Myanmar, enabling digital
payments, and supporting mobile financial services.
These products and services would need to be
appropriate for Myanmar’s user base, such as the
prevalence of users without an email address. To
ensure this approach, Facebook can take a humancentered design approach and be open to new
business models that might be replicable in other
emerging markets.
Bring #SheMeansBusiness to Myanmar.
#SheMeansBusiness is a space for entrepreneurial
women to make valuable connections and share
advice. Bringing the platform to Myanmar would support
the growth of economic opportunities and
independence for women.
Several stakeholders BSR spoke with emphasized the
economic development opportunities made possible by
the widespread use of Facebook in Myanmar—and that
the company had a unique opportunity, compared to
other internet companies.
Supporting the development of a digital economy in
Myanmar can increase the realization of human rights,
such as rights to a decent standard of living (Article 25
of the UDHR), education (Article 26 of the UDHR), and
health (Article 12 of the ICESCR).
The UNGPs state that “Business enterprises may
undertake other commitments or activities to support
and promote human rights, which may contribute to the
enjoyment of rights.”
Several stakeholders BSR spoke with emphasize the
economic development opportunities made possible by
the widespread use of Facebook in Myanmar—and that
the company has a unique opportunity, compared to
other internet companies.
Supporting the development of a digital economy in
Myanmar can increase the realization of human rights,
such as rights to a decent standard of living (Article 25
of the UDHR), education (Article 26 of the UDHR), and
health (Article 12 of the ICESCR).
The UNGPs state that “Business enterprises may
undertake other commitments or activities to support
and promote human rights, which may contribute to the
enjoyment of rights.”