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Cooperation and Community Empowerment in Myanmar in the context of Myanmar Agenda 21
Author(s) -
James Helen
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
asian‐pacific economic literature
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.232
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1467-8411
pISSN - 0818-9935
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8411.t01-2-00020
Subject(s) - civil society , empowerment , economic growth , capacity building , corporate governance , political science , context (archaeology) , government (linguistics) , politics , poverty , sustainability , public administration , economics , management , geography , ecology , philosophy , biology , linguistics , archaeology , law
Since embracing the market economy in 1988 Myanmar has attempted to involve its civil society organisations, particularly in the health, education and welfare sectors. Both domestic and international non‐government organisations play a key role in service delivery, poverty alleviation and capacity building in these areas. Civil society is regarded as a partner in Myanmar's nation‐building processes. As Myanmar emerges from its decades of isolation (1962–88) and seeks to find its place amongst the family of nations, it set out, in Myanmar Agenda 21 (1997), a policy framework for sustainable development consistent with the identified principles of good governance based on cooperation and participative practices. This paper discusses how far this framework has been implemented; the obstacles to continued evolution of the socio‐political structures; and whether civil society, domestic and international, can foster the ‘coming out’ process in a way consistent with Myanmar's concept of nation building and holistic security.