Written question asked by Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 30 January 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 1 February 2017. It was answered by Mike Penning (Conservative) on Friday, 3 February 2017 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Burma: Military Aid

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2017 to Question 60298, what assessment has been made of the utility of introducing a human rights specific programme module to the training provided to the Burmese Army.

Answer: The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom provides two educational courses delivered in Burma to the Burmese Army; both comprehensively address human rights. The Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context and the Strategic Leadership Programme are educational courses that promote governance, transparency and accountability, ethics and international law. The courses have specific modules on international humanitarian law, sexual and gender based violence and child soldiers. The courses emphasise the primacy of democratic political oversight and the rule of international law through the majority of subject areas and thus human rights is addressed more thoroughly than in a single module. The forthcoming Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context programme to be delivered in Burma in the early part of this year includes a session specifically dedicated to human rights. UNHCR, UNICEF and UN Women have all contributed to the programmes delivered in Burma.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 62252
Session: 2016-17
Related items: Burma: Military Aid
Monday, 23 January 2017
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Armed forces Human rights Training Myanmar Military aid
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk