Every year on 10 December, the world marks International Human Rights Day — a moment to honour the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reaffirm our collective commitment to dignity, equality, and justice. But in Burma, this day arrives under a shadow deeper than ever before.

For millions across the country, human rights are not abstract ideals but urgent, everyday struggles. Communities continue to face airstrikes, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and the deliberate destruction of homes, schools, and monasteries. Humanitarian access remains blocked in many areas, leaving displaced families without food, medicine, or safety. Activists, journalists, teachers, students, and villagers endure constant threats simply for speaking out or striving to live freely.

Yet even in this darkness, the resilience of the Burmese people endures. Local communities organise protection networks. Youth document violations at great personal risk. Civil society groups continue to advocate for justice and record the truth. Families rebuild again and again, driven by hope for a future where their children can grow without fear.

This year, Centre for Ah Nyar Studies joins people across Burma in quietly commemorating International Human Rights Day, standing in solidarity with victims and survivors while reaffirming our team’s commitment to truth-seeking, documentation, and the pursuit of justice.

International Human Rights Day should not merely be symbolic for Burma. It must be a call to action — for global solidarity, for stronger international pressure, and for unwavering support to those risking everything to defend human rights on the ground.