1.
HUMAN RIGHTS
IN THE TOURISM SECTOR
Dr. Nicole Häusler, Senior Advisor,
Myanmar Tourism Federation
Paintings by Htein Lin

2.
2. Presentation Outline
1. What are Human
Rights?
2. Human Rights
and Buddhism
3. Human Rights
Issues in
Tourism
4. First Ideas for
Recommen-
dations
Artist: Htein Lin

3.
“Human rights are universal legal guarantees protecting
individuals and groups against actions which interfere with
fundamental freedoms and human dignity”
— Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
1.WHAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS?

4.
Paintings by Hteni Lin

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36CUlaqmFi4

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Right to a fair trial
Right to adequate health
Right to adequate food
Right to adequate housing
Right to adequate standard of living
Right to education
Right to family life ၀
Right to freedom from discrimination
Right to freedom from forced labour and servitude
၀
Right to freedom from torture, or degrading treatment or punishment ( ၀ )
( ၀ )
Right to freedom of assembly and collective bargaining
၀
၀
Right to freedom of movement
Right to freedom of opinion, expression, thought, and religion
Right to intellectual property
Right to life, liberty and security of person
Right to own property
Right to participation in cultural life
၀
Right to take part in government ၀
Right to work and to just and favourable conditions at work
( )
၀၀၀၀

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2. Human Rights
Artist: Htein Lin
Most important feature of the idea of Human Rights:
The protection of individuals and groups against
powerful institutions such as the state, society, religion.

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UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS (1948)
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT
OF CIVIL AND POLITICAL
RIGHTS (1966)
— 153 countries
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL RIGHTS (1966)
— 149 countries
ILO Declaration on
Fundamental Principles and
Rights atWork (1998)
HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS

9.
2. Human Rights and Buddhism
Artist: Htein Lin
Discussion in the past and present:
Are the Human Rights based more on Western
ideologies (in particular related to individualism) which
are opposed to community-oriented ‚Asian Values‘
(based on Buddhism)?

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2. Human Rights and Buddhism
• Every article of
‚Universal Declaration
of Human Rights‘ can
be meaningfully linked
to the teachings of the
Buddha
• Foundation of
Buddhism is based on
human values, justice
and equality
Sources: P. Schmidt-Leukel, 2006, Buddhist-Christian Studies (26);U. Bagde, 2014, Journal of Law and Conflict Resolution, 6(2)

11.
HUMAN RIGHTS
IN THE TOURISM SECTOR
Paintings by Htein Lin

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3. Human Rights Issues inTourism
Tourism Concern, British NGO, published in 2009 a paper called 'How UK
tour operators are supporting Burma's military regime through tourism' -
which was widely discussed at international level!

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3. Human Rights Issues inTourism –TODAY!

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3.WHAT ARETHE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES INTOURISM? 10TOP PRIORITY TOPICS
1. Access to land and relocation of communities
2. Lack of local participation in tourism planning at
(emerging) tourism destinations
3. Sexual exploitation
4. Impacts on children
5. Waste Management
6. Water Management
7. Labour rights of employees (e.g. minimum wage,
working hours)
8. Culture (e.g. inappropriate behaviour by tourists,
destruction of historical sites)
9. Inward migration into tourism destination
10.Community exclusion in terms of (financial)
benefits of tourism

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Target Group Which human rights related to tourism
might be impacted?
Children Child labour, sexual exploitation,
no access to education
Local communities
(especially fishermen,
farmers, ethnic
minority groups)
Land issues, forced labour, lack
of adequate standard of living and
housing, risk of resettlement; risk
of inadequate compensation to
landowners and users, risk of not
getting access to spiritual sites,
fields or beaches due to tourism
activities/construction; inadequate
consultation with community
members on tourism development
3.VULNERABLETARGET GROUPS - IDENTIFYING HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACTS

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Target Group Which human rights related to tourism
might be impacted?
Employees of tourism
businesses, especially
migrant workers
Unable to participate in trade
union activities; working
environment is unsafe and
unhealty; no minimum wage
Women Gender discrimination; unwanted
sexual attention; economic
inequalities; cultural barriers to
enter jobs in the tourism industry;
trafficking for sex tourism
purposes
3.VULNERABLETARGET GROUPS - IDENTIFYING HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACTS

17.
3. Human Rights Issues inTourism – How can we secure human rights in tourism in
Myanmar?
How can we work together?
Who has which role and task to work on?

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GOVERNMENT: Role and Tasks of Ministry of Hotels and
Tourism and related Ministries:
• To clarify – who is in charge of human rights issues in
tourism & ensure coherence
• To consult with civil society
• Not support tourism development that puts people’s
right or natural ressources at risk
• To support comprehensive and independent
environmental, social and human rights impact
assessment before giving permission to big tourism
investment
• To publish investment agreements with companies,
including the incentives granted
First Ideas for Recommendations = Human Rights Approach inTourism

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PRIVATE TOURISM SECTOR BUSINESS: Role and Tasks
• To integrate the principle of human rights due dilligence
into their business practices
Excurse:What is a human rights due diligence?
DUE DILIGENCE: An investigation of current practices of
process and policies in a company.
First Ideas for Recommendations = Human Rights Approach inTourism

20.
Determining a Company’s Human Rights Due Diligence
Approach
Determining a company’s human rights due diligence approach is
an important first step towards scoping an appropriate and
relevant human rights impact assessment that will complement,
and add to, the existing company policies, procedures and
practices.
A well-structured company human rights due diligence approach
will identify:
• How the company affects (positively or negatively) the human
rights of their affected stakeholders
• The potential and/or actual human rights risks that can affect
the company’s business operation
• The processes the company has in place to address the
potential and/or actual human rights risks and impacts
Human Rights Due Diligence

21.
PRIVATE SECTOR TOURISM ENTERPRISES: Role and
Tasks
• To integrate the principle of human rights due dilligence
into their business practices (including human rights
policy, assessing their impacts of their business
practices on human rights, monitoring and reporting)
• To take responsibility for human rights violation
occuring along their supply chain
• To train staff on ethical policies and communicate
business philosophy to the public
First Ideas for Recommendations = Human Rights Approach inTourism

22.
TOURISM ASSOCIATIONS: Role and Tasks
• To create incentives and sanctions for their members to
fulfill human rights standards; membership should be
even subject to the observation of human rights
standards
• To apply ‘Codes of Conduct’
• To offer transparency regarding financial budgets and
transactions
First Ideas for Recommendations = Human Rights Approach inTourism

23.
INVESTORS - Role and Tasks :
• ”Do no harm” approach
• To conduct independent social and environmental
assessments
NGOS, DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS AND THEIR PARTNERS
- Roles and Tasks:
• To include tourism into their agendas with regards to
impacts on land, natural resources and human rights
(part of their development projects)
TOURISTS: Role and Task :
• To give preference to tour operators and service
providers with clear CSR and human right strategies
First Ideas for Recommendations = Human Rights Approach inTourism

24.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36CUlaqmFi4

25.
HUMAN RIGHTS
IN THE TOURISM SECTOR
Dr. Nicole Häusler, Senior Advisor, MTF
Paintings bei Htein Lin
Thank you for listening!