Myanmar: Resource Hubs Deliver Lifelines for Civil Society
Sustaining Civic Space Under Pressure
Published December 2025
When Myanmar’s military intensified its crackdown in 2024, community groups in ethnic-controlled areas risked being cut off from each other and the outside world. In 2025, a devastating earthquake struck, compounding the suffering and further isolating communities already under siege. With mass internet outages, daily surveillance, and pervasive fear, the question became: How could civil society continue to work together?
ICNL partnered with local organizations to launch and equip two secure resource hubs in ethnic-controlled areas. Spaces powered by solar energy and satellite internet, and staffed by trusted community advocates, these hubs became vital platforms for civil society. Our partners now have a safe space to convene local CSOs and civilian government actors, deliver training on civic freedoms, and work towards enabling laws.
Even as the junta tightened its grip, these centers made safe convenings, information-sharing, and coordinated advocacy possible. The ripple effect? Dozens of grassroots groups regained the means to connect, strategize, and serve their communities with renewed resilience. In one of the world’s harshest environments for civil society, ICNL’s support created lifelines while helping navigate a complex context.
For more on ICNL’s work in the Asia and Pacific region, see here.
“ ‘Sel Phoe,’ meaning ‘Small Star’ in the Kayah-Karenni language, reflects the center’s spirit: shining where support is needed most. Despite the challenges, it continues to strengthen community resilience and foster synergy.”
– Myanmar Partner
Photo: courtesy of our partner
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