The Myanmar Red Cross Society Law
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The Myanmar Red Cross Society Law
(The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law No. 52, 2015)
The 11th Waxing Day of Wagaung, 1377 M.E.
(26 August, 2015)
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw hereby enacts this Law.
Chapter I
Title and Definition
1. This Law shall be called the Myanmar Red Cross Society Law.
2. The following expressions contained in this Law shall have the meanings given hereunder:
(a) Society means the Myanmar Red Cross Society;
(b) Council means the Central Council of Red Cross Society formed under this Law;
(c) State means the Republic of the Union of Myanmar;
(d) Government means the Union Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar;
(e) Ministry means the Ministry of Health of the Union Government;
(f) Fundamental Principles of Red Cross means humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary
service, unity and universality that are seven fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and
Red Crescent Movement;
(g) Geneva Conventions mean the conventions adopted on 12 August, 1949 in Geneva;
(h) Protocols mean the Additional Protocols (I) and (II) adopted on 8 June, 1977 in Geneva and the
Additional Protocol (III) adopted on 8 December, 2015 in Geneva.
Chapter II
Standard, Functions and Duties of the Society
3. The society is a society that serves independently in voluntary and the auxiliary strength of the State in
humanitarian field.
4. The President is the patron of the Myanmar Red Cross Society.
5. The society is the sole National Red Cross Society in the State and may stretch out its functions in the
entire nation. In addition, it may cooperate similarly in the international arena.
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6. The society shall permanently abide by the Geneva Conventions and the fundamental principles, policies
and decisions of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement adopted by the International
Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent in accord with the laws enacted by the State.
7. The society shall be free from the intervention of other organizations in carrying out its functions. In
addition, it shall be free from party politics.
8. The society shall cooperate with the other social compassionate organizations, the United Nations
Organizations and non-Governmental organizations in carrying out the social compassionate works with
the same objectives in accord with the relevant guidelines and policies adopted within the Red Cross
Movement.
9. The society shall cooperate to yield the mutual responsibility and benefits in the fields of social
compassionate work by performing as the auxiliary strength of the State.
10. The society shall permanently carry out its humanitarian services in accord with the fundamental
principles and decisions of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement adopted by the
member States at the International Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent.
11. The Government shall respect the voluntary service and the independent nature of the Society, and
provide the functions of the society to achieve the objectives.
12. The society has the right to communicate with the relevant Ministries according to the sectoral work
through the Union Government in communicating with the Union Government and in performing the
social compassionate works.
13. The society has the right to sue and to be sued in the name of the society in accord with the provisions of
this Law.
Chapter III
Objectives of the Society
14. The objectives of the society are as follows:
(a) to perform the functions of the society in the entire nation or the international field in accord with the
law because it is the Red Cross Society recognized by the State in line with the Geneva Conventions
and their Protocols;
(b) to assist and protect any person without discriminating the race, religion, color, status, poverty,
wealth, sex, language, political belief;
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(c) to promote the spread of the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and the International
Humanitarian Law for improving the mutual friendship and understanding of human beings and peace
firmly;
(d) to lay down the plans for rescuing, reducing the hardship, providing humanitarian aid to the
vulnerable armed forces and civilians in time of war or peace under the Geneva Conventions, 1949 and
their Protocols, other relevant Protocols and Laws;
(e) to participate the society in the programmes of the national level preparedness and response in
natural disasters, man-made disasters and other emergency matters;
(f) to assist and protect the people through the programmes of society in the field of health, prevention of
diseases, social welfare activities and such awareness;
(g) to establish the effective national level network for reunion of family relationships between the
separated people in the necessary situations of humanitarian due to armed conflicts, terrorisms,
natural or man-made disasters;
(h) to cooperate with the Government aiming to protect the misuse of the Red Cross seal and similar
emblems recognized by the Geneva Conventions and their Protocols, and cause to abide by the
International Humanitarian Laws to the people;
(i) to promote the development of the International Humanitarian Law, the fundamental principles of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and volunteer spirit among the people, and the
spread of knowledge;
(j) to cooperate with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in carrying out impartially
and independently the Red Cross Movements in accord with the fundamental principles of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Chapter IV
Communication with other Organizations Involved in the Red Cross Movement
15. The Society shall comply with the duties served as a part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement or a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society.
16. If it requires the assistance of Government department and Government organizations, in forming the
society or implementing the social compassionate works in accord with the fundamental principles of the
Red Cross, it shall be arranged by the Government.
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Chapter V
Formation
17. The following persons have the right to attend and vote in the Myanmar Red Cross Conference:
(a) members of the Council;
(b) persons proposed by the Council;
(c) representatives of the Region, States and Union territory;
(d) representatives of the Self-Administered Division and Self-Administered Zone;
(e) district representatives;
(f) township representatives;
(g) youth representatives of the society;
(h) representatives of the Red Cross Nursing Force;
(i) departmental representatives.
18. The Conference shall form the Council. Such Council is the administrative body of the society. The
number of Council member may be changed and assigned in accord with necessity. The Council shall
consist of the following persons:
(a) one representative elected by the Union territory;
(b) each representative elected by the Regions or States;
(c) thirteen representatives not lower than the rank of Director General proposed by the Ministries related
to the Red Cross Movement;
(d) not more than ten representatives elected by the social societies related to the Red Cross Movement;
(e) ten persons proposed by the Government;
(f) each member of the Red Cross Society proposed by the Region or State Red Cross Supervisory
Committee and the Union Territory Red Cross Supervisory Committee.
19. (a) The Council shall elect the Executive Committee comprising eleven members from members of the
Council;
(b) Members of the Executive Committee elected under sub-section (a) shall elect one chairperson, one
vice-chairperson, one general secretary, two full time members of the Executive Committee and six
part time members of the Executive Committee out of their members.
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20. The Council shall add and assign duty not more than five persons as members of the Council in order to
perform all special functions that are able to be performed only by experts.
21. The duties of the Council and the Executive Committee are terminated at the day of the new Council and
Executive Committee has been elected by the Myanmar Red Cross Conference.
Chapter VI
Duties and Powers of the Myanmar Red Cross Conference
22. The duties and powers of the Myanmar Red Cross Conference are as follows:
(a) the Myanmar Red Cross Conference is the supreme authority of the society;
(b) the Myanmar Red Cross Conference represents all various levels of the society;
(c) the Council and Executive Committee shall be elected at the Myanmar Red Cross Conference in accord
with the regulation of election;
(d) report of the Council shall be approved at the Myanmar Red Cross Conference;
(e) if necessary to amend this Law under the decision of the Myanmar Red Cross Conference, it shall be
submitted to the Ministry;
(f) matters contained in the agenda shall be decided, approved and recorded;
(g) policies related to the society submitted by the Council shall be approved;
(h) the Myanmar Red Cross Conference shall be held once in three years. The special session of the
Myanmar Red Cross Conference shall be held if at least one-fifth of the total number of persons who
are eligible to attend the Myanmar Red Cross Conference so require;
(i) a person who is eligible to attend the Myanmar Red Cross Conference shall have the right to cast only a
vote.
Chapter VII
Duties and Powers of the Council
23. The duties and powers of the Council are as follows:
(a) the Council is the administrative body of the society;
(b) it shall guide to perform successfully the objectives of the society;
(c) it shall elect the Executive Committee;
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(d) the Council shall elect a new member in accord with the stipulation when a member of the Executive
Committee is vacant;
(e) it shall guide the Executive Committee to implement policies laid down by the Myanmar Red Cross
Conference;
(f) it shall form the working committees if necessary and designate and supervise their functions and
duties;
(g) it shall scrutinize and confirm the annual budget;
(h) it shall confirm, revise, scrutinize and decide the financial rules and regulations of the society;
(i) it has the right to delete the value from the list in accord with the stipulated financial rules and
regulations for losing money and asset of the society submitted by the Executive Committee;
(j) it shall scrutinize and decide in respect of the immoveable property to be bought or sold by the society
which is submitted by the Executive Committee;
(k) it has the right to decide conclusively in respect of the acceptance or refusal of the member of the
society and dismissal of the member of the society;
(l) it has the right to recognize an honorary member;
(m) it has the right to confirm and decide the personnel set-up of the society;
(n) it shall hold a session of the Council at least once a year. The special session of the Council shall be
held if one-third of the Council member so require;
(o) it has the right to approve and revise the regulation of election submitted by the Executive Committee;
(p) it shall form and supervise the Myanmar Red Cross Nursing Force as part of the society.
24. The Council shall draft the rules desirous to enact for accomplishing the matters of this Law and submit it
to the Ministry.
Chapter VIII
Duties and Powers of the Executive Committee
25. The duties and powers of the Executive Committee are as follows:
(a) it shall perform the administrative functions of the society;
(b) it shall supervise activities of different level of the society in accord with the guidelines of the Council;
(c) it shall draft and approve the meeting agenda to be submitted to the Council;
(d) it shall draft the annual budget and submit it to the Council;
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(e) it shall submit the annual financial report and performance to the Council;
(f) it has the right to make the contract in the prescribed manner in respect of receiving and leasing the
moveable and immoveable property on behalf of the society;
(g) it shall undertake the redemption, sale and purchase of securities invested by the society;
(h) it shall specify the class of members, member fees and annual fees with the approval of the Council;
(i) it shall form the working committees if necessary and designate and supervise their functions and
duties;
(j) it shall carry out with the approval of the Council in respect of immovable properties to be bought or
sold by the society;
(k) it shall submit to the Council to delete the value stipulated in financial rules and regulations from the
list for the losing money or asset of the society;
(l) it has the right to award honorary medals and certificates to persons performing great effort in
compassionate works. It has the right to recommend for enabling to award honorary medals and
certificates of international level;
(m) it may form and designate the Region, State, Union Territory, District Red Cross Executive Committee
and Township sub-societies;
(n) it has the right to communicate with organizations which have the same objectives in local and
abroad;
(o) it has the right to decide in respect of the acceptance or refusal of the member of society and
dismissal of the member of the society;
(p) it has the right to send the member of the society and red cross nursing force to abroad and invite
persons from abroad;
(q) it shall draft the regulation of election and submit it to the Council.
26. The Executive Committee may approve the election of patrons for various levels of societies in the
Region, State, Union Territory, District, Township, University and College.
Chapter IX
Financial Management
27. The Ministry shall coordinate with the Government for estimating the appropriate fund for enabling to
implement the objectives of the society and activities within the field.
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28. The society may possess, own and manage moveable and immoveable properties properly.
29. The Society shall receive contributions and assistance from local and foreign governments, or private or
organizations or individual and has the right to use it in accord with the stipulations.
30. The Society may establish and manage the reserve fund, insurance fund or other funds for its staff or any
function.
31. The Society may apply for tax exemptions from assets owned in accord with law of the society including
real estate, and on the income from activities of fund raising to the relevant Ministry through the Ministry.
32. The Society may apply for tax exemption on donations and properties of the person and organization to
the relevant Ministry through the Ministry.
33. The Society shall be annually audited in accord with the stipulated financial and work inspection rules
and regulations for assets, funds owned by the society, financial matters and work activities.
Chapter X
Emblem, Flag and Official Seal of the Society
34. The Society has the right to use the following emblem of Red Cross for the Geneva Conventions and their
Protocols, the provisions relating to the use of emblem of the Red Cross by the National Societies
approved by the International Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent, and all objectives laid down by
the International Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent.
35. The Society has the right to use a logo contained in the red cross emblem together with affixing the back
of two lions and written as the Myanmar Red Cross Society in Myanmar Language on the white
background as follows in its own logo, official seal and flag, and such logo is the copyright of the society:My an
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36. The Society shall use the following logo in performing the activities.
Chapter XI
Miscellaneous
37. The Council formed under the Myanmar Red Cross Society Act, 1959 shall convene the Myanmar Red
Cross Conference within one year after enacting this Law in order to form the Council formed under this
Law.
38. The Society shall succeed funds, moveable and immoveable properties owned by the Council formed
under the Myanmar Red Cross Society Act, 1959, completed works and ongoing works of such Council,
rights and liabilities respectively.
39. The rules, regulations and bye-laws, notifications, orders, directives and procedures issued under the
Myanmar Red Cross Society Act, 1959 may be exercised continuously unless and until they are not
contrary to this Law.
40. (a) The Ministry may issue rules, regulations and bye-laws with the approval of the Union Government;
(b) The Society may issue notifications, orders, directives and procedures in order to implement the
activities contained in this Law.
41. The Myanmar Red Cross Society Act, 1959 (Act No.25, 1959) is hereby repealed by this Law.
I hereby sign under the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
Sd./ Thein Sein
President
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar My
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