Myanmar President Win Myint on Monday said that the country’s human rights situation has improved, but critics pointed to the country’s violent crackdown in Rakhine State, harsh treatment of ethnic minorities, an apparent about-face on press freedom, and crackdowns on civic groups, RFA reported.

Addressing an event in Yangon commemorating the 70th anniversary of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the U.N. document that sets out fundamental human rights, he also called on the government and civil society to work with the country’s human rights commission to further improve human rights conditions.

“Human rights which are the most fundamental rights of humankind need to be enjoyed without discrimination with respect to race, colour of skin, gender, language, religion or political belief by all equally,” he said in a statement issued in state media.

Win Myint also said Myanmar is making efforts to teach, create awareness of, and provide training courses on human rights as it moves along a path to democratic transition.