The
2011–2015 Myanmar political reforms were a series of political, economic and administrative reforms in
Myanmar undertaken by the military-backed government. These reforms include the release of pro-democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and subsequent dialogues with her, establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, general amnesties of more than 200 political prisoners, institution of new labour laws that allow labour unions and strikes, relaxation of press censorship, and regulations of currency practices. As a consequence of the reforms,
ASEAN has approved Myanmar's bid for the chairmanship in 2014. United States Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar on 1 December 2011, to encourage further progress; it was the first visit by a Secretary of State in more than fifty years. United States President
Barack Obama visited one year later, becoming the first US president to visit the country.