Myanmar's Election Commission on Monday gave opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi the green light to run for parliamentary by-elections, another step toward greater political openness in the country.

Suu Kyi announced her intention last month to run in the April elections but was waiting for official approval from the commission, which said it had to scrutinize her eligibility.

A spokesman for Suu Kyi's party said the commission approved her candidacy. "There is no objection to her nomination, and we can say that her candidacy is officially accepted," Nyan Win said.

A civilian government took office last March. The new government released hundreds of political prisoners, signed ceasefire deals with ethnic rebels and eased media restrictions.

Myanmar's government hopes the rapid changes will prompt the West to lift economic sanctions that were imposed on the country during military rule.

The April election is being held to fill 48 parliamentary seats vacated by lawmakers who were appointed to the cabinet and other posts.

Even if Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party wins all 48 seats out of the 440-seat lower house of parliament, it will have minimal power.

Suu Kyi will run for a seat representing Kawhmu, a poor district south of Yangon where villagers' livelihoods were devastated by Cyclone Nargis in 2008.

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Tomas Ojea Quintana has made a thorough assessment of Myanmar's recent human rights situation, claiming that through his six-day Myanmar mission, he witnessed positive trend in the country but adding that serious challenges remain and be addressed.

Quintana made the remarks in Yangon at the end of his visit on Sunday evening.

"There is also a risk of backtracking on the progress achieved thus far. Therefore, at this crucial moment in the country's history, further and sustained action should be taken to bring about further change. Prior to its assumption of the chairpersonship of ASEAN in 2014, I would encourage Myanmar to demonstrate concrete progress in improving its human rights situation," he pointed out, calling on the international community to remain engaged and assist the government.

Thanking the Myanmar government for its invitation and cooperation, Quintana reaffirmed his willingness to work constructively and cooperatively with Myanmar to improve the human rights situation.

He said that the steps taken by the government had the potential to improve the human rights situation in Myanmar and the deepening of its political reforms.

He stressed the importance of assessing the human rights situation in Myanmar in the light of some developments and at this key moment in Myanmar history, citing a continuing wave of reforms in the country since his last visit in August and saying that the speed and breadth of the reform has surprised many international observers and many in the country.

"The impact of these reforms on the country and on its people is immediately perceptible," he said.

He witnessed that significant legislative reforms were undertaken or are underway including a new draft media law which he was told would abolish censorship and provide some guarantees for the freedom of opinion and expression.

The reform also includes the adoption of the Labor Organizations Law and the Peaceful Demonstration and Gathering Law, as well as the amendment to the Political Party Registration Law.