gender equality and women's rights in myanmar
To achieve these goals, it’s necessary for Myanmar to place gender equality and women’s empowerment at the center of national development plans. Women have mostly been excluded from high-level peace negotiations. In Myanmar, this project cooperates closely with SMART Myanmar. In Myanmar, a program to secure land rights for the country’s forest-dwelling communities is helping villages make progress toward all three. Gender equality and empowerment of women. Open Society Foundation, Burma Project (2014), Rights based women’s organisations, Burma: An assessment and mapping of the work of women’s organizations in Burma, New York: OSF, p. 21. Partners in gender parity. “The Borgen Project is an incredible nonprofit organization that is addressing poverty and hunger and working towards ending them.” However women are already participating in important efforts to achieve peace and reconciliation but lack official recognition for this. This, in turn, can contribute to their financial independence, if their work opportunities are compliant with labour and social standards. The vast potential for women’s rights in the country cannot and must not be lost in an attempt to normalise discrimination. Women have convinced conflicting groups to fight in locations farther from villages. This also applies to Myanmar: it constitutes an important industry with roughly 430 factories, employing around 340,000 people. Goal 5: Gender equality . Despite recent initiatives to reduce gender discrimination, bias against women remains widespread as Myanmar still ranks relatively poorly at 148 out of 189 countries in the last Gender Inequality Index (2017). Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Myanmar - A Situation Analysis. In many countries in South and South East Asia the textile and clothing sector is contributing substantially to local economic development. This purpose is supported by the regional project “Labour and Social Standards in the Textile and Clothing Sector in Asia”, which is implemented by the GIZ and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Gender equity in Myanmar cannot be achieved without conscious effort, a challenge that is compounded by changes in demographics and increased automation, which increase pressure on the labour force. In Myanmar, women have crucial roles in dealing with and responding to conflict, and the efforts supported by the Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process are a promising step in the right direction to ending decades of conflict in Myanmar. InternationalConferenceonBurma/Myanmar*Studies* Burma/Myanmar*inTransition:*Connectivity,*Changes*andChallenges* In many countries in South and South East Asia the textile and clothing sector is contributing substantially to local economic development. Two study missions have already been organized via cooperative efforts of the EU funded SMART Myanmar project, GIZ and the C&A Foundation, to exchange experience and knowhow between women's cafes in Bangladesh and the "Sunday Cafés" in Myanmar. According to a study by the United Nations, women participating in the decision-making process is a crucial element for achieving sustainable peace. Since the poverty rate amounts to 37.5 percent in Myanmar, the income of the seamstresses is badly needed to support their families. In partnership with United Nations organizations and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Department of Social Welfare under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement is pleased to launch In this paper, we draw on data from two national surveys, interviews, and existing qualitative studies to explore public opinion on women’s rights and gender equality. In order to improve labour conditions in this sector, working women and men have to be encouraged to know and claim their rights. The contents are the sole responsibility of the SMART Gender-conflict analysis and women’s and girls’ human rights should therefore be at the centre of short- and long-term global responses and recoveries to COVID-19, future pandemics and crises. 4: Women’s League of Burma (2006), Constituting our rights, Chiang Mai: WLB. However, sewers were sometimes exploited and had no possibility to advocate for their rights. This gender situation analysis spotlights women’s activities and shows the way for their maximum contribution in the socioeconomic development of Myanmar through newly installed systems and practices.This report reflects the results of a consultative process that began 2 years ago and involved multi-stakeholder workshops to discuss the purpose and content of the publication. Excluding women from the peace process prevents the perspective and experiences of 52 percent of the population. This is significant as Myanmar can aspire and achieve gender equality through effective public policies that work for women. They serve as Burmese government’s main channels towards women’s rights. The project is active in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and Pakistan and is working together with China. Garment workers meet up weekly at both locations with their friends on their day off to read books, relax and learn more about their rights through trainings, games and conversations among themselves. Women better understand the impact of conflict on women, children, the disabled and the elderly. Myanmar’s constitution condones discrimination, with section 352 stating “nothing…shall prevent the appointment of men to the positions that are suitable for men only.” Women are frequently characterized as “decorative.”. The foremost goal of the administration is to end the decades of ethnic conflict, but the complexity of these issues does not allow for easy solutions. Gender equality and empowerment of women . What if we could alleviate rural poverty, strengthen women’s rights, and help turn the tide against climate change, all at once? The 2nd location opened in Hlaing Thayar Township, Yangon in January 2017. Textile & Garments project and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. About Us. Obstacles to women entering decision-making roles include the prevalence of gender violence and entrenched societal expectations that women must play supporting roles in society. All rights reserved. Myanmar has multiple institutional mechanisms currently in place that serve to implement the country’s commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment. women's rights and protection in Myanmar and ... greater gender equality. Women’s organizations in Myanmar are documenting human rights abuses, providing services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and negotiating ceasefires. International research has shown that women tend to best represent marginalized groups. This also applies to Myanmar: it constitutes an important industry with roughly 430 factories, employing around 340,000 people. Globally the education gender gap is improving, health is also improving however transformative gender indicators like attitudes and behaviour are yet to see improvements, which would mean more work at the societal level. Women live a life free of violence Governance, national planning and budgeting for gender equality Women and girls contribute and benefit equally from sustainable peace and resilience, prevention of natural disasters and conflicts, and humanitarian action We find that although younger women in Myanmar fair better than their older counterparts, a gender equality debate that focuses singularly on younger women could have a pervasive effect on their well-being in old age. Much is at stake. In many countries in South and South East Asia the textile and clothing sector is contributing substantially to local economic development. Based on the report, Myanmar has the potential to add US$10 billion a year to its GDP by 2025, which would be an 8pc improvement. However, the introduction of a small scale change in the budget cycle can be the first step to eventually make a big difference in gender equality and women’s empowerment in Myanmar. 3: Unpublished UN Office on Drugs and Crime 2013 report cited in the GSA Report, p. 9. Gender equality and empowerment of women . – The Huffington Post, https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg, On the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, How Poverty Is Reduced Through Basic Technology, Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process. Social progress is a process that spans generations, and it is worth noting that the process has already begun in Myanmar. Women garment workers outside the Sunday Cafe 2 in Hlaing Thayar Township. Gender equality makes for smart economics---it can enhance productivity, improve development goals for the next generation, and make institutions more representative. However, too often, women remain … But if government, business, and society generally work together, progress can be made and everyone can reap the benefits of gender equality. from Asian Development Bank, United Nations Population Fund, UN Development Programme, UN Women… In Myanmar, UN Women, the lead UN agency for gender equality and the empowerment of women, is working hand in hand with all the other UN agencies … UN Women has been present in Myanmar as a project office since 2013. Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Myanmar A Situation Analysis The Republic of the Union of Myanmar is making historical progressive reforms. Myanmar is at a critical juncture for harnessing the forces of economic growth in a way that ensures that everyone can benefit. However, experiences from other countries suggest that freer and more competitive politics may produce setbacks in gender equality. The institute’s report estimates that $12 trillion can be added to global growth by advancing gender equality. We also appreciate the government of Myanmar’s commitment to this agenda, driving forward progress through its National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women. Obstacles to women entering decision-making roles include the prevalence of gender violence and entrenched societal expectations that women must play supporting roles in society. Since winning independence from colonial rule in 1948, ethnic conflict in Myanmar has plagued the country. Obstacles to women entering decision-making roles include the prevalence of gender violence and entrenched societal expectations that women must play supporting roles in society. Ensuring women’s security, in terms of physical, mental and emotional safety and economic self‐sufficiency, is the foundation to their enjoyment of other rights. © Copyright 2021 SMART Myanmar. Monday March 25, 2019, Inclusion - Women, Disability & Ethnic Minorities, Women and Gender Equality, Gender Equality, 2019 She Leads in Myanmar_En_2019 Monday March 11, 2019 , Inclusion - Women, Disability & Ethnic Minorities , Women and Gender Equality , Gender Equality , 2019 Myanmar endured the world’s longest ongoing civil war, in which the ethnic Bamar Buddhist majority living in the central valley has tried to control other groups living in the mountainous outskirts of the country. Myanmar’s constitution condones discrimination, … Rapid political, economic, and social transition is taking the country and its 51.4 million citizens in new directions. One of several initiatives was the "cafés for women", in which the women workers are informed about their rights and are supported to claim them. Despite these obstacles, women take an active role in mitigating the damage done by the conflict in Myanmar. The Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process works to promote women’s rights and gender equality as a method to end Myanmar’s ethnic conflict. The Sunday Cafe 1 and Sunday Café 2 are run by the local civil society organization, Thone Pann Hla. Gender responsive budgeting is not a panacea. Myanmar is a society in which there is gender equality at all levels and where human rights are respected, enabling everyone to have equal opportunities, to participate in … on Gender Equality in Myanmar Abstract Myanmar’s return to competitive elections after decades of military rule raised expectations for progress in economic and social development, including in the area of women’s rights. February 17th, 2017. From early 2019, however, the office is transitioning into being a fully fledged country office, repositioning and better aligning its resources to be able to support Myanmar in its commitment to ensuring gender equality and women’s … An impressively free election in 2015 gave power to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy (NLD). Because the garment industry in Myanmar has a considerable potential for growth, job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of young women can be created. Extreme religions tend to restrict women’s rights, but funding and supporting women weakens the influence of extremists. It is a new area of research in Myanmar, and suffers from a lack of systematic inquiry that is representative of studies of the female population. That women in Myanmar do continue to suffer from inequality is not a myth, and that the work of activists and advocates has contributed vastly to improved conditions for them is no legend either. Involving women in political processes is also an effective strategy for countering extremism. We are a diverse and inclusive network of more than 130 civil society organisations, national and international NGOs, and Technical Resource Persons working to bring about gender equality and the fulfilment of women's rights in Myanmar. Over 90 percent of employees in the textile and clothing industry are young women, most typically between 16 and 27 years old. This Commentary is published with permission from the Myanmar Times, the original publisher. As demonstrated by this research, as well as numerous other commentators, the way forward for gender equality in Myanmar is in the hands of all stakeholders – the government, civil society, and women themselves. The importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment and leadership as a central element of humanitarian action, and across the humanitarian-peace-development nexus, has been recognized in international normative frameworks to which the Government of Myanmar is a signatory. Despite recent initiatives to reduce gender discrimination, bias against women remains widespread as Myanmar still ranks relatively poorly at 148 out of 189 countries in the last Gender Inequality Index (2017). InternationalConferenceonBurma/Myanmar*Studies* Burma/Myanmar*inTransition:*Connectivity,*Changes*andChallenges* This would fulfill state commitments to gender equality and women’s rights, which are also critical for sustainable human development and the sustainability of Myanmar’s reform process. The role of men in these conflicts effectively prevents them from being able to effectively represent large portions of society in negotiating solutions. The World Bank is committed to working closely with the Government of Myanmar to promote gender equality and women’s … Myanmar’s political and ethnic leaders appear to lack understanding of their responsibility to implement women’s equal rights in decision-making on peace-building and national transition. In Myanmar, a Land Rights Program is Accelerating Gender Equality, Growing Rural Incomes, and Preserving Forests. The experiences made in Bangladesh with these issues now serve to educate and inform the actions being undertaken in Myanmar. Early scholars of gender in Myanmar describe the unique position of Myanmar women as enjoying greater legal rights compared to women in neighbouring China and India. Men are susceptible to combat-related injuries, while women bear the burden of sexual violence, damage to property, and mental trauma. The Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process works to promote women’s rights and gender equality as a method to end Myanmar’s ethnic conflict. The urgency and the concerted effort to bridge gender gaps in Myanmar society and contextualization of indicators was exhorted at a policy roundtable “SDGs and Gender Equality: Prioritizing action for the next decade” organized jointly by the Centre for Economic and Social Development (CESD) and International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Canada, in Yangon this week. Report. The conflict affects women, men and children differently since they occupy different roles in society. Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development. Evidence points out that achievements in the arena of gender equality need not follow a rise in per capita income, rather countries can achieve gender equality even when they are at a low per capita income level. This chance, however, also harbours great risks, because most often the women do not know their what legal rights are and are thus at risk of exploitation and debt. The Gender Equality Network (GEN) is diverse and inclusive network of more than 100 civil society organisations, national and international NGOs and Technical Resource Persons working to bring about gender equality and the fulfilment of women's rights in Myanmar (also known as Burma). These include the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, and the Department of Social Welfare. This website has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. Local NGOs observe that many women stay in the factory until their first pregnancy and then return into their home villages. Photos used on this site are the property of the SMART Textile & Garments project and cannot be used without permission. As a result, GAPS and 22 partners in 10 countries conducted research into the impact of COVID-19 on peace, security and gender inequality. It is expected that by 2018 the number of garment factories in Myanmar will increase to nearly 600 and the number of employees will rise to approach 600,000. May Sabe Phyu is the director of the Gender Equality Network, a diverse and inclusive network of more than 130 civil society organisations, national and international NGOs, and technical resource persons working to bring about gender equality and the fulfilment of women’s rights in Myanmar. Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Myanmar A Situation Analysis The Republic of the Union of Myanmar is making historical progressive reforms. Gender equality and empowerment of women . Moreover, working in the garment factories is often the only possibility for young women from the rural regions in Myanmar to earn money and to emancipate them economically. SMART TEXTILE & GARMENTS IS A PROJECT FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION AND IMPLEMENTED BY. Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Myanmar A Situation Analysis The Republic of the Union of Myanmar is making historical progressive reforms. with further support from H&M, C&A, Bestseller, Inditex, Next, Primark and Kik. The Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process works to promote women’s rights and gender equality as a method to end Myanmar’s ethnic conflict. Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth. A significant number of garment workers are in debt because they send more money home to their families than they can rightfully afford. This is significant as Myanmar can aspire and achieve gender equality through effective public policies that work for women. They have also protected men and children by sending them away or hiding them and stepped up to keep the village functioning as their men fled for safety. Bangladesh saw a similar development in the past as the garment industry grew rapidly for decades. However, as said in a 2016 report on gender in Myanmar by the Asian Development Bank, such progress has “given rise to a rather pervasive view that there is equality between men, women, boys, and girls and that gender equality is not a matter of concern in Myanmar”. LIFT interviews women’s rights activist Daw May Sabe Phyu. These include the World Humanitarian Summit Agenda for Humanity and the Grand Bargain, the Sustainable … EU Myan Ku Fund - Employer Application Portal, Guidance on environmental impact when sourcing. February 17th, 2017. UNDP has made gender equality central to its work and we’ve seen remarkable progress in the past 20 years. It took years until the first initiatives for the support of garment workers emerged. Myanmar’s introduction of competitive elections after decades of military rule raised expectations for progress in economic and social development, including in the area of women’s rights. Gender Equality and Women's Right to Good Health Gender Equality and Women's and Girls' Right to Freedom from All Forms of Violence Gender Equality and Women's Rights in Political Processes and Governance Gender Equality and Women's Rights in the Peace Process in Myanmar