Description:
Executive Summary:
"This report reflects the results of WON?s research and interviews of women from ten of
Myanmar?s states,
who shared their experiences and struggles to vindicate their rights.
As a
party
to
CEDAW, Myanmar?s government has an obligation
to
protect and guarantee the rights
of its female citizens in
a
variety of realms. Of particular concern to WON are Myanmar?s
shortcomings in regard to its obligations under Articles 7, 12, and 14.
In 2012,
women comprised
only 4.42% of Myanmar?s National Parliament. The 2015
election, however, raised that percentage to 14.5%. This shift demonstrates
the potential for
women
to play a decisive role in governing the country. Nevertheless,
women
still face
multiple
barriers
to political participation at the national, regional and local levels, including
gender
stereotypes, safety concerns, lack of education,
and
legal and economic barriers.
To comply with
the obligations of Article 7, the government must
implement
legal
reforms and promote social
change
to allow women
to exercise their rights to political participation.
Access to health remains illusory for many
—
if not most
—
women in Myanmar. Clinics
and hospitals are few and far between, particularly in rural areas. Women report that hospital
care is unaffordable and of poor quality.
Women concerned
by issues of cost or
travel
often
depend
on midwives and traditional birth attendants for childbirth, and while
there has been a
decrease in
Myanmar?s maternal
mortality
rate, it is still high compared to neighboring countries.
Abortion
also
continues to be illegal
in Myanmar, forcing many women to
seek
dangerous
abortions that risk their health and lives.
Women lack education
on
sex, birth control, STIs, and
HIV/AIDS.
All names used in this report and the annexed research report are pseudonyms.
6
Rural women suffer
disproportionately from poverty, lack of access to healthcare and
education, and unemployment
. Poverty
is
a primary concern
for most rural women, who lack
employment opportunities
and
education
. Addiction to drugs or alcohol
is prevalent in many
households, as is domestic violence. Poverty
has
also
led to mass migration as individuals
often
leave
to find work
in other states or countries. In other instances, poverty has
forced
families to
take on high
-
interest debt
.
Some
women, in times of economic need, turn to sex work, an illegal
profession
in which they are
often
taken
harassed
or abused by police.
Land grabbing, often
perpetrated by the Government,
has
also
become an increasing problem
for
rural women.
The
government must
provide increased services and economic opportunities to
rural populations,
and foster an atmosphere in which women
are protected from abuse."
Source/publisher:
Women?s Organization Network (WON)
Date of Publication:
2016-06-00
Date of entry:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Language:
English
Local URL:
Format:
pdf
Size:
1.08 MB