MYANMAR HOLDS NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON

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MYANMAR HOLDS NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON WOMEN 

Xinhua, Yangon, 23 December 1999. A NATIONAL WORKSHOP, SPONSORED 
BY THE MYANMAR NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S AFFAIRS 
(MNCWA), IS BEING HELD HERE TO DISCUSS PRIORITY ISSUES AFFECTING 
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT WHICH INCLUDE THAT OF 
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. 

THE THREE-DAY WORKSHOP, WHICH BEGAN WEDNESDAY, IS A 
FOLLOW-UP OF A SOUTHEAST ASIA REGIONAL CONSULTATION 
MEETING ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THE ROLE OF HEALTH 
SECTOR HELD IN YANGON IN JANUARY THIS YEAR. 

MYANMAR MINISTER OF HEALTH MAJOR-GENERAL KET SEIN SAID 
AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THE WORKSHOP THAT VIOLENCE 
AGAINST WOMEN IS A GREAT PROBLEM FACING THE WORLD TODAY, 
ADDING THAT "THOUGH IT IS NOT A BIG PROBLEM IN MYANMAR, 
VIOLENCE IS THE HINDRANCE TO PEACE AND
DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN'S LIFE." 

HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF JUDICIAL SECTOR, POLICE 
FORCE  AND SOCIAL AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THE COUNTRY 
IN  REDUCTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.  VIOLENCE AGAINST 
WOMEN IS AMONG THE SIX PRIORITY AREAS OF CONCERN FOR 
MYANMAR WOMEN IDENTIFIED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE 
OTHER PRIORITY AREAS ARE EDUCATION, HEALTH, ECONOMY, 
CULTURE AND GIRL- CHILD. 

ACTIVITIES ON ALL THESE PRIORITY AREAS ARE REPORTEDLY 
UNDER SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE 
COUNTRY SINCE THE MNCWA WAS FORMED IN JULY 1996 WITH 
A SUB-COMMITTEE HANDLING PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST 
WOMEN. 

MEANWHILE, MYANMAR IS ALSO IMPLEMENTING THE BEIJING 
DECLARATION AND THE PLATFORM FOR ACTION ADOPTED BY 
THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN HELD IN BEIJING 
IN 1995. THE COUNTRY ACCEDED IN JULY 1997 TO THE CONVENTION 
ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
WOMEN.   

MYANMAR'S WOMEN POPULATION ACCOUNTS FOR 50.34 PERCENT 
OF THE 48-MILLION TOTAL POPULATION, ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL 
STATISTICS. 
  

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