[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

BURMA WOMEN'S DAY



ALTSEAN-BURMA
ALTERNATIVE ASEAN NETWORK ON BURMA
tel: 66 2 275 1811 / 693 4515   fax: 66 2 693 4515   <altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>

BURMA WOMEN'S DAY

It proposed that June 19, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday, be dedicated as
Burma Women's Day.

Burma Women's Day will acknowledge the essential role of women in Burma in
the promotion of social justice, peace, human rights and democracy.  It will
honour the sacrifices made by millions of women who face military
aggression, abuse, looting, murder, imprisonment, torture, attacks on their
person and character, as well as attacks on their families and colleagues,
because of their commitment to peace.

June 19 is significant because it is also the birthday of one of the most
internationally admired women in contemporary times.  It provides us with an
opportunity to reflect that there are millions of (sometimes invisible)
women who not only participate directly in the movement for positive change
in Burma, but also support the involvement of family members in the struggle.

Burma Women's Day also stresses with women's groups throughout the world
that the situation in Burma is a matter of grave concern for all women.  The
safety and equality of women, let alone their rights as human beings, are a
casualty of the brutal oppression perpetuated by Burma's State Law and Order
Restoration Council (Slorc).

HOW TO SUPPORT:

Encourage Burma networks to:
1. Inform ourselves on the situation of women in Burma.
2. Link up with women's groups, particularly on issues concerning women of
Burma (e.g. state-sponsored violence against women, women in politics,
trafficking of women).
3. Highlight the fact that in addition to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, millions of
women work in the struggle, inside and outside Burma.
4. Develop measures and supportive mechanisms to counter-act the structural
and other factors which inhibit women from taking a stronger profile in the
struggle.
5. Issue a statement, press release or letter to the media to mark Burma
Women's Day.

Encourage women's networks to:
1. Inform their networks about Burma Women's Day.
2. Issue press statements and letters to the editor to support the democracy
movement.
3. Generate articles and discussions about women in Burma.
4. Increase their support and involvement for the activities of Burma
activist groups around the world.
5. Include Burma on the agenda of projects and events.

Please support this initiative by making the appropriate statements in any
planned activities to celebrate Daw Suu's birthday.

__________________________________________________

P.S. This sort of initiative should have happened a long time ago. We need
to support Burma women to take a more frontline role in international
activism and politics and NOT just as "women's reps" but as colleagues who
have a right to be involved in all aspects of the struggle.

Many women work have been working behind the scenes. They have the capacity
but they require support to build up their confidence and experience. Some
parts of the movement have not been supportive environments for women to
speak up. The way many of us work has not been helpful, either.

Let's work to improve this situation.  Gender equality is part of democracy
and women's rights are human rights. This must be part of the new Burma that
we are working for.

In solidarity,
Debbie Stothard