Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Individual Documents
Description:
"မြန်မာနိုင်ငံရှိ လိင်ပိုင်းဆိုင်ရာ နှင့် ကျား/မ အခြေပြု အကြမ်းဖက်မှုများနှင့်၊ တိုင်းရင်းသား ပဋိပက္ခများက လိင်အုပ်စုတစ်စုစီကို တမျိုးစီ ကွဲပြားစွာသက်ရောက်ပုံ။ (အကျဉ်းချုပ်)...(၂၀၁၈) စက်တင်ဘာလတွင် လူ့အခွင့်အရေးကောင်စီသို့ ထုတ်ပြန်ခဲ့သော အစီရင်ခံစာ (ယခုမစ၍ "၂၀၁၈ အစီရင်ခံစာ") အတွင်း မြန်မာနိုင်ငံဆိုင်ရာ သီးသန့်လွတ်လပ်သော နိုင်ငံတကာ အချက်အလက်ရှာဖွေရေးကော်မစ်ရှင် (ယခုမစ၍ "ကော်မစ်ရှင်က" "(၂၀၁၁) ခုနှစ်မှစ၍ ရခိုင်၊ ကချင်နှင့်ရှမ်းပြည်နယ်များရှိ အရပ်သားပြည်သူများကို ပစ်မှတ်ထားသော ကျူးလွန်မှုများတွင် မုဒိမ်းမှုနှင့်လိင်ဆိုင်ရာ အကြမ်းဖက်မှုများသည် အလွန်အကျွံဆိုးရွားပြီး၊ အဖန်တလဲလဲ ဖြစ်ပွါးနေသော လက္ခဏာတရပ်ဖြစ်သည်"ဟုကောက်ချက်ချခဲ့သည်။..."
Source/publisher:
The United Nations Human Rights Council (A/HRC/42/CRP.4)
Date of publication:
2019-08-22
Date of entry/update:
2019-08-23
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Statements, reports, press briefings and webcasts on Myanmar by fact-finding entities mandated by the Council, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations, Sexual orientation - Discrimination based on, Women's rights, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first)
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Description:
In advance of the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against
Women?s
adoption of the list of issues for
the Republic of the Union of Myanmar?s
fourth and fifth
combined
periodic reports
in November 2015, Amnesty International would like to submit information
concerning
the adoption in Myanmar of four laws known as the ?Protecting race and religion
laws”
recently
approved
by Myanmar?s Parliament
an
d signed into
law by the President,
and to the situation
of Women Human Rights Defenders
(WHRDs).
The four laws
?
the Religious Conversion
Law, the Myanmar Buddhist Women?s Special Marriage
Law,
the Population Control Healthcare
Law and the Monogamy
Law
?
contain many provisions which
discriminate on multiple grounds, including gender, religion and marital status.
Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists
(ICJ)
have undertaken a detailed
analysis of the four draft laws and concluded
that they do not accord with international human rights
law and standards, including Myanmar?s legal obligations as a state party to the UN Convention on the
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). ..."
Source/publisher:
Amnesty International
Date of publication:
2015-09-29
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
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164.32 KB
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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/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.08 MB
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Description:
INTRODUCTION:
"In July 2016, the UN Committee on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (the Committee) will
examine Myanmar?s combined fourth and fifth periodic report
at its 64th session.
This examination provides
an opportunity to review Myanmar?s progress since its last review in 2008
towards
implementing
in law and
practice the provisions of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (the Convention).
Since a quasi-civilian government came to power in 2011, Myanmar has embarked on a number of political,
economic and social reforms.
However, despite these reforms,
Amnesty International is concerned that
women and girls continue to face barriers
to
the
full exercise of
their human rights in law, policy and
practice.
In this briefing Amnesty International
highlights four areas of concern:
1)
restrictions on the rights to freedom
of expression, association and peaceful assembly, which includes
the situation of women human rights
defenders (WHRDs);
2)
the enactment of four discriminatory laws aimed at ?protecting race and religion”;
3)
the situation of Rohingya women and girls in Rakhine State; and
4)
the lack of access to justice, truth and
reparation for human rights abuses against women and girls in areas of armed conflict.
Please note,
however, that
the concerns listed here are not exhaustive.
In this submission,
Amnesty International also
assess progress made by Myanmar on implementing
the
Convention
and sets
out ways in which the government could better
comply with its obligations under the
Convention. The following
documentation draws on Amnesty International?s ongoing research, which involves
regular contact with local and international non-governmental organizations;
and
interviews with victims of
human rights violations
and abuses
and their families, lawyers, and government officials. It also relies on
daily media monitoring and extensive reading of academic and other
credible
publications..."
Source/publisher:
Amnesty International
Date of publication:
2016-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
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965.98 KB
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Description:
Submitted to the Pre-sessional Working Group of CEDAW.....
Introduction:
"1.
With this submission,
the
Global Justice Center (GJC)
aims
to
provide guidance to the
pre-session Working Group
in its preparation of the
list of issues
to be examined during
the
Committee to Eliminate Discrimination against Women?s
(?Committee”)
review of
Myanmar?s combined
fourth and fifth
periodic reports. It
highlights
several
violations of
the
Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW)
by
Myanmar and is based on
a
report by GJC and the Leitner Center
for
International Law and Justice (Fordham School of Law)
comparing Myanmar?s national
plan for the advancement of women against its CEDAW obligations
(?Promises Not
Progress: Burma?s National Plan for Women Falls Short of Gender Equality and CEDAW
(attached hereto).
II.
Analytic Framework:
2.
Since 2011, limited democratic reforms in Myanmar have not improved women?s rights
or made any strides towards ensuring gender equality in general.
This can be attributed, at
least in part, to the fact that the focus of the reforms has been on readying Myanmar?s
economy for an influx of capital and encouraging foreign investment, rather than on
ensuring human rights. Additionally, the way
the Government characterizes reforms
needs to be carefully considered. For example, in its
2015 periodic report to the CEDAW
Committee (?Periodic Report”), the Government asserts that eight
laws related to
women?s rights have been amended or enacted.
However, consideration of these laws
reveals that they are laws which provide labor and economic protections generally, not
laws seeking to ameliorate the situation of women in Myanmar. In fact, only one of the
laws discussed, the Social Security Law, includes specific provisions related to women
(maternity leave).
3.
Threats to women?s equality
in Myanmar
exist against an unchanged landscape shaped by
a deep history of patriarchy and decades of oppressive military dictatorship. Today, these
legacies remain very much alive in the form of fundamental defects that impede genuine
legal
reform, including legal structures guaranteeing gender equality.
4.
In particular, three underlying themes are critical to understanding the complexity of
injustice against women in Myanmar and the need for structural reforms in order to effect
genuine positive change: (1) ongoing supremacy of military power; (2) entrenchment of
military power and gender inequality in
the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of
Myanmar (?2008 Constitution”); and (3) lack of an independent judiciary.
5.
In this submission, the GJC
presents
a condensed summary of the facts relating to the
violations of the following
articles
of CEDAW: Articles 1 & 2 (definition and prohibition
of
discrimination, access to justice, violence against women);
Article 3 (guarantee of basic
human rights and fundamental freedoms); Article 7 (political participation); Article 10
(education); Article 11 (employment); Article 12 (health); Article 14 (rural women); Article
18 (precise and disaggregated data); General Recommendations 28 and 30 (conflict, post-conflict and conflict prevention).
6.
At the end of each section, we suggest a list of issues, questions and clarifications for the
Working Group?s consideration..."
Source/publisher:
Global Justice Center
Date of publication:
2015-10-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
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697.01 KB
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Description:
Submitted to the Pre-sessional Working Group of CEDAW.....
"On the
occasion of
Myanmar?s
Combined Fourth
and Fifth Periodic
Reports
on the
Implementation of the
Convention on the Elimination
of
All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women
Submitted
by: Women Peace Network ? Arakan (WPNA)....."Observations
Regarding
Violations of
CEDAW
with Regard to Rohingya Women
in
Myanmar.
The Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority group that has been
residing in Arakan State in
western Myanmar for generations, has been described as one of the most persecuted groups in
the world.
As has been highlighted by many local
and international NGOs, women throughout
Myanmar face discrimination, violence, and other forms of abuse.
Thus, Rohingya women
face multiple, overlapping, and reinforcing forms of
discrimination
based on their ethnicity,
religion, and gender. Additionally, given
the segregated,
squalid, and insecure
conditions in
Arakan State, Rohingya women are particularly vulnerable to
abuse..."
Source/publisher:
Women Peace Network ? Arakan (WPNA)
Date of publication:
2015-10-15
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
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135.05 KB
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Description:
Executive Summary:
"In late 2013, the Government of Burma/Myanmar (?the Government”) issued a National Strategic Action Plan for the
Advancement of Women 2013-2022 (NSPAW) based in part on its obligations under the Convention to End All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Heralded as a ?historic and essential step towards substantive equality between
women and men,” NSPAW was released amidst a flurry of other governmental plans, strategies, promises, and
actions ostensibly aimed at transforming the country into a democracy. However, conspicuously missing from these
reforms, including NSPAW, were deeper systemic overhauls of the many legal, political, cultural and socio-economic
barriers to the full enjoyment of human rights in Burma which must underpin any true democracy.
The issuance of NSPAW invites assessment of the state of gender equality in Burma, the prospects for NSPAW?s success
in meeting its goals, and a comparison between NSPAW and Burma?s international legal obligations under CEDAW.
Taking note of the need for such an assessment, as well as the opportunities presented by the forthcoming review of
Burma by the CEDAW Committee in July 2016, this report by the Global Justice Center (GJC) and Leitner Center for
International Law and Justice (Leitner Center) evaluates NSPAW against the reality for women on the ground in Burma
and the Government?s legal obligations under CEDAW.
In short, the critical analysis in this report reveals that NSPAW?s provisions are aspirational and ambiguous, without
clear guidance on implementation or benchmarks for meaningful evaluation. This report further demonstrates how
NSPAW fails to meaningfully grapple with the structural barriers precluding gender equality—including the 2008
Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, decades of armed conflict and the continuing power of the
military, antiquated laws and legal frameworks, and the difference between discrimination ?in law” and discrimination
?in effect”—all of which must be addressed in order to achieve substantive gender equality in Burma..."
Source/publisher:
Global Justice Center, Leitner Center for International Law and Justice
Date of publication:
2015-08-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
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5.13 MB
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Description:
CEDAW Committee
64th
session
CSW?Stakeholder Submission,
Myanmar
June 2016.....
"Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a human rights advocacy organisation promoting
freedom of religion or belief for people of all faiths and none. In this submission, CSW would
like to bring to the committee?s attention
the
situation of human rights,
particularly
freedom of religion or belief, for women in Myanmar with a specific focus on the package of
?Race and Religion” laws and violence against women. Whilst there has been some
significant progress in recent years towards democracy and human rights
protection in
Myanmar, there remain grave concerns both in areas of freedom of religion or belief and
women?s rights.
In
2015,
a
set
of
four
laws
focusing
on
the
?protection
of
race
and
religion?
were
implemented.
This
legislation
aims
to
restrict
religious
conversion,
inter-‐faith
marriage,
polygamy
and
population
control,
effectively
embedding
gender
bias
into
the
legal
system.
Under
the
new
?Buddhist
Women?s
Special
Marriage
Law”
interfaith
marriage
between
Buddhist
women
and
Muslim
men
is
restricted
and
the
law
requires
interfaith
couples
to
obtain
a
permit
from
local
authorities
to
marry.
In
addition,
anyone
wishing
to
change
their
religion
will
be
required
to
apply
for
permission
to
an
11-member
committee,
consisting
of
officials
responsible
for
religious
affairs,
immigration,
women?s
affairs
and
education.
The
new
law
violates
Article
2
(non-‐discrimination),
Article
15
(equality
before
the
law)
and
Article
16
(non-‐discrimination
in
matters
relating
to
marriage
and
family)
of
CEDAW.
It
also
discriminates
against
religious
minorities
and
undermines
women?s
right
to
freedom
of
religion
or
belief
in
Myanmar.
The
?protection
of
race
and
religion?
laws
have
been
opposed
by
civil
society
in
Burma
and
the
international
community.
The
UN
Special
Rapporteur
on
Human
Rights
in
Myanmar
(Burma),
Yanghee
Lee,
has
highlighted
?significant
human
rights
concerns”
relating
to
the
legislation
on
religious
conversions
and
inter-‐faith
marriage,
saying
it
would
?legalise
discrimination,
in
particular
against
religious
and
ethnic
minorities
and
against
women”..."
Source/publisher:
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)
Date of publication:
2016-06-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
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115.11 KB
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Description:
Submitted to the Pre-sessional Working Group of CEDAW.....Executive Summary:
"Myanmar is undergoing a major transition, opening space for significant change for the first
time in decades. Secure land tenure for smallhold
er farmers and rural communities is essential
in a heavily agrarian nation like Myanmar, where millions in the rural population ?
nearly 70%
of the country ?
depend on agriculture for their livelihood
s. Despite some updates to the legal
framework, such as the 2012
Farmland Law
and
Vacant, Fallow, and Virgin Land Law,
millions of Myanmar farmers remain vulnerable with insecure land tenure due to a complex and
opaque set of land laws, unresolved historical land grievances, and widespread landlessness.
The common aim of Namati and Landesa is to support the development of a protective, pro-poor legal framework, that will empower farmers to use the law, make informed decisions about
their land, and maintain secure land tenure ?
ultimately leading to poverty alleviation for
poor,
rural
women and men:..."
Source/publisher:
Landsea, Namati
Date of publication:
2015-10-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
671.63 KB
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Description:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
"Myanmar is a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) and, as such, must fulfill its obligations to ensure both
de jure
and
de facto
equality
for women. Yet, despite these obligations, women and girls across Myanmar face serious obstacles
to realizing their rights to substantive equality and non-discrimination. In this Report, the Gender
Equality Network (GEN) and Global Justice Center
(GJC) highlight multiple barriers facing women
and girls in Myanmar and offer key areas where reforms are necessary in order to promote women?s
rights and the equal enjoyment of freedoms. This report can be read as a baseline of the situation on
key indicators that affect the situation of women and girls in Myanmar, and therefore offers
a
starting point for dialogue with the newly elected government. The goal of such dialogue is to jointly
tackle the systemic hurdles that impede the achievement of women?s
equality and reverse some of
the repressions under previous regimes.
This report highlights general inequalities and discrimination
faced by all women in Myanmar, but it must be noted that certain marginalized groups, such as
ethnic women, rural women and
older women,
are not specifically discussed herein,
but nonetheless
experience additional and intersecting forms of discrimination.
While it is encouraging that Myanmar?s transition to a quasi-civilian government in 2011 has led to
limited democratic reforms, increasing engagement with the international community and a sharp
increase in foreign direct investment, women have in large part not been the beneficiaries of these
reforms. Advances to ensure women?s rights and improve the situation of women in Myanmar have,
in general, been noticeably absent from reform efforts, in part due to the absence of women from
decision-making positions and in politics. Even the Government?s reporting to this Committee
identifies efforts to improve women?s rights as prospective rather than on-going, demonstrating the
Government?s lack of political will to prioritize women?s issues. Gender equality continues to be
viewed as a marginal area in ongoing democratization and development processes, as well as the
peace process resolving
decades of ethnic conflict. The Government must make actual progress, and
not just present promises,
to promote women?s rights and fulfill its obligations under CEDAW.
A number of factors contribute to the current, and historical, lack of focus on
women?s rights.
Decades of military rule since a military coup in 1962 have marginalized women and deeply-embedded gender stereotypes see women as nurturers rather than leaders in society. As a result,
women have historically been excluded from politics and positions of power. Achieving advances to
ensure
women?s equality in Myanmar is
difficult because of an unchanged landscape shaped by a
deep history of patriarchy, decades of oppressive military dictatorship and the continued power and
influence of the military throughout society. Today, these legacies remain very much alive in the
form of fundamental structural barriers that impede genuine legal reform, demonstrated through the
presence of legal structures that discriminate against women (including in the Constitution), the lack
of legal provisions that guarantee gender equality and the absence of adequate funding to promote
policies and programmes that could contribute to women?s empowerment.
The newly-formed government of
Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi?s Nationa
l League for Democracy (NLD), which took office at the end of March 2016, offers an opportunity to refocus attention on
the achievement of equal rights for women in Myanmar. Encouragingly, the NLD Election Platform
on Women committed to, among other things, effectively implement existing laws to promote
women?s rights, take action to end violence against women and ensure access to justice for women
victims.
While there are expectations
that the situation of women in Myanmar will improve, it is crucial to
be
clear now about the significant work that needs to be done and to detail the steps necessary to
ensure compliance with CEDAW. To
achieve
full
compliance with CEDAW, the Government must
formulate, in consultation with a broad array of civil society actors and women?s groups, and
implement concrete, immediately-effective and well-funded policies, regulations, laws and other
measures to ensure women?s
de jure
and
de facto
equality. Such a comprehensive effort will require
coordination, commitment and significant political will, the dismantling of legal and other structures
that discriminate against women and a significant reduction in the power and influence of the
military"
Source/publisher:
Gender Equality Network (GEN) and Global Justice Center (GJC)
Date of publication:
2016-07-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
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874.01 KB
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Description:
Executive summary:
In this submission, Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
provides information concerning human
rights issues
affecting women
in
southeast Myanmar.
The time period covered in this submission
is from January 2012 to March 2016, which is a period characterised by dramatic and substantial
changes in Myanmar, including the political reform process; the 2012 preliminary ceasefire
agreement between the Karen National Union
(KNU)
and the
government of Myanmar; the 2015
Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement; and the November 2015 general election, in which the National
League for Democracy won a landslide victory, marking a change of course from the previous
reign of consecutive military-backed governments.
2.
Organisational information will be addressed first in a brief summary of KHRG and its operations
and then
KHRG?s research and data collection methodology will be detailed.
After these initial
sections, KHRG?s key findings related to human rights and discrimination of women in southeast
Myanmar
will be
presented. The key findings will address the issues
of gender inequality of
(rural) women in political and public life; gender-based violence (GBV); rural women and girls?
access to education
and healthcare, in particular
maternal healthcare; and land confiscation and livelihood issues
affecting
rural women.
Each
of the key findings will start with a relevant quote
from a local woman which is
in line with KHRG?s
mission
to project the voices of
villagers.
The
sections will
conclude with concrete recommendations to the
government..."
Source/publisher:
Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG)
Date of publication:
2016-06-10
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
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252.09 KB
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Description:
"In its
2008
Concluding Observations on the Second and Third Periodic Report of Myanmar,
the
CEDAW Committee expressed concerns regarding multiple forms of discrimination against
women in Myanmar in general and
Rohingya women
in particular.
The Government of Myanmar
(?the Government”) has not taken significant steps to address these concerns in the eight years
since, and instead has exacerbated
discrimination against Rohingya women
by restricting their
most basic rights and failing to prevent and address violence against them.
Women throughout
Myanmar face discrimination. Targeted for their religion and ethnicity in
addition to their gender, Rohingya women confront
multidimensional
discrimination, as each
form of discrimination compounds the other. Since the Concluding Observations
in 2008, the
conditions for Rohingya
and other Muslim women
have deteriorated precipitously, making the
already oppressive situation desperate
for many.
The
Government has continued,
expanded, and
entrenched policies limiting Rohingya freedom of movement, marriage, childbirth, and access to
education, healthcare, and livelihoods —
policies
that
often have a heightened impact on women.
The Government
has continued to deny Rohingya citizenship and
gone further to
revoke
their
right to vote and participate in elections for the first time.
It has
also
failed to
adequately
protect
victims or
address large scale violence against Rohingya. The largest waves
of violence
occurred
in 2012,
resulting
in hundreds of deaths
and
the displacement of
over 100,000.
The conditions
in
the internally displaced person (IDP)
camps and the highly militarized villages in northern
Rakhine
State have led hundreds of thousands to flee the country, despite the risk of death and
sexual abuse at the hands of trafficking gangs during the dangerous journey.
The perilous
situation prompted the Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution on July 3,
2015 condemning
?gross violations of human rights and abuses ... in Rakhine State, in particular against Rohingya
Muslims,” and called upon the Government to address, prevent, and ensure accountability for
widespread discrimination and its related impact.
The
new
Government led by the
National League for Democracy (?NLD”), which took power on
April 1 of this year, should immediately work to
ensure compliance with CEDAW
and
end
violations of Rohingya
and other
women?s basic human rights,
including:.."
Source/publisher:
Women Peace Network ? Arakan
Date of publication:
2016-06-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
190.08 KB
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Description:
To 64th Session of UN CEDAW Committee In relation to Myanmar Combined Fourth and Fifth Periodic Report of State Party, 23rd February 2015 (CEDA W/C/MMR/4 - 5).....Key Issues on Violence
Against Women:
"This CEDAW Shadow Report is written by CEDAW Action Myanmar (CAM). This working
group is established in 2012 and consists of 15 local organizations, network and individuals. The
report consists of perceptions of 309 (with 226 women and 83 men) respondents who
participated in a survey; along with news from print and social media.
Myanmar has undergone revolutionary changes in its democratization process in 2010. The new
people-led government came to power recently in April 2016, aims to push for fundamental
transformation.
Myanmar is also considered one of the world?s worst human rights abusers, and
in particular rape and other sexual and gender based violence are
widespread
across the country.
During this reporting period (2015-2016), there are still many issues on socio-economic status
and political situation which has also continued to contribute to form of institutional violence
across the country.
During the reporting
period (2015-2016), the number of
cases reported has
increased.
With the new Government taking charge, people
of Myanmar
rightly expect
restoration of Human Rights in the country. Though
the State acceded CEDAW on 22nd
July,
1997 and submitted initial report and periodic reports to CEDAW Committee, the government
so
far has
failed in its obligation to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.
There are three key issues regarding Violence against Women.
1.
Sexual Violence, particularly rape and sexual harassment---
2.
Domestic Violence---
3.
Institutional Violence, particularly rape, other forms of sexual assault perpetrated by
military personnel and armed groups, uprising of current communal conflict and poverty
issues..."
Source/publisher:
CEDAW Action, Myanmar (CAM)
Date of publication:
2016-06-17
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
270.9 KB
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Description:
"This submission seeks to supplement the government report by providing field-based research
on women?s land rights in Myanmar to highlight a persistent gap between law and practice.
It is
based on a joint report by
Landesa, an
NGO dedicated to securing
land rights for
the
rural poor
with experience
in over 50 countries,
and
Namati,
a global organization dedicated to legal
empowerment, titled,
Recommendations for Implementation of Pro-Poor Land Policy and
Land Law in Myanmar: National Data and Regional Pract
ices
(October 2015)..."
Source/publisher:
Landsea, Namati
Date of publication:
2015-11-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
421.78 KB
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Description:
Research
Report
in support of
CEDAW -
Alternative
Report (2016).....Myanmar ratified
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW)
in 1997, and its government submitted its last state report to
the CEDAW
Committee in 2008.
In
the past, women?s groups working in Myanmar had
little opportunity to submit
alternative
reports to CEDAW; only
the Women?s League of
Burma (WLB), which is
based on border areas, was
able to submit
such reports.
In 2010, the political situation in Myanmar changed,
allowing
women?s organizations
both along the border and inside the country
to
work together more closely. In 2012,
WON
(representing 38
member organizations)
and WLB (representing 13 member
organizations) began to work together,
conducting strategic planning workshops and
identifying joint strategic activities based on challenges faced and lessons learned. One
of those joint projects involves CEDAW monitoring and reporting.
As a follow-up of a Strategic Planning
Workshop held
in March
2014.
WON organised a
workshop on the CEDAW shadow reporting process for its members, as well as members
of the WLB. After this workshop, WON and WLB agreed to work collaboratively on
CEDAW NGO reporting with technical assistance from other organizations.
WON chose to focus on CEDAW Articles 7, 12 and 14, as most WON members are
working to promote women?s participation in politics, access to health care and the rights
of rural women.
The objective of this research was to explore key issues for women in the above-identified areas for inclusion in WON?s CEDAW
Shadow
Report. Additionally, WON
hoped the research would provide support for concrete recommendations for the
government in the CEDAW reporting process..."
Source/publisher:
Women?s Organization Network (WON)
Date of publication:
2016-06-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
900.88 KB
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Description:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "From 1962 to 2011 in Burma, the combination of repressive rule by a male-dominated military and a traditional cultural patriarchy had insidious and pervasive long-term negative effects on women?s equality. Decades of repression adversely impacted women?s health, well-being and welfare, ability to participate in politics and political decision-making, and educational, economic and employment opportunities. Moreover, during those six decades the military also waged war in several regions of Burma against various Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs), and conflict continues to this day. These long-running conflicts h ave been characterized by human rights abuses against ethnic communities, including se xual violence against ethnic women, and have had a devastating negative impact on the rights and opportunities available to ethnic women. In 2011, the military instituted a process of reform as part of a carefully-orchestrated plan to continue military rule under the guise of democracy. Since this nominally- civilian government (the Government) took power in 2011, women in Burma have experienced limited improvements with respect to fundamental human rights and freedoms but are far from enjoying the rights required by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), to which Burma is a party. After years of ?reform,” significant economic, political and social problems for women remain: widespread poverty and underdevelopment; a lack of legal, administrative and institutional capacity; a governing system that continues to lack true accountability and transparency; ongoing ethnic conflict, including continued human rights abuses and sexual violence by military forces; and pervasive gender inequality. The failure, after five years in office, of the Government to improve women?s rights to substantive equality and non-discrimination demonstrates a disregard for CEDAW?s mandates and compares unfavorably with troubling actions such as continuing sexual violence by the military, the swift passage of the discriminatory Laws on Race & Religion, and the failure to enact a comprehensive violence against women law. This Report focuses the women?s human rights situation in Burma?s ethnic areas, in particular in remote and conflict affected areas where most of WLB?s member organisations are operating. We highlight the ways in which rural and ethnic women in Burma are denied the equality and non-discrimination guarantees provided by CEDAW. While all women in Burma face the same struggle to enjoy their rights under CEDAW, rural and ethnic women face additional hurdles and specific harms such as trafficking, unequal access to education and healthcare, land insecurity and the devastating impact of drug production and trade. Moreover, rural and ethnic women are directly implicated by armed conflict and the quest for peace. This gap between the experiences of women in cities and urban settings versus those of ethic women in rural areas must be understood and taken account when analyzing the status of women?s rights in Burma. This Report seeks to highlight certain significant factors impeding women?s rights throughout the country. First, the military continues to play a powerful role in society and politics. This deeply-entrenched power is provided, in part, by the 2008 Constitution which grants the military complete legal autonomy over its own affairs, placing it outside of any civilian oversight by the executive or legislative branches. Further, the Constitution provides immunity to the military and Government officials for any misdeeds, including conflict-related sexual violence, in office and ensures that all military matters are to be decided solely by the military. Other provisions, such as Parliamentary quotas, ensure that the Military will retain a significant role in the legislative and executive branches. Therefore, the power and domination of the military at all levels of government is guaranteed in the Constitution, and, because the Military enjoys a veto over all Constitutional amendments, this power is unlikely to be reduced in the near future. Second, continued conflict has caused additional suffering for ethnic and rural women. The military has committed human rights abuses, including sexual violence against ethnic women, as part of its offensives in ethnic areas. Part of the conflict stems from a desire to control the vast natural resources in ethnic areas, and the military and its cronies have long-standing and extensive business interests in ethnic regions. Continuing conflict, and the web of military presence and business interests in ethnic areas, has had a devastating effect on women and women?s rights, especially in rural and ethnic areas. Third, part of the lack of progress on women?s equality is due to the woefully inadequate legal system in Burma. First and foremost, the Constitution itself establishes structural barriers to equality, and discriminates outright against women through failing to provide a CEDAW-compliant definition of discrimination and limiting job opportunities for women. It also discriminates against women indirectly by establishing the Parliamentary quotas for the military. Most of the laws that relate specifically to women are outdated, such as the Penal Code of 1861, and many laws, regulations, and policies (including customary law) are disadvantageous and discriminatory towards women. Laws passed since 2011 often did not take women?s concerns into account and some, such as the Laws on Race & Religion, are discriminatory outright. Women also do not enjoy protection from anti-discrimination legislation or a comprehensive violence against women law, which is of particular concern for women victims of conflict-related sexual violence. Moreover, even legal and other rights that are available on paper are often not enforced due to corruption in the legal system, the police force and other governmental authorities. These failures are compounded by a judiciary that is unreliable, susceptible to military influence and corruption, and often unwilling to enforce the rule of law. Outside of the formal legal system, the application of customary laws which are prevalent in rural and ethnic areas can also impede women?s access to justice. These factors present serious obstacles to women?s ability to know or enforce their rights. It is hoped that ensuring women?s equality will be a greater focus of the new NLD-led Government that came to power in April 2016. Given the structural barriers established by the military, including those in the Constitution, reducing the power and influence of the military will be a challenge. To encourage the new Government on the path to ensuring human rights, and women?s rights, it is crucial to provide it with guidelines and signposts for action. Forums such as this CEDAW review are essential to establishing benchmarks for women?s rights and equality, as promised by CEDAW. Rights under CEDAW should be made available, without restriction or further delay, to every woman and girl in Burma, regardless of her region, religion, or ethnicity."
Source/publisher:
Women?s League of Burma
Date of publication:
2016-07-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations, Articles, reports and sites relating to women of Burma, Women and armed conflict - Burma/Myanmar, Discrimination/violence against women: reports of violations in Burma
Language:
Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.73 MB
Local URL:
more
Description:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: "From 1962 to 2011 in Burma, the combination of repressive rule
by a male-dominated military and a traditional cultural patriarchy had insidious and pervasive
long-term negative effects on women?s equality. Decades of repression adversely
impacted women?s health, well-being and welfare, ability to participate in politics
and political decision-making, and educational, economic and employment
opportunities. Moreover, during those six decades the military
also waged war in
several regions of Burma against various Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs), and
conflict continues to this day. These long-running conflicts h
ave been characterized
by human rights abuses against ethnic communities, including se
xual violence
against ethnic women, and have had a devastating negative impact on the rights and
opportunities available to ethnic women.
In 2011, the military instituted a process of reform as part of
a carefully-orchestrated
plan to continue military rule under the guise of democracy. Since this nominally-
civilian government (the Government) took power in 2011, women
in Burma have
experienced limited improvements with respect to fundamental human rights and
freedoms but are far from enjoying the rights required by the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), to which
Burma is a party. After years of ?reform,” significant economic, political and social
problems for women remain:
widespread poverty and underdevelopment; a lack of
legal, administrative and institutional capacity; a governing system that continues
to lack true accountability and transparency; ongoing ethnic conflict, including
continued human rights abuses and sexual violence by military forces; and pervasive
gender inequality. The failure, after five years in office, of
the Government to improve
women?s rights to substantive equality and non-discrimination demonstrates a
disregard for CEDAW?s mandates and compares unfavorably with troubling actions
such as continuing sexual violence by the military, the swift passage of the
discriminatory Laws on Race & Religion, and the failure to enact a comprehensive
violence against women law.
This Report focuses the women?s human rights situation in Burma?s ethnic areas, in
particular in remote and conflict affected areas where most of
WLB?s member
organisations are operating. We highlight the ways in which rural and ethnic women
in Burma are denied the equality and non-discrimination guarantees provided by
CEDAW. While all women in Burma face the same struggle to enjoy their rights
under CEDAW, rural and ethnic women face additional hurdles and
specific harms
such as trafficking, unequal access to education and healthcare, land insecurity and
the devastating impact of drug production and trade. Moreover,
rural and ethnic
women are directly implicated by armed conflict and the quest for peace. This gap
between the experiences of women in cities and urban settings versus those of ethic
women in rural areas must be understood and taken account when
analyzing the
status of women?s rights in Burma.
This Report seeks to highlight certain significant factors impeding women?s rights
throughout the country. First, the military continues to play a
powerful role in
society and politics. This deeply-entrenched power is provided, in part, by the 2008
Constitution which grants the military complete legal autonomy
over its own affairs,
placing it outside of any civilian oversight by the executive or legislative branches.
Further, the Constitution provides immunity to the military and
Government officials
for any misdeeds, including conflict-related sexual violence, in office and ensures
that all military matters are to be decided solely by the military. Other provisions,
such as Parliamentary quotas, ensure that the Military will retain a significant role
in the legislative and executive branches. Therefore, the power
and domination of
the military at all levels of government is guaranteed in the Constitution, and,
because the Military enjoys a veto over all Constitutional amendments, this power is
unlikely to be reduced in the near future.
Second, continued conflict has caused additional suffering for
ethnic and rural
women. The military has committed human rights abuses, including sexual violence
against ethnic women, as part of its offensives in ethnic areas. Part of the conflict
stems from a desire to control the vast natural resources in ethnic areas, and the
military and its cronies have long-standing and extensive business interests in
ethnic regions. Continuing conflict, and the web of military presence and business
interests in ethnic areas, has had a devastating effect on women and women?s rights,
especially in rural and ethnic areas.
Third, part of the lack of progress on women?s equality is due
to the woefully
inadequate legal system in Burma. First and foremost, the Constitution itself
establishes structural barriers to equality, and discriminates
outright against women
through failing to provide a CEDAW-compliant definition of discrimination and
limiting job opportunities for women. It also discriminates against women indirectly
by establishing the Parliamentary quotas for the military. Most
of the laws that
relate specifically to women are outdated, such as the Penal Code of 1861, and many
laws, regulations, and policies (including customary law) are disadvantageous and
discriminatory towards women. Laws passed since 2011 often did
not take women?s
concerns into account and some, such as the Laws on Race & Religion, are
discriminatory outright. Women also do not enjoy protection from anti-discrimination legislation or a comprehensive violence against
women law, which is
of particular concern for women victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
Moreover, even legal and other rights that are available on paper are often not
enforced due to corruption in the legal system, the police force and other
governmental authorities. These failures are compounded by a judiciary that is
unreliable, susceptible to military influence and corruption, and often unwilling to
enforce the rule of law. Outside of the formal legal system, the application of
customary laws which are prevalent in rural and ethnic areas can also impede
women?s access to justice. These factors present serious obstacles to women?s ability
to know or enforce their rights.
It is hoped that ensuring women?s equality will be a greater focus of the new NLD-led Government that came to power in April 2016. Given the structural barriers
established by the military, including those in the Constitution, reducing the power
and influence of the military will be a challenge. To encourage the new Government
on the path to ensuring human rights, and women?s rights, it is
crucial to provide it
with guidelines and signposts for action. Forums such as this
CEDAW review are
essential to establishing benchmarks for women?s rights and equality, as promised
by CEDAW. Rights under CEDAW should be made available, without
restriction or
further delay, to every woman and girl in Burma, regardless of
her region, religion,
or ethnicity."
Source/publisher:
Women?s League of Burma
Date of publication:
2016-07-00
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations, Articles, reports and sites relating to women of Burma, Women and armed conflict - Burma/Myanmar, Discrimination/violence against women: reports of violations in Burma
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
3.09 MB
Local URL:
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Description:
SUBMISSION TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW)
For the Examination of the combined 4th and 5th periodic State Party Reports (CEDAW/C/MMR/4-5)
- MYANMAR -
June 2016.....RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CEDAW COMMITTEE:
"The Committee should urge the Government of Myanmar:
* To take immediate steps to eradicate all discriminatory policies and practices against the Rohingya population;
* To combat all acts of incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence against religious and ethnic minorities, in particular against the Rohingya, condemn such acts publicly and take swift legal action against perpetrators;
* To take all necessary measures to establish the rule of law in Rakhine State, end impunity, and provide security and equal protection of the law to all, including Rohingya women;
* To engage in a confidence-building process with all communities in Rakhine State, inclusive of women, and to promote interfaith and intercommunal dialogue;
* To ensure that any Action Plan for Peace and Reconciliation in Rakhine State is in line with international human rights principles, especially those relating specifically to women...
On Citizenship and birth registration:
* To review the 1982 Citizenship Law in accordance with international standards in order to prevent and eradicate statelessness in Myanmar, to bring Myanmar law into compliance with the universally respected prohibition of racial discrimination and with Myanmar?s obligations under Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) with the intention of granting citizenship and associated rights to the Rohingyas;
* To urgently resolve the legal status of Rohingyas through a transparent process that will provide incentives to all stakeholders to participate in the process in order to grant citizenship and associated rights to the Rohingyas;
* To issue birth certificates to all Rohingya children born in Myanmar in compliance with domestic law and Myanmar?s obligations under the CRC (Article 7.1);
* To immediately register all Rohingya children by removing burdensome requirements which make it difficult to insert their names in their parents? family list.
* To abolish without delay all local orders restricting movement and marriage, and which seek to limit the number of children a family can have, orders which are exclusively applied on the Rohingya in Rakhine State...
On freedom of movement:
* To revise and repeal all orders and regulations that restrict the freedom of movement of the Rohingya;
* To lift the curfew still in place in Maungdaw and Buthidaung Townships;
* To establish conditions conducive to the voluntary return of the displaced Rohingyas to their place of origin or to other places of voluntary resettlement in safety and dignity, and to ensure adequate reintegration and security...
On access to livelihood and basic services:
* To substantially improve access to quality health care and education services to Rohingya children, in IDP camps as well as in all other locations;
* To guarantee unhindered humanitarian access to all Rohingya communities in Rakhine State;
* To withdraw the Population Control Healthcare Bill in particular, as this law could result in new restrictions targeting Rohingya women as it allows authorities to impose 3-year birth spacing in any region of the country, in particular as it could further increase discrimination against Rohingya women;
* To conduct extensive teacher training among Rohingyas, including for women, and to restore access to higher education, including university education, to Rohingya students;
* To ensure access to food and eradicate malnutrition so that women and children can meet their physical and mental needs and responsibilities...
On violence against women and access to justice:
* To establish support mechanisms for women victims of all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based abuses;
* To increase training, capacity-building and awareness-raising for all actors involved in assisting women subject to violence, including police forces, health practitioners and teachers, community volunteers and other service providers;
* To provide legal aid and effective access to justice to encourage women victims of violence to seek redress;
* To take legal action against perpetrators of sexual violence against women, and, in particular, investigate and prosecute members of State authorities committing rape and sexual harassment against Rohingya women...
On ratifying other international human rights treaties:
* To accede to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness;
* To become a State Party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women; and,
* To accede to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the International Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and other relevant human rights instruments."
Source/publisher:
The Arakan Project
Date of publication:
2016-06-30
Date of entry/update:
2016-07-07
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations, Burmese and other stateless people in Burma, Bangladesh and India, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Discrimination against the Rohingya
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.3 MB
more
Title: Developing Anti-Violence Against Women Laws - Discussion Paper Part 1: Background information
Description:
"In early 2011, the Department of Social Welfare
indicated that it wanted to commence the process
of drafting new laws to prevent violence against
women (VAW) in Myanmar. Current laws,
including descriptions in the Penal Code (1861),
indicate that offences involving sexual and
gender-based violence do not adequately address
women?s experiences of violence, or reflect the
contemporary values of Myanmar society.
Additionally, legislative reform is needed to bring
the body of Myanmar?s laws into greater
compliance with CEDAW 1 . In line with
international commitments made under CEDAW,
the initiative to develop laws on VAW in Myanmar
is part of a broader initiative to effect law reform
in other areas related to and impacting on gender
equality, including laws on property, employment,
social security, health, family, and trafficking.
The creation of new Violence Against Women
laws could effectively fill the gaps in existing
legislation, particularly with respect to sexual
violence, and clarify issues of conflict between
laws by superseding inadequate, inappropriate or
discriminatory measures. It could provide specific
provisions addressing domestic violence and
victim support, where no legislation currently
exists. A new law could also strengthen existing
provisions in the Constitution and provide a
definition of discrimination that harmonizes with
CEDAW. Drafting new VAW laws could present an
opportunity to mandate training for law
enforcement officers and the judiciary in gender
and women?s human rights issues, and specific
measures could be included to contribute to the
development of mechanisms for monitoring
enforcement of the laws..."
Source/publisher:
Gender Equality Network (GEN)
Date of publication:
2013-01-00
Date of entry/update:
2014-12-04
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Articles, reports and sites relating to women of Burma, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.96 MB
more
Description:
Content:
1 Preamble...
2 Application of the Act and General Provisions...
General Equality Provisions...
Violence Against Women...
Domestic Violence ...
Sexual Violence...Violence Against Women in Emergencies...
Incest...
Stalking...
Protections for Victims of Sexual and Gender-based Violence...
Compensation...Protection Orders...
Duties of Police Officers...Sexual Harassment...Tribunals - Sexual Violence/Gender Discrimination...
Training of Government Personnel...
Public Education and Awareness Raising...Programs...Monitoring ...Miscellaneous Provisions
Registration of Organizations Protecting Women?s Human Rights
Implementation...
Consequential Amendments to Other Legislation
Source/publisher:
Gender Equality Network (GEN)
Date of publication:
2013-01-00
Date of entry/update:
2014-12-04
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Articles, reports and sites relating to women of Burma, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.14 MB
more
Description:
"Gender equality recognizes that while women and men are physically different, they are entitled to the same opportunities for self realization and the same human dignity. Enhancing women?s security, establishing institutional practices and laws that do not reinforce power imbalances, and providing appropriate mechanisms for redress ‐‐ are essential elements to ensure equality. Whilst laws and policies may state formally that men and women are equal, they must also take into account the prevailing conditions that prevent women from actually experiencing equality. Myanmar acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1997. As part of its treaty obligations, Myanmar has committed to ensuring that its laws uphold women?s rights and advance women?s equality. This Briefing Paper aims to provide background information relevant to women?s rights and protection in Myanmar, analysis of existing laws and their compliance with CEDAW norms, and comparative experience from three ASEAN neighbours. The Paper supports the creation of Anti‐Violence Against Women Laws as part of larger law reform strategies..."
Source/publisher:
Gender Equality Network (GEN)
Date of publication:
2013-01-00
Date of entry/update:
2014-12-04
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination/violence against women: standards, mechanisms and commentary - international and Myanmar-specific, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Language:
Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ (Metadata: English)
Format :
pdf
Size:
3.97 MB
Local URL:
more
Description:
"Gender equality recognizes that while women
and men are physically different, they are
entitled to the same opportunities for self
realization and the same human dignity.
Enhancing women?s security, establishing
institutional practices and laws that do not
reinforce power imbalances, and providing
appropriate mechanisms for redress ‐‐ are
essential elements to ensure equality. Whilst
laws and policies may state formally that men
and women are equal, they must also take into
account the prevailing conditions that prevent
women from actually experiencing equality.
Myanmar acceded to the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW) in 1997. As part of its
treaty obligations, Myanmar has committed to
ensuring that its laws uphold women?s rights
and advance women?s equality. This Briefing
Paper aims to provide background information
relevant to women?s rights and protection in
Myanmar, analysis of existing laws and their
compliance with CEDAW norms, and
comparative experience from three ASEAN
neighbours. The Paper supports the creation of
Anti‐Violence Against Women Laws as part of
larger law reform strategies..."
Source/publisher:
Gender Equality Network (GEN)
Date of publication:
2013-01-00
Date of entry/update:
2014-12-04
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination/violence against women: standards, mechanisms and commentary - international and Myanmar-specific, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.48 MB
Local URL:
more
Description:
SUBMISSION TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
For the Examination of the 2nd periodic State Party Report of Myanmar... Conclusion: "Rohingya children bear the full brunt of the military regime?s policies of exclusion and discrimination towards the Muslim population of Rakhine State. The combination of the factors listed above, which deny them fundamental human rights, gravely damage their childhood development and will affect the future of the Rohingya community.
With regard to Rohingya children, the State Peace and Development Council has failed to implement most of the rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Myanmar ratified in 1991. The Government has also ignored the suggestions and recommendations provided by the Committee in 1997, in particular, paragraph 28 in which ?The Committee recommends that the Citizenship Act be repealed” and paragraph 34 which stated: ?In the field of the right to citizenship, the Committee is of the view that the State Party should, in light of articles 2 (non-discrimination) and 3 (best interests of the child), abolish the categorization of citizens
” and that ?all possibility of stigmatisation and denial of rights recognized by the Convention should be avoided”"
Chris Lewa
Source/publisher:
Forum Asia
Date of publication:
2003-11-00
Date of entry/update:
2010-07-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Children, Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Burmese and other stateless people in Burma, Bangladesh and India, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Language:
English
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(Press Release, 27 October 2008):
CEDAW shadow report reveals systemic gender discrimination in
Burma...
"Women?s organizations are today launching a shadow report revealing systemic
gender discrimination in Burma, which will be used to review Burma at the 42nd
Session of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW) Committee in Geneva on November 3, 2008.
The Women?s League of Burma, together with other community-based organizations
around Burma?s borders, has compiled extensive data in the report on how the
regime?s failed policies have impacted women and girls, particularly in the areas of
education, health, rural development, and violence against women. The findings
strongly contradict the claims in the country report by the ruling military regime, the
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), that women in Burma ?enjoy their
rights even before they are born.”
The report exposes how the regime is profiting from the sale of the country?s natural
resources to build up the military and its GONGOs, and how systematic militarization
and prioritization of military expenditure has reinforced the existing patriarchal
system. It analyzes how the regime?s new constitution not only fails to effectively
promote gender equality, but guarantees that the armed forces, an almost exclusively
male institution, will control a quarter of seats in the government.
The report states: ?The face of public life in Burma is male, because the culture of
Burma today is profoundly militarized. The military presence pervades every village,
town and city, every branch and level of its administration, and every situation
involving power and status.”
The report exposes how national women?s organizations are merely for show. They
are led by wives of SPDC commanders, who promote the regime?s policies and abuse
their power at every level.
The report reiterates that there can be no advancement of the lives of women and girls
in Burma, and no protection and promotion of their rights while the military and its
proxy organizations remain in power.
?The regime?s road map to disciplined democracy is simply a road-map to further
patriarchy,” said Nang Yain (General Secretary of the Women?s League of Burma)
?We need genuine political reform to work for gender equality in Burma.”"
Source/publisher:
Women?s League of Burma
Date of publication:
2008-10-27
Date of entry/update:
2008-11-05
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination/violence against women: reports of violations in Burma, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Language:
English, Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
2.69 MB 4.1 MB
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Description:
Link to the URLs of the individual chapters (pdf):
IMAGES ASIA?S CEDAW PROJECT METHODOLOGY:
THE AIM OF THIS REPORT 11;
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS 11;
OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED DURING RESEARCH 13;
DATA ANALYSIS 14;
OTHER PROJECT AIMS 17.
THE CEDAW & THE GOVERNMENT?S OBLIGATIONS:
THE CEDAW & THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN?S RIGHTS MOVEMENT;
STRUCTURE OF THE CEDAW;
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS;
CEDAW MONITORING MECHANISMS;
THE SPDC AT THE 22ND SESSION OF THE CEDAW...
MEETINGS & MACHINERY: THE GOVERNMENT?S COMMITMENT TO THE CEDAW:
OVERVIEW;
THE BURMESE WAY TO EQUALITY;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
SOCIAL ROLES & GENDER STEREOTYPES:
OVERVIEW;
RELIGION & GENDER DISCRIMINATION;
PRESERVERS OF CULTURE;
FAMILY ROLES;
SOCIAL RELATIONS & BEHAVIOURAL NORMS;
RESTRICTIONS;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN:
OVERVIEW;
WOMEN IN WAR;
RELOCATION & DISPLACEMENT;
SEXUAL VIOLENCE & ARMED CONFLICT;
SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN AREAS OF MILITARY OCCUPATION;
SEXUAL VIOLENCE ACROSS BORDERS: REFUGEES & MIGRANTS;
SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY;
REPORTING & PUNISHMENT OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE;
FORCED MARRIAGE;
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE;
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN RELOCATION & REFUGE;
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
WOMEN?S HEALTH:
OVERVIEW;
GOVERNMENT HEALTH SPENDING;
POLICY, LAW & ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS RELATING TO WOMEN?S HEALTH;
EDUCATION ABOUT WOMEN?S HEALTH ISSUES;
ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE;
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH;
MATERNAL HEALTH;
WOMEN & HIV/AIDS 120
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
EDUCATION FOR WOMEN & GIRLS:
OVERVIEW;
WOMEN & ILLITERACY;
CURRENT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE & DROP OUT;
BARRIERS TO EDUCATION;
DISCRIMINATION IN GIRLS? SCHOOLING;
INCENTIVES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION;
VOCATIONAL TRAINING;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
THE ECONOMY & WOMEN?S LABOUR:
OVERVIEW;
THE ECONOMY;
DECISION-MAKING & THE FAMILY INCOME;
CULTURAL STEREOTYPES REGARDING WORK;
RURAL WOMEN;
FORCED LABOUR;
EDUCATION & WORK OPPORTUNITIES;
WOMEN IN THE PAID LABOUR FORCE;
THE CIVIL SERVICE;
THE INFORMAL SECTOR;
THE PRIVATE SECTOR;
LACK OF INFORMAL & PRIVATE SECTOR REGULATION;
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
MIGRATION & TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN & GIRLS:
OVERVIEW;
RESTRICTION ON WOMEN?S FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT;
REGIONAL MIGRATION;
TRAFFICKING;
SEX WORK;
DEPORTATION;
ACTIONS TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
WOMEN & THE LAW:
OVERVIEW;
FOUNDATIONS OF THE LAW IN BURMA;
LAWS RELATING SPECIFICALLY TO WOMEN;
THE PRACTICE OF THE LAW;
WOMEN & FAMILY LAW;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
WOMEN?S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS:
OVERVIEW;
RESTRICTIONS ON POLITICAL FREEDOM;
INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION;
NATIONAL PARTICIPATION;
LOCAL PARTICIPATION;
WOMEN?S PARTICIPATION IN OPPOSITION MOVEMENTS;
CONSEQUENCES OF POLITICAL ACTIVITY;
WOMEN?S POLITICAL ACTIVITIES IN EXILE;
WOMEN IN BURMA?S POLITICAL FUTURE;
FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS...
CONCLUSION...
BIBLIOGRAPHY...
ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE.
Brenda Belak
Source/publisher:
Images Asia
Date of publication:
2002-01-00
Date of entry/update:
2003-06-03
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Articles, reports and sites relating to women of Burma, Discrimination/violence against women: reports of violations in Burma, Myanmar Documents submitted to CEDAW by civil society organisations
Language:
English
Format :
htm
Size:
37.69 KB
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