Committee on the Elimination of Discriminationagainst Women
Forty-eighth session
17 January–4 February 2011
Information provided in follow-up to the concluding observations of the Committee
Myanmar
Response by Myanmar to the recommendations contained in the concluding observations of the Committee following the examination of the combined second and third periodic report of Myanmar on 3 November 2008
Women’s Rights
1.After acceding to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on 22 July 1997, Myanmar is bringing about the right and liberty of all Myanmar women.
2.For the advancement of Myanmar women, the Myanmar National Committee for Women’s Affairs and the Myanmar National Working Committee for Women’s Affairs have been formed since 1996 to implement the 12 tasks laid down by the Fourth World Conference on Women. The Myanmar National Committee for Women’s Affairs has been working in cooperation with the regional countries, United Nations organizations, concerned ministries and international NGOs in order to advance the development of women in the country.
3.The Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation was formed on 20 December 2003. The Federation has set up women’s affairs organizations down to the grassroots level. To protect women from violence and trafficking in persons, the Federation is conducting awareness-raising programmes, opening counselling centres, receiving complaint letters and referring them to the authorities concerned for taking action and disseminating knowledge about the laws that protect women through media to all Myanmar women.
4.In Myanmar, women constitute over 51.54 per cent of the population. In 2008–2009, women employees constituted 63.99 per cent of employees in health sector, 76.46 per cent in education sector, and 50.99 per cent in administrative sector of the country’s labour force, respectively. The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, in collaboration with the concerned ministries, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and international NGOs, is drawing up a National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women 2011–2015. The draft National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women 2011-2015 includes 12 areas: women and livelihoods, women and education and training, women and health, violence against women, women and emergencies, women and the economy, decision-making, institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women, women and human rights, women and media, women and environment and the girl child.
5.To support the poverty reduction goal, which is one of the Millennium Development Goals, the Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation has been providing microcredit loans for poor women at respective States/Divisions. Moreover, the Federation provided microcredit loans for women in the Nargis-affected areas to enable them to carry out income generation. The Federation also provided training to its members, in collaboration with international NGOs, to give social and psychological support to vulnerable women.
6.As a special law for combating of trafficking in persons, Myanmar enacted the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law in 2005 in line with the United Nations’ provisions and has been giving effective protection. A five-year National Plan of Action (2007–2011) to combat human trafficking has been adopted and the working groups at the State, Division, District and Townships levels have been formed.
7.According to the State Constitution (2008), women are entitled to be elected as Hluttaw representatives. Furthermore, Myanmar’s educational policy provides equal opportunities to both sexes without any discrimination. There is full gender equality in the education policy of Myanmar. The objectives set out for pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary education give equal rights to all genders in education.
8. Myanmar women are being provided with equal opportunities in terms of employment, benefits of social security, workplace safety and other legal rights in line with relevant labour laws.
9.Myanmar women are serving the nation in various specialized fields as directors- general, managing directors, rectors, professors, doctors, engineers, lawyers and so forth.
10.Every adult person in Myanmar has the right to marriage. A law has been enacted for immediate registration of newly born babies. Every child has the right to citizenship.
11.In Myanmar, there is no restriction and discrimination on the basis of religion. The Government allows citizens to worship any religions that they profess. Moreover, no religious restriction is applied in job application, trade and commerce, travelling and doing business in the country.