Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Needs to be implemented in Mon State
Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Needs to be implemented in Mon State
The Irrawaddy, 15 Oct 2018
URL: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/action-plan-womens-rights-needs-implemented-mon-state.html
MAWLAMYINE, Mon State—Women from Mon State calling for their rights and needs in peace and development will soon have their concerns developed into an action plan, Myanmar’s Minister of Pa-O Ethnic Affairs Daw San Wint Khine said.
Mon State has seen an increasing number of rape cases against minors aged 16 years old and below, according to local women’s rights groups. Yet, the rights activists stressed, in many incidents, the rapists aren’t punished as they are not taken to court because instead the case is settled through negotiation, often involving compensation.
During the discussions late last year, women also demanded sexual and reproductive health awareness programs and training at community level, Minister Daw San Wint Khine said.
In discussing the issue of economic challenges, women voiced demands for guarantees of equal [daily] wages between men and women, as well as to enact laws guaranteeing women’s safety in the workplace.
In education, women called for an end to the practice of assessing male and female students’ matriculation exam scores differently for university acceptance and to open training centers for orphaned, homeless and vulnerable youth.
A 30 percent quota of women in village administration was also demanded for the women’s participation in leadership.
The needs and priorities identified by the women regarding peace and development in their state were presented to the Union government this year and they are awaiting approval to develop an action plan, she said.Many young girls have been forced to drop out school and go to neighboring countries to work to support their families, she said, adding that this can consequently be connected with trafficking cases, forced marriage and adolescent pregnancy.
Ma Cherry Soe from Mon Women’s Network said that after the action plan is drafted, she hopes it will address gender-based discrimination and violence in the state which women face in their day-to-day lives.
Mon State has seen an increasing number of rape cases against minors aged 16 years old and below, according to local women’s rights groups. Yet, the rights activists stressed, in many incidents, the rapists aren’t punished as they are not taken to court because instead the case is settled through negotiation, often involving compensation.
During the discussions late last year, women also demanded sexual and reproductive health awareness programs and training at community level, Minister Daw San Wint Khine said.
In discussing the issue of economic challenges, women voiced demands for guarantees of equal [daily] wages between men and women, as well as to enact laws guaranteeing women’s safety in the workplace.
In education, women called for an end to the practice of assessing male and female students’ matriculation exam scores differently for university acceptance and to open training centers for orphaned, homeless and vulnerable youth.
A 30 percent quota of women in village administration was also demanded for the women’s participation in leadership.
The needs and priorities identified by the women regarding peace and development in their state were presented to the Union government this year and they are awaiting approval to develop an action plan, she said.Many young girls have been forced to drop out school and go to neighboring countries to work to support their families, she said, adding that this can consequently be connected with trafficking cases, forced marriage and adolescent pregnancy.
Ma Cherry Soe from Mon Women’s Network said that after the action plan is drafted, she hopes it will address gender-based discrimination and violence in the state which women face in their day-to-day lives.