On behalf of Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister, SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister sends 2022 Myanmar Women’s Day message
Mingalabar!
I wish auspiciousness and health and happiness for all the dignitaries at this ceremony to mark the 2022 Myanmar Women’s Day.
Today, the 3rd of July 2022, is the Myanmar Women’s Day, a significant day for all the women living in every part of Myanmar.
On behalf of the Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister and myself, I honour Myanmar women from the bottom of my heart.
As in other countries, Myanmar observed the International Women’s Day for 2022, under the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow” on 8 March 2022.
International Women’s Day was observed all over the world to seriously spotlight, and to realize the women’s rights and capacities and recognize their capacities.
Myanmar Women’s Day came into existence after the 4th World Women’s Conference in Beijing in 1995.
In accord with the declaration of the conference, All Myanmar Women’s Committee was set up on 3 July 1996 as a national level steering body to ensure equality for the entire womenfolk with their male counterparts in all walks of life, to enhance and develop their abilities, to ensure gender equality, to prevent and stop all means of violence against women, and the Day was designated as Myanmar Women’s Day.
All along the course of history, we can witness heroines who took part in the independence struggle alongside their male counterparts, and women who were brilliant in political, economic and social fields and knowledge and art during the successive periods of the colonial era.
The role of women is continuously improving in all areas and sectors, and today, they stand shoulder to shoulder with men in all fields. All along the successive periods, the role of excellent women in the endeavours for the benefit of country and people can be found in the independence struggle, nation-building and development undertakings.
Myanmar women are the leader of their respective households as well as a national force.
Women represent over half of the country’s population. So, the country will generate a great and reliable force by developing the womenfolk into valuable human resources.
This is why ‘‘Myanmar Women’s Day” is yearly held at a national level to reflect women’s role and capacity.
Myanmar is implementing the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women-CEDAW approved by the UN in 1979 and Sustainable Development Goals-SDGs adopted by the UN in accord with the national policy.
In regional cooperation also, the country is actively participating in the ASEAN Committee on Women–ACW, ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children ACWC and ASEAN Women for Peace Registry-AWPR.
Moreover, Myanmar holds a no-tolerance policy on sexual abuse. As a sign of international cooperation in preventing violence against women, the country signed Joint Communique on Prevention and Response to Conflict Related Sexual Violence in December 2018.
Under a joint declaration, a national level project on sexual abuse prevention and response (2021-2022) was drawn and its implementation started on 10-11-2021. Measures are being taken to send a progress report to the office of the special envoy of the Secretary General of Prevention and Response to Conflict Related Sexual Violence. Besides, there are cooperation links with related ministries in accord with the SOP. Meanwhile, the law (draft) preventing violence against women has been finished to give effective punishment to offenders. Thus, women can be more effectively protected.
Regional committees have been formed in accord with the four polices and seven tasks adopted by the All Myanmar Women’s Committee. The committee will play a leading role in implementing the national strategy on women’s development (2013-2022) adopted in line with the CEDAW pledges and 12 priority fields of the Beijing project.
Since the strategy will end in 2022, cooperation is necessary among related ministries in drawing the phase II in the post-strategy period.
Moreover, plans related to sustainable development goals set by the UN and implementation of Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan-MSDP and COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan-CERP are helpful to women’s development, and tasks are being taken without leaving out the aspects of ensuring gender equality and improving capacity of all women and young women.
It is seen that there is a bigger number of women who have taken roles in the defence and security sectors of the State.
Women cadets are produced in the Myanmar Tatmadaw, and they have discharged duties keeping abreast with men.
Moreover, arrangements are underway this year to recruit and train female cadets for the Defence Services Medical Academy. Similarly, for State security, police women are discharging duties in Myanmar Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs keeping abreast with men.
Therefore, once Myanmar Women’s Day falls, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs present awards to outstanding women annually.
Relevant ministries, INGOs and CSOs are to cooperate in carrying out the tasks with momentum for the prioritized sectors at the State level – peace, economic development, reduction and eradication of violence against women and young women and improvement of ability to cope with disasters.
Myanmar confirmed and launched the National Social Protection Strategic Plan in 2014. In implementing the strategic plan, it will be noticed that pregnancy, prenatal care, birth delivery, and postnatal care are important parts in the life cycle approach.
According to the strategic plan, cash assistance on nutrition growth is provided to pregnant women and their children under age two. The plan is to provide pregnant women with additional nutrition as well as to make investment for ensuring fitness and intelligence development of new generation children. Besides, depending on their needs, assistance is being provided to women who experienced violence acts including sexual abuse.
The report of 2019 Inter-Census Survey says that Myanmar has 51.1 million conventional households, and its 46.8 percent are men and 53.2 percent women.
According to the data in the report, there is a big gap of school enrolment between women in urban areas and rural areas. In urban areas, five in 100 people at the age of five year and above do not go to school but nine in 100 in rural areas.
In gender ratio, about six in 100 young women do not go to school in urban areas but up to 11 in rural areas. Besides, the literacy rate of women aged 15 years and above is 86.3 percent and that of men is 92.4 percent.
Therefore, it is necessary to encourage women to study modern education and to improve job opportunities for them by teaching them occupational subjects including domestic science.
At the same time, women who are mothers are required to nurture their offspring and youth to be clever and to become outstanding and valuable youths.
I would like to take the opportunity to remind parents and teachers to place emphasis on their responsibility to nurture youths who are complete with five strengths and reliable for the future of the country.
It is necessary for parents and teachers to admonish their children and pupils in accordance with parent and teacher On behalf of Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister, SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister sends 2022 Myanmar Women’s Day message responsibilities to enable them to become responsible children and pupils.
To reduce the impacts of COVID-19 on economy, relevant ministries and organizations are required to develop and implement pilot projects to enable rural woman to continue to operate their small businesses that generate incomes for them, to resume small businesses that were suspended due to COVID-19 and to create job opportunities for women who do not have sources for incomes.
It is necessary for relevant ministries and organizations to take the role of women, who have to bear the brunt of the pandemic, in exerting efforts for economic recovery at present and to effectively utilize the capabilities of women in developing and implementing projects, plans and programs.
It should be noted that the theme of International Women Day 2022, which falls on 8 March, “Gender equality today for sustainable tomorrow” highlights the need to take gender equality into consideration to reduce the challenges of the 21st Century including climate crises and disasters.
Women and girls play an important role in building a sustainable future of gender equality. Therefore, efforts must be exerted to develop social protection systems, social services and rules and regulations that will narrow the gaps between genders and that between rural and urban areas.
As the government is taking measures for the success of the peace process and building a union based on democracy and federalism, it is necessary for all to cooperate to take effective measures in major areas for allround development of women such as economic conditions, occupation, education, health, social participation, peace, security and protection of women and girls against violence.
In conclusion, I would like to urge all women and organizations to cooperate in relevant sectors while the government is making all-round efforts as much as it can to enable Myanmar women to enjoy gender equality and to promote their rights and I wish all women and citizens of Myanmar peace of body and mind and harmlessness on the occasion of Myanmar Women’s Day.
Thank you.