Legal framework
Policies/strategies and
plans of action
is not considered a crime formed on 7th October unless the wife is younger 1996. One of the nine ! Myanmar acceded to the than 14 years. critical areas of concern of
C o n v e n t i o n o n t h e the working committee is
! Myanmar enacted the
“Anti-Elimination of all forms of the protection of women and
Trafficking in Persons
Discrimination Against children from violence.
Law,” on 13 September Women (CEDAW) in 1997
2005. Myanmar is also a ! The Myanmar National
and is a signatory to the
party to the UN Convention Committee for Women's Beijing Declaration and
against Transnational Affairs (MNCWA) was Platform for Action.
o r g a n i z e d C r i m e formed on July 3, 1996 with ! Myanmar fully supports the (UNCTOC) and its protocol the aim of implementing the zero tolerance policy with to Prevent, Suppress and Beijing Platform for Action regard to VAW. However, Punish Trafficking in and future programmes for no specific laws exist to persons, especially women women’s advancement. The
address domestic violence. and children. committee adopted the
! The only laws concerning Myanmar National Action
sexual and gender-based Plan for the Advancement of
violence are sections of the Women.
Penal Code (1860). The ! The Myanmar Women’s ! Myanmar as a member of P e n a l C o d e c o n t a i n s Affairs Federation (MWAF) the Association of Southeast provision for crimes against was formed on December Asian Nations (ASEAN)
women including rape, 20, 2003. has participated in various
abuse, and seduction and
! T h e S e x u a l a n d h u m a n r i g h t s - r e l a t e d sex with under-age women. Reproductive Health Policy declarations of ASEAN Trafficking or trading was formed in 2003. including Declaration on the
women for prostitution, or Elimination of Violence
! The Myanmar National
enticing for sexual purpose Against Women in the
Working Committee for
is a crime punishable by ASEAN Region (2004) and
Women’s Affairs was imprisonment. Spousal rape
Myanmar
COUNTRY POLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR COMBATING GBV
Declaration Against Trafficking in Persons ! 3 July has been declared and recognized by
Particularly Women and Children (2004). the Government as Myanmar Women's Day.
COUNTRY SITUATION OF GBV
from 3% to 15%. violence, 69% of the respondents reported
at least one incident of psychological
! Findings from the MNCWA survey indicated aggression and 27% of the respondents
that the main causes of violence in Myanmar
reported at least one act of physical are financial problems, alcohol, disharmony assault.1
with in-laws and adultery. Other causes are
! A more recent research has been conducted experienced psychological outcomes, 34%
by Nilar Kyu et al among 286 married experienced physical outcomes, and 15% women between 18–59 years old living in experienced work-related outcomes from five wards in the Chanayethazan Township of domestic violence. (Figure 1)1
Mandalay, the second largest city of
1
Myanmar. The Myanmar version of the ! 93% of the abused women did not seek
Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), any formal action following the violence devised by Straus (1996) was used to measure and 35% of the respondents simply stated,
1
physical and psychological violence. “I put up with the violence.”
!
Salient findings:
1 Nilar kyu et al. Prevalence, antecedent causes and consequences of domestic violence in Myanmar Asian Journal of Social Psychology
(2005) 8: 244–271
COUNTRY ACTIVITIES IN COMBATING
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
GWH-SEARO conducted a survey in October a questionnaire containing 23 questions under 2009 among the gender focal points in the four clusters. The findings of the survey for WHO country offices of Member States using Myanmar are listed below.
Precentage
Psychological outcomes Physical outcomes Work-related outcomes
*The scale represents the country-specific policies/programmes (2) resources (3) Research situation plotted against the maximum rating for and (4) Evidence
four clusters of indicators: (1) legislation/ ** A lower score reflects lower evidence of GBV
Figure 2: Country activities in combating gender-based violence in Myanmar, 2009
12
Country situation Total no. of indicators
S.No. Category
Activities
1. Legislation/policies and The country is yet to develop legislation, a national action programmes on GBV plan, health policy and a multisectoral
action plan on GBV.
2. Resources for combating GBV The following resources are available:
! Workshops and training for health providers. ! Data collection system for GBV at hospitals and
police stations.
! Facilities for helping the victims of GBV in the police
stations, legal aid centres and at counselling centres. 3. Research on GBV The country has given full compliance to five typical
activities: (1)research on the causes and consequences of GBV (2) findings on GBV (3) Findings on types of GBV (4) findings related to the cause of GBV and (5) findings related to women's health due to GBV.
4. Evidence on GBV The score for this category is 1 out of 5.
! Violence during pregnancy exists in the country.
3 2
violence, [n=198], Myanmar, 2005
Figure 1: The proportion of abused women who experienced any of the specific outcomes related to domestic
Declaration Against Trafficking in Persons ! 3 July has been declared and recognized by
Particularly Women and Children (2004). the Government as Myanmar Women's Day.
COUNTRY SITUATION OF GBV
from 3% to 15%. violence, 69% of the respondents reported
at least one incident of psychological
! Findings from the MNCWA survey indicated aggression and 27% of the respondents
that the main causes of violence in Myanmar
reported at least one act of physical are financial problems, alcohol, disharmony assault.1
with in-laws and adultery. Other causes are
! A more recent research has been conducted experienced psychological outcomes, 34%
by Nilar Kyu et al among 286 married experienced physical outcomes, and 15% women between 18–59 years old living in experienced work-related outcomes from five wards in the Chanayethazan Township of domestic violence. (Figure 1)1
Mandalay, the second largest city of
1
Myanmar. The Myanmar version of the ! 93% of the abused women did not seek
Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), any formal action following the violence devised by Straus (1996) was used to measure and 35% of the respondents simply stated,
1
physical and psychological violence. “I put up with the violence.”
!
Salient findings:
1 Nilar kyu et al. Prevalence, antecedent causes and consequences of domestic violence in Myanmar Asian Journal of Social Psychology
(2005) 8: 244–271
COUNTRY ACTIVITIES IN COMBATING
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
GWH-SEARO conducted a survey in October a questionnaire containing 23 questions under 2009 among the gender focal points in the four clusters. The findings of the survey for WHO country offices of Member States using Myanmar are listed below.
Precentage
Psychological outcomes Physical outcomes Work-related outcomes
*The scale represents the country-specific policies/programmes (2) resources (3) Research situation plotted against the maximum rating for and (4) Evidence
four clusters of indicators: (1) legislation/ ** A lower score reflects lower evidence of GBV
Figure 2: Country activities in combating gender-based violence in Myanmar, 2009
12
Country situation Total no. of indicators
S.No. Category
Activities
1. Legislation/policies and The country is yet to develop legislation, a national action programmes on GBV plan, health policy and a multisectoral
action plan on GBV.
2. Resources for combating GBV The following resources are available:
! Workshops and training for health providers. ! Data collection system for GBV at hospitals and
police stations.
! Facilities for helping the victims of GBV in the police
stations, legal aid centres and at counselling centres. 3. Research on GBV The country has given full compliance to five typical
activities: (1)research on the causes and consequences of GBV (2) findings on GBV (3) Findings on types of GBV (4) findings related to the cause of GBV and (5) findings related to women's health due to GBV.
4. Evidence on GBV The score for this category is 1 out of 5.
! Violence during pregnancy exists in the country.
3 2
violence, [n=198], Myanmar, 2005
Figure 1: The proportion of abused women who experienced any of the specific outcomes related to domestic
PARTNERSHIP IN COMBATING GBV
Government initiatives
! Counselling centres have beenestablished in each township to help the
! The Myanmar National Working Committee
victims. for Women’s Affairs was formed on 7th
! Awareness-raising activities were
October 1996, to carry out activities for the
conducted in all States and Divisions in advancement of women. Protection of
2008. women and children from violence,
trafficking and abuse is one of the nine ! Training programmes for police, critical areas of concern of the working prosecutors, judicial personnel, health
committee. officers, social welfare officers, and
administrative officials have been held.
! Following the WHO-SEARO Regional
Consultation on Violence against Women, ! Complaint letters from the victims of Myanmar, 1999, MNCWA conducted a violence have been scrutinized, study on domestic violence against women channelled to the respective sectors to in 12 townships. Consequent to the research take prompt action and respond to the findings, the Myanmar Women’s Affairs victims.
Federation (MWAF) adopted preventive and
! Following cyclone Nargis, a Women’s
rehabilitative strategies to respond to the Protection Sub-Cluster (WPSC) was needs in the area of GBV.
formed to prioritize the need for holistic support for survivors of GBV. The sub-cluster also prioritized support to the
! Preventive strategy, protective and
government of Myanmar in meeting enforcement strategy, prosecution
their commitments to survivors of GBV, strategy and reintegration strategy have
consistent with their ratification of been adopted and implemented.
2
CEDAW in 1996.
! Violence against Women sub-groups
have been formed and cover central to grassroots levels.
! MWAF activities for combating GBV:
2 GenCap Experience Document # 7: Opportunities for Coordination: Protection, Women’s Protection and Gender Based Violence
Country Contact Information:
Dr Maung Maung Lin National Professional Officer WHO Office, Yangon Myanmar
Tel : 95-1-241932, 241933 Fax: 95-1-241836, 250273 GPN : 24316
Email: linm@searo.who.int
Produced by:
Gender, Women and Health (GWH) Department of Family Health and Research
World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia World Health House, Indraprastha Estate
Mahatma Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110002 Phone: 91 11 23370804 Ext 26301
