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Press Release
03 December 2023
United for Inclusion: Empowering Persons with Disabilities in Myanmar
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Speech
03 December 2023
Secretary-General's Message on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
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Speech
01 December 2023
Secretary-General’s Message for World AIDS Day
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Myanmar
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Myanmar:
Speech
01 December 2023
Secretary-General's Message on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities reminds us that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires living up to the promise to leave no one behind, especially the 1.3 billion persons with disabilities worldwide.
Today, at the halfway point to the 2030 Agenda, persons with disabilities continue facing systemic discrimination and barriers that restrict their meaningful inclusion in all areas of society.
Truly sustainable development for persons with disabilities requires a laser-like focus on their needs and rights — not only as beneficiaries, but as active contributors across social, economic and political life.
This means ensuring that persons with disabilities are at every decision-making table, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and across countries’ efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals — from poverty eradication, to health, education and climate action.
The United Nations is leading by example through our Disability Inclusion Strategy, and by supporting Member States as they drive progress for, and with, persons with disabilities.
On this important day, I call on the world to work side-by-side with persons with disabilities to design and deliver solutions based on equal rights in every country and community.
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Speech
29 November 2023
Secretary-General’s Message for World AIDS Day
AIDS-related deaths have fallen by almost 70 per cent since their peak in 2004, and new HIV infections are at the lowest point since the 1980s.
But AIDS still takes a life every minute.
We can — and must — end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Reaching this goal means heeding this year’s theme: Let Communities Lead.
The path to ending AIDS runs through communities.
From connecting people to the treatment, services and support they need — to the grassroots activism pushing for action so all people can realize their right to health.
Supporting those on the frontlines of the battle against AIDS is how we win.
That means placing community leadership at the centre of HIV plans, programmes, budgets and monitoring efforts.
We must also remove barriers to community leadership, and ensure space for local civil society groups to take forward their vital work.
Above all, we need funding.
The AIDS response in low and middle-income countries needs over 8 billion dollars more per year to be fully funded.
This must include scaled-up funding for local programmes led by people living with HIV, and prevention initiatives led by communities.
AIDS is beatable.
Let’s finish the job by supporting communities to end this scourge in their neighbourhoods, their countries and around the world.
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Publication
23 November 2023
Myanmar: Intensification of Clashes Flash Update #7
Highlight
Conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various groups, including Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), continues in many parts of the country.
Fighting has been particularly intense in northern Shan, Rakhine, Sagaing, Chin and Mandalay.
In Rakhine, armed clashes have again escalated in Pauktaw township, where more than 20,000 people have been newly displaced to safer locations since mid-November. Access here is heavily constrained.
As of 22 November, there are nearly 335,000 people in multiple states and regions who have been newly displaced as a result of the escalation of fighting since 26 October. More than 2 million people are now displaced nationwide.
Key transport routes in townships with active fighting have been blocked both by the MAF and EAOs, restricting people’s movements to safer locations, as well as hampering humanitarian access. In addition to Lashio and Loikaw, the airport in Kale is now closed.
Despite insecurity, access and telecommunication challenges, small-scale provision of essential humanitarian assistance to affected people continues where possible using a variety of flexible approaches.
While the US$1 million from the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund is being disbursed to local actors to support those responding to emerging needs in northern Shan, needs in the Northwest, Southeast and Rakhine are increasing by the day and require immediate response. Urgent additional donor support is critical given the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan remains severely underfunded with only 28 per cent of requirements received this year.
Situation Overview
Intense hostilities continue between the MAF and various armed groups, including EAOs and PDFs, across multiple states and regions. Nearly 335,000 people have been newly displaced within northern and southern Shan, Kayah, Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Mandalay, eastern Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi due to the surge in conflict since late October. This displacement is creating urgent needs for immediate and ongoing support to both newly displaced and protracted IDP populations, as well as host communities. In addition, almost 200 civilians, including men, women, and children, have reportedly died and 263 others have been injured in the fighting and related insecurity.
Northern Shan
• In northern Shan, fighting continues in several townships, resulting in significant civilian casualties (48 fatalities and 136 injuries reported). More than 320 houses and other civilian properties have reportedly been damaged or destroyed in 6 townships. As of 22 November, the number of new IDPs from the current fighting has risen to nearly 82,000 people who are now taking refuge in 141 sites across 15 townships. Most of the displaced people are staying in religious compounds including monasteries and churches, while others are sheltering in host communities, forested areas or paddy fields along the China-Myanmar border in northern Shan, as well as in Pyin Oo Lwin township in Mandalay and in Mansi township in Kachin.
• Partners are actively delivering essential aid, including cash, food, and healthcare, to those in need, where access has been possible. Humanitarian assistance has reached about half of the IDPs however, there remains a gap in humanitarian support for some locations in Namhkan, Nawnghkio, Mansi and Pyin Oo Lwin townships due to security situation and access restrictions. In Laukkaing township, 30,000 people, who have been displaced on the border with China, have only been able to receive minimal assistance. Partners are managing to transport some supplies to Lashio, though there is still a high unmet need for cash, food, health supplies, shelter materials, NFIs, and dignity kits among the new IDPs.
Rakhine
• Intensified fighting between the MAF and the Arakan Army (AA) in Pauktaw township in central Rakhine, has escalated since the AA's offensive on 21 November. The clashes, involving ground artillery, naval, and air strikes, have left control of the area uncertain. An artillery shell landed near a Rohingya IDP camp in Pauktaw township without causing any casualties. Nearly 20,000 people from Pauktaw town and nearby villages have been displaced to northern Pauktaw and the southern island, the latter of which also hosts 26,000 Rohingya IDPs from the 2012 violence who have been cut off from aid since 10 November. Approximately 100 civilians were reportedly rescued by the AA from Pauktaw town on 22 November, while around 500 remain trapped in the downtown area. Pauktaw is currently inaccessible, with entry points blocked. Urgent humanitarian and protection assistance, including food, cash, water purification tablets, fuel, emergency healthcare, and medical supplies, is needed. There are ongoing advocacy efforts to secure humanitarian access to the newly displaced, including in Pauktaw, and resume services to those in Rohingya IDP camps.
Northwest
• In the Northwest, armed clashes between the MAF and EAOs/PDFs have escalated since late October in 25 townships across Sagaing, Chin, and Mandalay, causing further displacement and civilian casualties. Approximately 33,000 people are newly displaced from Madaya in Mandalay, Matupi in Chin, and Kale and Taze in Sagaing, contributing to the nearly 150,000 people who have been displaced since early November. These hostilities are thought to have resulted in 60 civilian deaths, 16 injuries including children, and the destruction of 74 houses in Chin, Mandalay, and Sagaing. Reports of arbitrary arrests in Myaing in Magway and Madaya in Mandalay have been received, with fears of detainees being used as porters in military operations. Humanitarian access is hindered by ongoing fighting, roadblocks, and movement restrictions in multiple townships. Kale Airport in Sagaing closed on 21 November following an explosion the previous day, with no reopening date announced. The region faces a fuel crisis, particularly in Kale and Tamu townships, and banking issues pose additional challenges for humanitarian efforts.
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Publication
22 November 2023
Myanmar: Intensification of clashes Flash Update #6
Highlight
The conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various groups, including Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), remains intense in many parts of the country.
The escalation is now the largest in scale and most extensive geographically since the early 2021 military takeover, impacting multiple areas, particularly northern and southern Shan, Sagaing, Kayah, Rakhine, and southern Chin.
As of 21 November, there are more than 286,000 people who have been displaced as a result of the intensification of fighting since 26 October.
The security situation in Pauktaw township in Rakhine remains alarming, where more than 20,000 people have been displaced to safer locations within the township since mid-November and hundreds of people have also been trapped and have not been able to move to safer areas.
Key transport routes in townships with active fighting have been blocked both by the MAF and EAOs, restricting people’s movements to safer locations, as well as hampering humanitarian access.
Despite insecurity, access and telecommunication challenges, provision of essential humanitarian assistance to affected people continues in northern Shan using a variety of flexible approaches. Humanitarian partners in the Northwest, Southeast and Rakhine are assessing new needs to respond to the fluid situation. Various preparedness measures, including the pre-positioning of stocks, are ongoing.
While the US$1 million from the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund is being disbursed to local actors to support those responding to emerging needs in northern Shan, needs in the Northwest, Southeast and Rakhine are increasing by the day and require immediate response. Urgent additional donor support is critical given the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan remains severely underfunded with only 28 per cent of requirements received this year.
Situation Overview
Intense hostilities continue between the MAF and various armed groups, including EAOs and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), across multiple states and regions. This escalation is the largest and most geographically widespread since the 2021 military takeover. Armed clashes have expanded into more areas, including densely populated urban centres, posing a heightened risk to the safety and security of civilian populations across the country.
More than 286,000 people have been newly displaced within northern and southern Shan, Kayah, Rakhine, Chin, Sagaing, Mandalay, eastern Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi due to the recent surge in conflict. This displacement represents a significant humanitarian concern, with urgent needs for immediate and ongoing support to both newly displaced and protracted IDP populations, as well as host communities. In addition, 187 civilians, including men, women, and children, have reportedly died and 246 others have been injured.
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Publication
18 November 2023
Myanmar: Escalating Hostilities - Rakhine and Southern Chin Flash Update #5
Highlight
Armed hostilities have escalated in Rakhine State in the past two days, particularly in Pauktaw and Maungdaw townships, and in Paletwa, Chin State.
The Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) have conducted an operation in Pauktaw with air and naval support to reestablish control after the Arakan Army (AA) temporarily took the town on 15 November.
Despite the absence of direct clashes, there have been reports of MAF shelling in AA-controlled areas in Kyauktaw,
Minbya, Mrauk-U, Myebon, Sittwe, and Ponnagyun townships. Since 13 November, 11 deaths and over 30 injuries have been reported. Additionally, more than 100 people have reportedly been detained by the MAF/State Administration Council. As of 16 November, the overall number of internally displaced people (IDPs) due to past and present conflict between the AA and the MAF in Rakhine and Paletwa has risen to some 90,000, including more than 26,000 people newly displaced since the ceasefire broke. This is in addition to 150,000 mostly Rohingya people displaced in Rakhine as a result of long-running inter-communal tensions. Key transport routes and waterways between Sittwe-Yangon and within various townships have been restricted, impacting civilian movement and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Humanitarian assistance has been suspended for several days, with limited access being provided to select locations amid the intensified fighting. Situation Overview The MAF and the AA resumed hostilities on 13 November, disrupting the relative calm that followed the informal ceasefire established in November 2022. The recent conflict began in Rathedaung township, where the AA is reported to have attacked two Border Guard Police (BGP) posts near the Maungdaw township border. Hostilities have since spread to the townships of Maungdaw, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, and Paletwa. Reports indicate artillery shelling from MAF bases in various townships, predominantly at night. The MAF has also employed naval forces to launch artillery strikes on AA-controlled territories. Local sources have confirmed at least 11 fatalities and more than 30 injuries due to the shelling in Maungdaw, Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Minbya, and Ann townships. The MAF/SAC have increased security measures across the region, including the establishment of additional checkpoints and roadblocks, and conducting household searches to identify suspected AA sympathizers. More than 100 people in Rakhine have been arrested by the MAF/SAC since 13 November. Meanwhile, the AA detained five people, including two in police uniform, in Ponnagyun, suspecting they were en route to Sittwe by boat. Additionally, a curfew from 9 pm to 6 am has been implemented in Sittwe. The ongoing clashes have resulted in the displacement of 26,175 people (4,765 households) across Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Myebon, Ponnagyun, Pauktaw, and Rathedaung townships. Of these, the largest number - 19,000 people - are from Pauktaw. This displacement adds to the existing situation where 63,884 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were already affected by earlier AA-MAF conflict, along with approximately 150,000 predominantly Rohingya IDPs in Sittwe and Pauktaw from past inter-communal tension. Rural communities, in particular, are living in fear of escalating violence, and there is a high likelihood that the newly displaced will seek refuge in existing urban displacement sites if the situation worsens. The non-displaced Rohingya population - already facing limited mobility - is at risk of further confinement in their villages. Since 13 November, virtually all roads and waterways connecting Rakhine townships have been blocked, severely restricting movements, including the transportation of goods and trade. In affected townships in Rakhine and Paletwa, most humanitarian activities have been suspended due to the resurgence of conflict, increased security scrutiny, road and waterway blockades, and movement restrictions between urban and rural areas. Services provided by camp-based staff, community-based staff, and volunteers continue in areas without active conflict. However, activities requiring the movement of supplies, staff, or patients, such as health emergency referral services, have ceased due to stringent movement restrictions.
Minbya, Mrauk-U, Myebon, Sittwe, and Ponnagyun townships. Since 13 November, 11 deaths and over 30 injuries have been reported. Additionally, more than 100 people have reportedly been detained by the MAF/State Administration Council. As of 16 November, the overall number of internally displaced people (IDPs) due to past and present conflict between the AA and the MAF in Rakhine and Paletwa has risen to some 90,000, including more than 26,000 people newly displaced since the ceasefire broke. This is in addition to 150,000 mostly Rohingya people displaced in Rakhine as a result of long-running inter-communal tensions. Key transport routes and waterways between Sittwe-Yangon and within various townships have been restricted, impacting civilian movement and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Humanitarian assistance has been suspended for several days, with limited access being provided to select locations amid the intensified fighting. Situation Overview The MAF and the AA resumed hostilities on 13 November, disrupting the relative calm that followed the informal ceasefire established in November 2022. The recent conflict began in Rathedaung township, where the AA is reported to have attacked two Border Guard Police (BGP) posts near the Maungdaw township border. Hostilities have since spread to the townships of Maungdaw, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, and Paletwa. Reports indicate artillery shelling from MAF bases in various townships, predominantly at night. The MAF has also employed naval forces to launch artillery strikes on AA-controlled territories. Local sources have confirmed at least 11 fatalities and more than 30 injuries due to the shelling in Maungdaw, Mrauk-U, Kyauktaw, Minbya, and Ann townships. The MAF/SAC have increased security measures across the region, including the establishment of additional checkpoints and roadblocks, and conducting household searches to identify suspected AA sympathizers. More than 100 people in Rakhine have been arrested by the MAF/SAC since 13 November. Meanwhile, the AA detained five people, including two in police uniform, in Ponnagyun, suspecting they were en route to Sittwe by boat. Additionally, a curfew from 9 pm to 6 am has been implemented in Sittwe. The ongoing clashes have resulted in the displacement of 26,175 people (4,765 households) across Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Myebon, Ponnagyun, Pauktaw, and Rathedaung townships. Of these, the largest number - 19,000 people - are from Pauktaw. This displacement adds to the existing situation where 63,884 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were already affected by earlier AA-MAF conflict, along with approximately 150,000 predominantly Rohingya IDPs in Sittwe and Pauktaw from past inter-communal tension. Rural communities, in particular, are living in fear of escalating violence, and there is a high likelihood that the newly displaced will seek refuge in existing urban displacement sites if the situation worsens. The non-displaced Rohingya population - already facing limited mobility - is at risk of further confinement in their villages. Since 13 November, virtually all roads and waterways connecting Rakhine townships have been blocked, severely restricting movements, including the transportation of goods and trade. In affected townships in Rakhine and Paletwa, most humanitarian activities have been suspended due to the resurgence of conflict, increased security scrutiny, road and waterway blockades, and movement restrictions between urban and rural areas. Services provided by camp-based staff, community-based staff, and volunteers continue in areas without active conflict. However, activities requiring the movement of supplies, staff, or patients, such as health emergency referral services, have ceased due to stringent movement restrictions.
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Story
24 November 2023
“I'm not afraid of people anymore”: A sexual violence survivor in rural Myanmar shares how raising awareness on gender-based violence has changed harmful community attitudes.
(Named changed to protect identity)
Ma Shwe said she “was just a young girl” when she was raped by a man from her village. In this act of violence, he crushed her self-confidence and left her feeling terrified.
Ma Shwe was raised in a small farming village in rural Myanmar with around 200 households. After the rape, she felt judged by her community, and she felt shamed and outcast. “I was afraid to live in my environment, and so I left my home and village,” she said.
Her perpetrator also left, to avoid police action. When it seemed clear he would not return, Ma Shwe decided to move back because, now a single mother, she wanted to live with her family and raise her child in the village she grew up in. On returning though, she continued to feel judged by those around her, and as she dealt with the ongoing physical and mental health impacts of the violence, it was a daily struggle to feel safe and comfortable.
“I used to feel shy and afraid of people,” she said, “but there was a training in my village on gender-based violence and I attended. After the training I felt that I can accept being alive.”
Ma Shwe accessed a range of services, including counselling sessions, with the support of a local women-led organization – one of many that UN Women works with across Myanmar to reach and support women and girls who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing gender-based violence (GBV).
She also attended training courses and awareness raising sessions that were delivered through a digital learning platform that made it accessible for a wide range of people from the community, including men and boys, to attend. The sessions aimed to break down harmful social norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence and discrimination against women and girls.
“After the training, I saw that the views of the people around me had changed a lot,” she said. “This change is important. It gives people like me who have suffered from violence the strength to keep spirits high. It makes people feel equal and understand everyone has rights, so they learn to value each other.”
In Myanmar, the combined impacts of escalating armed conflict and protracted economic, humanitarian, protection and environmental crises heighten the vulnerability of women and girls. Dire conditions have led to economic stressors including job loss, rising food prices and disrupted services. All of which – combined with deeply-rooted societal gender norms and inequalities – are aggravating tensions at home and increasing the incidence and risk of violence against women and girls, especially intimate partner violence which Myanmar women have said is the most common form of gender-based violence in their communities*.
Women’s organizations in Myanmar play a vital role in ending and preventing gender-based violence by providing services at the community level, bolstering women’s empowerment, and reaching those at risk of being left behind.
A representative from the women-lead organization supporting Ma Shwe said when she first started accessing the GBV services, “She cried openly because of the comments from some people around her and every day was a time of worry and sadness for her.
“However, she attended the awareness sessions and accepted that it was not her fault. In addition, she was able to regain her self-confidence and acceptance of her own existence as she received timely counseling sessions,” the representative said.
UN Women works with other UN agencies, including UNFPA, and local partner organizations to provide GBV prevention and response services in Myanmar, including:
community awareness raising and training to prevent GBV and advance women’s rights;
cash-based interventions and livelihood support;
strengthening community protection services and referrals to professional GBV services (such as medical, psychosocial support, and legal assistance); and
strengthening GBV service provision and inter-agency coordination.
A new joint programme beginning in November 2023, supported by the Government of France, will provide additional support for UN Women and UNFPA to deliver GBV services in Kachin state in communities affected by the ongoing conflict.
While Ma Shwe continues to struggle with the impact of the violence that was perpetrated against her, she now feels more comfortable in her community. She said she has hope for the future and even dreams of one day opening her own business.
“I feel like I've got my own life back, and I'm not afraid of people anymore.”
*Findings from focus group discussions conducted for 2023 Multi Sectoral Needs Analysis
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Story
20 November 2023
Explainer: What is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and why is it important?
What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
In 1989 something incredible happened. Against the backdrop of a changing world order, world leaders came together and made a historic commitment to the world’s children. They made a promise to every child to protect and fulfil their rights, by adopting an international legal framework – the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Contained in this treaty is a profound idea: that children are not just objects who belong to their parents and for whom decisions are made, or adults in training. Rather, they are human beings and individuals with their own rights. The Convention says childhood is separate from adulthood, and lasts until 18; it is a special, protected time, in which children must be allowed to grow, learn, play, develop and flourish with dignity.
The Convention establishes in international law that States Parties must ensure that all children – without discrimination in any form – benefit from special protection measures and assistance; have access to services such as education and health care; can develop their personalities, abilities and talents to the fullest potential; grow up in an environment of happiness, love and understanding; and are informed about and participate in, achieving their rights in an accessible and active manner.
The Convention went on to become the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history and has helped transform children’s lives.
What has the Convention achieved?
The Convention is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. It has inspired governments to change laws and policies and make investments so that more children finally get the health care and nutrition they need to survive and develop, and there are stronger safeguards in place to protect children from violence and exploitation. It has also enabled more children to have their voices heard and participate in their societies.
Despite this progress, the Convention is still not fully implemented or widely known and understood. Millions of children continue to suffer violations of their rights when they are denied adequate health care, nutrition, education and protection from violence. Childhoods continue to be cut short when children are forced to leave school, do hazardous work, get married, fight in wars or are locked up in adult prisons.
And global changes, like the rise of digital technology, climate change, prolonged conflict and mass migration are completely changing childhood. Today’s children face new threats to their rights, but they also have new opportunities to realize their rights.
How was it decided what should go into the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
The standards in the Convention on the Rights of the Child were negotiated by governments, non-governmental organizations, human rights advocates, lawyers, health specialists, social workers, educators, child development experts and religious leaders from all over the world, over a 10-year period.
The result is a consensus document that takes into account the importance of tradition and cultural values for the protection and harmonious development of the child. It reflects the principal legal systems of the world and acknowledges the specific needs of developing countries.
How does the Convention on the Rights of the Child define a child?
The Convention defines a “child” as a person below the age of 18, unless the relevant laws recognize an earlier age of majority. On some issues, States are obliged to provide for minimum ages, such as the age for admission into employment and completion of compulsory education; but in other cases the Convention is unequivocal in prohibiting life imprisonment without possibility of release or capital punishment for those under 18 years of age.
What are the Convention’s guiding principles?
The guiding principles of the Convention are: non-discrimination; the best interests of the child as a primary consideration in all actions concerning children; the child’s inherent right to life, and State Parties’ obligation to ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child; and the child’s right to express his or her views freely in all matters affecting the child, with those views being given due weight.
What is the vision of the child in the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
The Convention provides a universal set of standards to be adhered to by all countries. It reflects a new vision of the child. Children are neither the property of their parents nor are they helpless objects of charity. They are human beings and are the subject of their own rights. The Convention offers a vision of the child as an individual and a member of a family and a community, with rights and responsibilities appropriate to his or her age and stage of development. Recognizing children’s rights in this way firmly sets a focus on the whole child.
How is the Convention on the Rights of the Child special?
The Convention:
Is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history – in force in virtually all countries of the world, thus providing a common ethical and legal framework for the realization of children’s rights.
Was the first time a formal commitment was made to ensure the realization of child rights and monitor progress on the situation of children.
Indicates that children's rights can no longer be perceived as an option, as a question of favour or kindness to children or as an expression of charity. Children’s rights generate obligations and responsibilities that we all must honour and respect.
Has been recognized by non-state entities.
Is a reference for many organizations working with and for children – including NGOs, and entities within the UN system.
Reaffirms that all rights are equally important and essential for the full development of a child and that each and every child is important.
Reaffirms the notion of State accountability for the realization of human rights and the values of transparency and public scrutiny that are associated with it.
Promotes an international system of solidarity designed to achieve the realization of children's rights. Donor countries are called upon to provide assistance in areas where particular needs have been identified; recipient countries are called upon to direct overseas development assistance to that end too.
Highlights the role of society, communities and families to promote and protect children's rights.
How many countries have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most rapidly ratified human rights treaty in history. More countries have ratified the Convention than any other human rights treaty in history – 196 countries – including Myanmar in 1991 - have become State Parties to the Convention. Only the United States of America has not ratified the Convention. However, by signing the Convention, the United States has signalled its intention to ratify, but has yet to do so.
How does the international community monitor and support progress on the implementation of the Convention?
The Committee on the Rights of the Child, an elected body of independent experts that monitors the Convention's implementation, requires governments that have ratified the Convention to submit regular reports on the status of children's rights in their countries. The Committee reviews these reports and makes recommendations to States. Where necessary, the Committee calls for international assistance from other governments and technical assistance from organizations like UNICEF.
What steps do the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of the Child encourage governments to undertake?
Through its reviews of country reports, the Committee urges all levels of government to use the Convention as a guide in policy-making and implementation, including: having a national plan for children, monitoring how much of the budget is spent on children, conducting regular impact assessments throughout every government department using reliable data about children’s lives, and having an independent children’s ombudsman.
What are some of the areas in which the Convention on the Rights of the Child has been most effective?
In the 30 years since the adoption of the Convention, the lives of millions of children have been improved through the progressive realization of rights and fulfillment of obligations enshrined within the Convention and its three Optional Protocols.
The Convention has inspired changes in all parts of the world, including:
Incorporating child rights principles into legislation
Establishing interdepartmental and multidisciplinary bodies to address child rights
Developing national agendas for children
Promoting ombudspersons for children or commissioners for children’s rights
Restructuring of budgetary allocations for the realization of children’s rights
Interventions targeting child survival and development
Addressing discrimination and other barriers to the realization of child rights including socio-economic disparities among children
Creating opportunities for children to express their views and be heard
Expanding partnerships for children
Assessing the impact of measures on children.
How does UNICEF use the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
UNICEF is the UN organization mandated to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged. As expressed in its Mission Statement, “UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.”
UNICEF is the only organization specifically named in the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a source of expert assistance and advice. The Convention provides UNICEF with guidance as to the areas to be assessed and addressed and is a tool to measure the progress achieved in those areas. In addition to maintaining a focus on child survival and development, UNICEF must consider the situation of all children, analyse the economic and social environment, develop partnerships to strengthen the response (including the participation of children themselves), support interventions on the basis of non-discrimination and act in the best interests of the child.
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Story
03 November 2023
UNDP launches free e-learning portal to help Myanmar's small businesses grow
This E-learning Portal is giving the business community in Myanmar a free resource to help strengthen their operations, improve responsible business practices and boost their bottom line.
With many MSMEs struggling amid Myanmar’s current political and economic crisis, this portal aims to help these businesses not just survive, but also grow, providing much-needed jobs throughout the country and helping lift people out of poverty.
Each course on the platform, which has been developed with Impact Hub Yangon, is delivered in Burmese and has been tailor-made by a different business expert from Myanmar to ensure the theoretical concepts are connected to local experiences. You can access the courses with a smartphone, computer or tablet.
The portal covers a wide range of topics, from digital literacy and financial management to business development and marketing and branding. Courses on environmental best practices and women’s empowerment, meanwhile, are designed to help businesses operate more responsibly.
Each module is self-paced, allowing people to study at their own convenience. Depending on the course, they can take anywhere from 6 to 18 hours to complete. Once participants pass a final test, they are awarded a digital certificate.
Users can also use the platform’s forum to communicate with their peers, share knowledge and build their professional network, as well as find articles to learn new insights and information to enhance business knowledge. The platform will continue to evolve, including adding new courses on risk management, responsible business practices, workplace gender equality, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Adnan Cheema, UNDP Myanmar’s Deputy Resident Representative, said at the portal’s launch event in Yangon: "Over 90 percent of businesses in Myanmar are MSMEs, making them a crucial engine of economic growth. They create jobs and income-generating opportunities, and contribute to the well-being of countless individuals, households, and communities.
"However, the economic crisis and the impacts of the global pandemic have left Myanmar’s MSMEs facing numerous challenges. Many have been struggling for survival, and lack pathways and resources to build their resilience and to grow.
"To address these challenges effectively, one important solution is the need for relevant business education and training. By offering these courses, UNDP Myanmar aims to make business education available to all."
Find out more about the different courses available and sign up for your free account to begin using the E-learning Portal for MSMEs. You can also get updates on the platform on Facebook, LinkedIn and the dedicated Viber channel.
*This article was originally published on the UNDP Myanmar website on November 2.
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Story
31 October 2023
Explainer: a guide to UN Security Resolution 1325 and the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Myanmar
On 31 October 2023, humanitarian, development, and human rights organizations around the world will commemorate the 23rd anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. But what is it? And how is it relevant to the multiple crises impacting millions of women and girls in Myanmar?
What is UN Security Council Resolution 1325?
On 31 October 2000, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (UNSCR 1325). It was the first resolution to recognize that conflict impacts people differently depending on their gender, and calls out two important issues:
Women play critical roles in preventing conflict and building peace in communities.
UNSCR 1325 acknowledges that peace and security measures are only sustainable if women are equal partners in peace processes. It calls for women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in every stage of preventing conflict and building peace in their countries.
Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by violent conflict and war.
UNSCR 1325 calls for special measures to protect women and girls from conflict-related sexual violence, which refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced sex work, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage, and any other form of sexual violence that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict.
What is the Women, Peace and Security agenda?
Even before the adoption of UNSCR 1325, the principles of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda were championed by a global coalition of women’s rights organizations.
Today, the WPS agenda is based on ten UN Security Council resolutions – beginning with UNSCR 1325 – and calls for action across four pillars:
Participation: Calls for the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in decision-making processes at national, local, regional, and international levels related to the prevention, management, and transformation of conflicts.
Protection: Calls for the protection of women and girls’ safety and rights.
Prevention: Calls for the prevention of conflict and all forms of structural and physical violence against women and girls, including prosecuting those responsible for violations of international law; strengthening women’s rights under national law; and supporting local women’s peace initiatives and conflict resolution processes.
Relief and recovery: Calls for women and girls’ specific relief needs to be met and women’s capacities to act as agents in relief and recovery reinforced in conflict, post-conflict, and post-disaster situations.
Why is the WPS agenda important to women and girls in Myanmar?
The multiple crises in Myanmar have increased the pre-existing inequalities, marginalization and vulnerabilities of women and girls. They often bear the brunt of additional and more resource-heavy and time-consuming care work, increased food insecurity, and the risk of gender-based violence (GBV).
In 2022, a joint study by UN Women and UNDP in Myanmar, found nearly one in three women no longer feel safe within their own neighborhood or village during daylight hours. This stands in stark contrast to 2019 when only 3.5 percent of women reported feeling unsafe during the day. One in five women reported seeing violent behaviour against a woman or girl in their neighborhood since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The UN Secretary-General’s Report on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and recent reports from the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights point to increased conflict-related sexual violence across the country since February 2021. And local women’s rights organizations report that domestic and intimate partner violence has increased in the wake of the multiple crises affecting Myanmar.
How is the WPS agenda implemented in Myanmar and Southeast Asia?
Since 2005, UN Member States have put UNSCR 1325 and the WPS agenda into action by developing government-led National Action Plans (NAP) or other national level strategies.
While no WPS NAP has been developed in Myanmar, a 10-year National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women (NSPAW) was adopted in 2013 and included a ‘women and emergencies’ category. Additionally, action plans at state level were developed in various states, including Kayin, Mon and Kayah, advancing the WPS agenda by state governments and multiple stakeholders including women civil society organizations.
At the regional level, ASEAN initiated a regional plan of action on WPS, which aims to help coordinate and strengthen the WPS policies of ASEAN member states. Indonesia and the Philippines have established explicit WPS National Action Plans (NAPs), and Vietnam is in the process of developing one. Some member states, for example Thailand, have policy frameworks that align with the principles of WPS NAPs.
How does UN Women implement the WPS agenda in Myanmar?
UN Women has been in Myanmar since 2013, working with an extensive network of women-led and women’s rights organizations to support vulnerable women and girls.
UN Women is the global custodian of the WPS agenda. It underpins all our work in Myanmar, which includes:
Creating an enabling environment for the WPS agenda in Myanmar by providing gender data and expertise critical for informing evidence-based responses across the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding nexus.
Supporting women to lead and participate in decision-making by building the capacity of women leaders and women-lead civil society organizations through institutional and technical capacity building. Topics include organizational governance and leadership, mediation and gender.
Improving the protection of vulnerable women and girls and increasing respect for their human rights, including through integrated GBV prevention and response; cash-based interventions; and training community members to promote women’s rights and raise awareness about preventing gender-based violence.
Increasing women’s leadership and participation in humanitarian action, including by providing funding to local women-led civil society organizations (WCSOs), so they can provide humanitarian support across the country and help strengthen other WCSOs and women’s rights organizations through capacity building and grants.
What is needed to progress the WPS agenda in Myanmar and globally?
Globally, aid to peace and security continues to underprioritize gender equality, with women-led organizations’ contributions being undervalued and under-resourced. According to 2021 OECD data, only 0.68 per cent of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Myanmar goes to women’s rights organizations.
The 2023 Report of the Secretary-General on Women and Peace and Security reveals that in 2021, only 6 per cent of bi-lateral aid to conflict-affected contexts, was dedicated to gender equality as a principal objective, despite calls for moving towards and exceeding targets such as the United Nations goal of 15 per cent.
As we mark 23 years since the adoption of UNSCR 1325, UN Women Myanmar joins the Security-General’s call for urgent global action to progress the WPS agenda, including:
Allocate a minimum of 15 per cent of ODA to gender equality, including a minimum of 1 per cent to women’s organizations, especially grassroots groups mobilizing for peace.
Increase use of accountability to strengthen the protection of women and girls in crisis settings.
Support women-led civil society organizations working to promote peace and development in their communities.
More information:
Watch this UN Women video overview of UNSCR 1325 in the Asia Pacific Region.
Read the UN Women Myanmar Peace Facilitator’s Handbook for tools to help women leaders. both meaningfully participate in local peace processes and train other women peacebuilders.
Read the UN Women Myanmar Country Profile to find out more about our work in Myanmar.
Read UN Women’s expert take on what the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace means for women.
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Story
24 October 2023
Displaced families yearn for home in Myanmar’s forgotten conflict
In the distance, 500-year-old stone pagodas punctuate the verdant landscape. Mrauk-U Township, where Mya Ta Saung site is located, is renowned for its rich cultural heritage and for being the capital of a once-prominent Arakan kingdom.
At Mya Ta Saung’s Buddhist monastery, women patiently wait their turn to collect relief items from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Religious buildings and host communities play a key role in supporting displaced families, often acting as places of refuge in times of conflict.
Carefully balancing large green sacks on their heads, they make their way back to their shelters, navigating through muddy paths and knee-high waters as the monsoon rains continue to fall. The site regularly floods during heavy rain and residents are forced to use improvised bamboo walkways to move around.
In one shelter, Oo Thein Hle, 57, huddles together with her husband, children and grandchildren inspecting the sack’s contents. Inside are basic household items including blankets, sleeping mats, kitchen sets and mosquito nets.
“Without outside assistance, our lives would be much more difficult,” said Oo Thein Hle. Her family, who were farmers, were forced to forsake their land when mortar shells landed on their village and destroyed their home.
Today, Mya Ta Saung offers safety to over 1,100 people from four nearby villages. The majority arrived in 2019 when fighting between the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed organization and the Myanmar Armed Forces rocked the area. Since the conflict began in 2018, it has displaced over 100,000 largely ethnic Rakhine people across central and northern parts of Rakhine State, of which about 51,000 still remain displaced today. The impact of the conflict is less known since much of the international focus has been on the Rohingya, another ethnic group from Rakhine State. The Rohingya have been affected by violence and face severe restrictions on their fundamental rights, including citizenship, freedom of movement and access to basic services. Four years since their displacement, Oo Thein Hle’s family, like many others in Mya Ta Saung, struggle to make ends meet due to limited job opportunities. Rakhine is among the poorest and least developed states in Myanmar and the communities are heavily reliant on humanitarian aid provided by several organizations in order to survive. In addition to basic household items, UNHCR also provides shelter support to displaced communities. Since January 2023, over 44,000 people in nine Rakhine townships affected by the conflict have received assistance from UNHCR. Sustainable returns unlikely Many families in Mya Ta Saung yearn to return to their villages, but tensions and insecurity continue, threatening the fragile ceasefire agreed upon in November 2022. “There is less freedom for us here [at the displacement site]. In our village, we could do whatever we liked and go wherever we wanted…but we are scared to return,” said Oo Thein Hle. Despite being located just four miles away from the displacement site, Oo Thein Hle’s village is still considered unsafe to return to. The presence of landmines in the area means families cannot tend to their crops, maintain livestock or forage for bamboo. The village is also flanked by hills which are still occupied by armed combatants. Adding to the pressures faced by displaced communities is the prospect that the site could be closed down by de facto authorities, a possibility that heightens their vulnerability. While Mya Ta Saung has not been slated for closure, families at several displacement sites elsewhere have been forced to return to their villages or relocate elsewhere. “While the majority of displaced people have expressed their desire to return to their villages, many do not feel safe doing so primarily due to the fear of the reassumption of clashes and the presence of landmines. The sustainability of returns is very much linked to security,” explains Federico Sersale, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Sittwe. “Displaced families have a right to return to their villages in safety and dignity, but the decision needs to be an informed one and of their own volition. No one should be forced to return or leave their place of displacement. UNHCR will continue to support families with humanitarian aid along with their search for durable solutions,” he adds. With prolonged insecurity and the threat of armed conflict resuming, Oo Thein Hle is uncertain when she will be able to return home. “We might end up living here [in Mya Ta Saung] forever and die here,” she says through tears. “I feel like there is no future for us.”
END For more information on UNHCR’s assistance to communities affected by the Arakan Army – Myanmar Armed Forces conflict, please refer to our latest dashboard: https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/103563 Myanmar language dashboard: https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/103559 *This article was originally published on the UNHCR Asia Pacific website on October 24.
Today, Mya Ta Saung offers safety to over 1,100 people from four nearby villages. The majority arrived in 2019 when fighting between the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed organization and the Myanmar Armed Forces rocked the area. Since the conflict began in 2018, it has displaced over 100,000 largely ethnic Rakhine people across central and northern parts of Rakhine State, of which about 51,000 still remain displaced today. The impact of the conflict is less known since much of the international focus has been on the Rohingya, another ethnic group from Rakhine State. The Rohingya have been affected by violence and face severe restrictions on their fundamental rights, including citizenship, freedom of movement and access to basic services. Four years since their displacement, Oo Thein Hle’s family, like many others in Mya Ta Saung, struggle to make ends meet due to limited job opportunities. Rakhine is among the poorest and least developed states in Myanmar and the communities are heavily reliant on humanitarian aid provided by several organizations in order to survive. In addition to basic household items, UNHCR also provides shelter support to displaced communities. Since January 2023, over 44,000 people in nine Rakhine townships affected by the conflict have received assistance from UNHCR. Sustainable returns unlikely Many families in Mya Ta Saung yearn to return to their villages, but tensions and insecurity continue, threatening the fragile ceasefire agreed upon in November 2022. “There is less freedom for us here [at the displacement site]. In our village, we could do whatever we liked and go wherever we wanted…but we are scared to return,” said Oo Thein Hle. Despite being located just four miles away from the displacement site, Oo Thein Hle’s village is still considered unsafe to return to. The presence of landmines in the area means families cannot tend to their crops, maintain livestock or forage for bamboo. The village is also flanked by hills which are still occupied by armed combatants. Adding to the pressures faced by displaced communities is the prospect that the site could be closed down by de facto authorities, a possibility that heightens their vulnerability. While Mya Ta Saung has not been slated for closure, families at several displacement sites elsewhere have been forced to return to their villages or relocate elsewhere. “While the majority of displaced people have expressed their desire to return to their villages, many do not feel safe doing so primarily due to the fear of the reassumption of clashes and the presence of landmines. The sustainability of returns is very much linked to security,” explains Federico Sersale, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Sittwe. “Displaced families have a right to return to their villages in safety and dignity, but the decision needs to be an informed one and of their own volition. No one should be forced to return or leave their place of displacement. UNHCR will continue to support families with humanitarian aid along with their search for durable solutions,” he adds. With prolonged insecurity and the threat of armed conflict resuming, Oo Thein Hle is uncertain when she will be able to return home. “We might end up living here [in Mya Ta Saung] forever and die here,” she says through tears. “I feel like there is no future for us.”
END For more information on UNHCR’s assistance to communities affected by the Arakan Army – Myanmar Armed Forces conflict, please refer to our latest dashboard: https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/103563 Myanmar language dashboard: https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/103559 *This article was originally published on the UNHCR Asia Pacific website on October 24.
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Press Release
03 December 2023
United for Inclusion: Empowering Persons with Disabilities in Myanmar
In Myanmar, persons with disabilities, especially women and children, face significant challenges. The 2019 Myanmar Inter-Censal Survey reveals a disability prevalence rate of 12.8%, with states like Chin, Rakhine, and Ayeyawady reporting rates as high as 20.6%. Women and girls with disabilities experience compounded vulnerabilities, including restricted access to essential services and heightened risk of gender-based violence (GBV).
The voices of the estimated 5.9 million people living with disabilities in Myanmar, representing about 13% of the country's population[1], are not mere statistics but vital narratives that demand attention and respect. Their unique perspectives and experiences enrich our society, and acknowledging their significance is a crucial step towards a truly equitable and inclusive community.
Education and Healthcare: Cornerstones of Empowerment
Education and health are the fundamental right and key drivers for empowerment. The United Nations, working with partners and communities, strives to create an inclusive educational environment, ensuring that every child, regardless of ability, has access to quality education. In conflict situations, special attention is given to providing adapted learning environments that cater to diverse learning needs.
The United Nations is committed to ensuring comprehensive, quality and accessible health services for all, including persons with disabilities. From maternal healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services to mental health and psychosocial support, our programs aim to address the specific needs of individuals including displaced people in conflict-affected areas, leaving no one behind.
Economic and Social Inclusion: Promoting Equality
The United Nations champions economic and social inclusion as a vital pathway to overall inclusivity. We advocate for economic opportunities that fully integrate persons with disabilities, ensuring their skills and contributions are acknowledged and valued in the workforce. Social inclusion is equally critical. Through community engagement and awareness initiatives, we work towards breaking down societal barriers, fostering an environment of understanding and acceptance that embraces persons with disabilities and their rights.
Inclusive Responses in Conflict Situations: Prioritizing the most Vulnerable
In conflict settings like Myanmar, children and women with disabilities face exacerbated vulnerabilities. Displacement heightens their risk and limits access to essential services. They face limited access to critical services, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and an increased risk of gender-based violence (GBV). The United Nations is committed to prioritizing and strengthening protection mechanisms for these marginalized groups with compounded vulnerabilities. This involves ensuring their safety, access to life-saving services, and providing inclusive support systems.
Strategic Approach: Collaboration & Partnership
In collaboration with communities, civil society organizations, and organizations for persons with disabilities, we are mainstreaming disability inclusion in humanitarian responses, addressing the specific challenges faced by persons with disabilities in conflict settings. Our strategic and collective efforts are directed towards creating protective, supportive, and empowering environments across humanitarian-peacebuilding-development nexus.
Aligned with Disability Inclusion Strategy[2], the United Nations is committed to ensuring inclusivity and leaving no one behind.
United for Action
As we commemorate this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, let us unite in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with, and by persons with disabilities. The United Nations remain committed to working collaboratively with partners and stakeholders to build a more inclusive and equitable society where the rights and contributions of every individual are recognized, respected and celebrated.
[1] 2019 Myanmar Inter-Censal Survey
[2] UN Disability Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025
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Press Release
25 November 2023
A Joint Statement from UNFPA and UN Women in Myanmar
As we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November, women and girls across Myanmar have said sexual violence, harassment and early marriage are their top safety and security concerns[1] as the combined impacts of escalating armed conflict and multiple crises continue to heighten their vulnerability to violence.
Also on 25 November, is the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence which will run until 10 December under the global theme set by the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign, “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”.
As the world marks the halfway point to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the urgency to end violence against women and girls has never been greater. Yet less than 0.2% of global Official Development Assistance is directed to gender-based violence protection, and women’s rights organizations remain severely underfunded.
Gender-based violence prevails in every corner of the globe – one in three women world-wide has been subjected to it. And in emergency settings – like that currently facing Myanmar – it soars. There are 9.2 million women and girls in Myanmar in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and almost half the population is living in poverty.[2] Displacement has surged over the last three years and there are now more than 2 million people internally displaced, of which 53% are women and girls.
These dire conditions have led to economic stressors including job loss, rising food prices and disrupted services. More children are being pulled out of school early and child marriage is increasing as families in crisis resort to forcing young girls to marry for perceived protection and survival. All of this – combined with deeply-rooted societal gender norms and inequalities – is aggravating tensions at home and increasing the incidence and risk of violence against women and girls, especially intimate partner violence[3] which Myanmar women believe is the most common form of gender-based violence in their communities.[4]
Despite the dire situation, international aid to Myanmar is dwindling and only 0.68 per cent[5] of it goes to women’s rights organizations. Collaborating with and sustaining funding for women’s
organizations and civil society organizations is critical as they play a vital role in ending and preventing gender-based violence by providing services on a local level, bolstering women’s empowerment and reaching those at risk of being left furthest behind.
UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls
This is why, as we mark the beginning of this year’s 16 Days campaign, we call for longer-term, flexible and accessible funding that directly supports women’s rights organizations. We also call for funding that makes gender-equality a priority; supports gender mainstreaming; and funds gender analysis and research to inform evidence-based action.
All women and girls have the right to live a life free of violence and full of dignity. It is a fundamental human right. UN Women and UNFPA in Myanmar re-affirm that the United Nations Country Team is committed to stay and deliver gender-based violence prevention and response services with local partners to end violence against women and girls.
Let’s All UNITE, Invest and ACT to End Violence against Women and Girls Now!
[1] Findings from focus group discussions conducted for 2023 Multi Sectoral Needs Analysis
[2] Myanmar Humanitarian Needs Overview, UN OCHA, January 2023, available online.
[3] Any form of physical, sexual, or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner.
[4] Finding of focus group discussions conducted for the 2023 REACH Multi Sectoral Needs Analysis
[5] OECD data 2021, available online.
About UNFPA
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
About UN Women
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.
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Press Release
16 November 2023
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Myanmar
The number of displaced people in Myanmar now exceeds 2 million.
The Secretary-General remains committed to working with ASEAN, regional and international partners to end the violence in line with Security Council resolution 2669 (2022).
The Secretary-General reaffirms that civilians should be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law and those responsible for violations must be held accountable.
The Secretary-General appeals for unhindered access for the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance and essential services through all channels. The safety and security for United Nations agencies and their partners is crucial.
The Secretary-General reiterates his solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their aspirations for an inclusive, just and peaceful future.
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Press Release
11 October 2023
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Myanmar
The Secretary-General condemns all forms of violence, including the military’s intensifying attacks throughout the country, which continue to fuel regional instability. He continues to urge neighboring countries in particular to leverage their influence.
The Secretary-General reaffirms that civilians should be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
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Press Release
05 October 2023
ILO Myanmar Commission of Inquiry finds far-reaching violations of freedom of association and forced labour Conventions
GENEVA (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization’s Commission of Inquiry for Myanmar, has concluded that the actions taken by the military authorities since February 2021 have resulted in far-reaching restrictions on the exercise of basic civil liberties and trade union rights, as well as in the incapacity of trade unionists to engage in trade union activities.
Such actions violate Myanmar's obligations under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No.87) .
The Commission also found that Myanmar did not comply with its obligations under the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.29) , since the military continues to exact different types of forced labour in the context of armed conflict. It also said there is a lack of adequate enforcement of the prohibition of forced or compulsory labour.
Its report urged the Myanmar military authorities to take “immediate action, so as to stop egregious violations of the two Conventions and prevent further abuses.”
The Commission was established by the ILO Governing Body in March 2022, following the takeover by the Myanmar military authorities in February 2021 and the military’s suppression of pro-democracy protests.
It was tasked with assessing reports of violence against trade union leaders, severe and repeated violations of basic civil liberties and a resurgence of forced labour.
The three independent experts who conducted the inquiry gathered written submissions from various entities and had direct contacts with persons affected by the complex political, human rights, humanitarian and economic crisis, as well as those having expert knowledge of the issues raised. While the Commission had no access to the country, it was able to obtain extensive information on the situation through these witnesses.
In accordance with Article 28 of the ILO Constitution, the report of the Commission of Inquiry sets out its findings, conclusions and recommendations with respect to the above matters.
The recommendations urge the military authorities to immediately cease all forms of violence, torture and other inhumane treatment against trade union leaders and members; to release and withdraw all criminal charges against trade unionists detained in relation to the exercise of their civil liberties and legitimate trade union activities; and to fully restore the protection of basic civil liberties suspended since the coup d’état. The recommendations also urge the military authorities to end the exaction of all forms of forced or compulsory labour by the army and its associated forces, as well as forced recruitment into the army.
The report sets out further recommendations to be implemented once the country returns to a situation of governance through democratic institutions and processes. It calls on all relevant parties to strive to achieve a peaceful transition to fully democratic rule.
The report of the Commission of Inquiry has been sent to the Permanent Mission of Myanmar in Geneva. Myanmar has three months to announce whether or not it accepts the recommendations; and if not, whether it proposes to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice.
This is the 14th Commission of Inquiry established in more than 100 years of ILO history to investigate allegations of serious non-observance of ratified international labour standards. Such Commissions represent the highest level of ILO supervisory mechanisms.
Such actions violate Myanmar's obligations under the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No.87) .
The Commission also found that Myanmar did not comply with its obligations under the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No.29) , since the military continues to exact different types of forced labour in the context of armed conflict. It also said there is a lack of adequate enforcement of the prohibition of forced or compulsory labour.
Its report urged the Myanmar military authorities to take “immediate action, so as to stop egregious violations of the two Conventions and prevent further abuses.”
The Commission was established by the ILO Governing Body in March 2022, following the takeover by the Myanmar military authorities in February 2021 and the military’s suppression of pro-democracy protests.
It was tasked with assessing reports of violence against trade union leaders, severe and repeated violations of basic civil liberties and a resurgence of forced labour.
The three independent experts who conducted the inquiry gathered written submissions from various entities and had direct contacts with persons affected by the complex political, human rights, humanitarian and economic crisis, as well as those having expert knowledge of the issues raised. While the Commission had no access to the country, it was able to obtain extensive information on the situation through these witnesses.
In accordance with Article 28 of the ILO Constitution, the report of the Commission of Inquiry sets out its findings, conclusions and recommendations with respect to the above matters.
The recommendations urge the military authorities to immediately cease all forms of violence, torture and other inhumane treatment against trade union leaders and members; to release and withdraw all criminal charges against trade unionists detained in relation to the exercise of their civil liberties and legitimate trade union activities; and to fully restore the protection of basic civil liberties suspended since the coup d’état. The recommendations also urge the military authorities to end the exaction of all forms of forced or compulsory labour by the army and its associated forces, as well as forced recruitment into the army.
The report sets out further recommendations to be implemented once the country returns to a situation of governance through democratic institutions and processes. It calls on all relevant parties to strive to achieve a peaceful transition to fully democratic rule.
The report of the Commission of Inquiry has been sent to the Permanent Mission of Myanmar in Geneva. Myanmar has three months to announce whether or not it accepts the recommendations; and if not, whether it proposes to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice.
This is the 14th Commission of Inquiry established in more than 100 years of ILO history to investigate allegations of serious non-observance of ratified international labour standards. Such Commissions represent the highest level of ILO supervisory mechanisms.
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