Women’s rights under spotlight with 16-day long campaign for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
GHRTV Reporter
01-12-2022
Aysu Amaha Öztürk
Myanmar and Human Rights Researcher
Global Human Rights Defence
On November 26th, numerous organisations held talks in Myanmar as a part of getting ready for a 16-day long campaign to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This day has been determined by the United Nations and has been honoured all around the world (‘16 days of talk’, 2022; Independent Mon News Agency, 2022).
The Kuki Women’s Human Rights Organization (KWHRO) stated that they want to operate awareness programs in Myanmar regarding the causes of violence and domestic violence (Independent Mon News Agency, 2022). Another Women’s Rights NGO, the Women’s League Myanmar announced that since the military coup, there have been 111 reported cases of domestic violence, 14 cases of rape committed by civilians, and 16 cases of rape committed by the military soldiers (‘16 days of talk’, 2022). They also mentioned that violence against women has increased due to the masculine nature of the military dictatorship and the male-dominated ideologies spreading (‘16 days of talk’, 2022).
Women are one of the groups in society that are disproportionately affected in crisis situations, especially in conflicts. Myanmar ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1992 (Ratification Status of Myanmar) which is an international treaty that aims to eliminate discrimination against women and girls and also promote gender equality. CEDAW does not have a specific provision on gender-based violence. However, CEDAW contains an article, namely Article 2(f), that requires governments to take all appropriate measures on customs and practices that discriminate against women. It has been established that this provision can be interpreted as state parties being required to take measures to eliminate violence against women (General Recommendation No.19, 1992). Therefore, Myanmar is violating CEDAW by failing to ensure that gender-based violence stops.
Sources and further reading:
Independent Mon News Agency. ‘After the military coup, women’s rights were openly violated’ (2022, November 28) BNI Online. https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/after-military-coup-womens-rights-were-openly-violated
General Recommendations Adopted by The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women: Eleventh session (1992). General Recommendation No.19: Violence against women. Researchers replicate famous marshmallow test, make new observations. (2018, May 25). United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies. https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/1_Global/INT_CEDAW_GEC_3731_E.pdf
Ratification Status for Myanmar. United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies Database.
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx?CountryID=119&Lang=EN
‘16 days of talks to prevent violence against women being held on Myanmar-India border’ (2022, November 23). Mizzima.
