Myanmar: Support to women is key to post-Nargis recovery and development

Women in cyclone-affected areas still remain vulnerable and should be prioritized in both recovery and development efforts, according to comprehensive assessment presented today.

12 March 2010, Yangon—Cyclone Nargis not only killed tens of thousands of women and destroyed homes and livelihoods for millions, but also impacted the composition of households.

According to a new assessment, made public on March 12 at a Round Table Discussion on the Occasion of International Women’s Day, approximately 14 out of every 100 households are now headed by women, the majority being widows.

Female-headed households are often vulnerable. Sixty percent of female-headed households live in unsatisfactory shelters, they make up the highest percentage of the low income groups, and children from female-headed households frequently drop out of school due to financial constraints.

These are some of the key findings in ‘Women’s Protection Assessments: Post Nargis’, facilitated by Women’s Protection Technical Working Group and the Department of Social Welfare, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement (DSW).

“The findings clearly demonstrate that the vulnerability of women in the cyclone-affected areas. It is imperative that support to women is prioritized in recovery efforts, and that a gender perspective is integrated in emergency preparedness and response planning for the future,” said Mr. Mohamed Abdel-Ahad, UNFPA Representative in Myanmar and Chair of the Gender Theme Group, who organized the Round Table Discussion held in Yangon.

Mr. Abdel-Ahad, in a presentation on gender, also underscored the need to ensure access to basic health services, including reproductive health, for all women.

“Access to reproductive health is a key to improving women’s health and saving lives. Today, unfortunately more than half a million women die worldwide every year due to complication in pregnancy and child birth,” he said.

According to a new report by Gutmacher Institute and UNFPA, maternal deaths in developing countries could be slashed by 70% and newborn deaths cut nearly in half if the world doubled investment in family planning and pregnancy-related care.

The Round Table Discussion also included presentations from the Government of Myanmar, local and international non-governmental organizations and UN agencies on issues like protection, trafficking, HIV/AIDS and strategies to strengthen partnerships to promote empowerment of women in the country.

Despite the fact that women in Myanmar in general exercise most of the same basic rights as men, women still remain underrepresented in most traditional male occupations and in higher positions, and women do not receive equal pay for equal work. The burden of poverty also falls disproportionately on women.

“Women’s empowerment is fundamental to the global mission of the United Nations to achieve equal rights and dignity for all. But equality for women and girls is also an economic and social imperative,” said the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator, Bishow Parajuli in his opening remark, quoting the UN Secretary-General’s message on the International Women’s Day.

“The third Millennium Development Goal – to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment – is central to all the rest. When women are denied the opportunity to better themselves and their societies, we all lose,” Bishow Parajuli said.

The United Nations in Myanmar is strongly advocating for equal rights and opportunities for all men and women. A key objective is to build national capacity on gender conceptualization, analysis and mainstreaming in policies, plans and programmes.

Through its Gender Theme Group, comprised of focal points from all agencies, the UN is providing technical support to the government for implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Gender is also being integrated into programme design and implementation by all UN agencies.


More information:

Women’s Protection and post-Nargis assessments:

Pansy Tun Thein
Assistant Representative, UNFPA and Chair of Women Protection Technical Working Group
Mobile: 0951-18877
Email: thein@unfpa.org

UN Gender Theme Group in Myanmar:

Mohamed Abdel-Ahad
UNFPA Representative in Myanmar and Chair of UN Gender Theme Group
Mobile: 0951-61110
Email: ahad@unfpa.org

UN System in Myanmar:

Esben Q. Harboe
Special Assistant to the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator
Mob: +95 (0)9507 4853
E-mail: esben.harboe@undp.org