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Summary: This report extracts mentions of children's rights issues in the reports of all UN Treaty Bodies and their follow-up procedures. This does not include the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child which are available separately.
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- UN Human Rights Committee
- UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- UN Committee against Torture
- Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture
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UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- follow up - UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- UN Committee on Migrant Workers
- UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- UN Committee on Enforced Disappearance
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UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
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Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture
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UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
CEDAW/C/MMR/CO/4-5
Adopted by Commmittee: 7 July 2016
Published: 25 July 2016
Issues Raised:
The Committee welcomes the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, in 2012. (para. 6)
Access to justice:
The Committee is also concerned about social and cultural stigma, which deter women and girl victims from reporting sexual and gender-based violence. (para. 18)
The State party should enhance women’s legal literacy and raise awareness on the part of women and men of their rights in order to eliminate the stigmatization of women and girls who claim their rights (para.19)
Gender-based violence:
The Committee is concerned about the reluctance of women and girls, in particular women in rural areas and ethnic minority women, who are victims of violence, including domestic violence, to report cases to the authorities owing to fear of reprisals (para.26)
The State party should encourage reporting by victims of all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls, in particular ethnic minority women, and ensure that shelters are adequately equipped and available to women who are victims of violence (para. 27)
Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation:
The Committee is concerned that women and girls continue to be trafficked to neighbouring and other countries for sexual and labour exploitation (para.28)
Intensify efforts to address the root causes of trafficking in women and girls and ensure the rehabilitation and social integration of victims, including by providing them with access to shelters, legal, medical and psychosocial assistance (para. 29)
Nationality:
that Rohingya women and girls in Rakhine State are being deprived of their nationality and, therefore, rendered stateless, by the Citizenship Law of 1982. The Committee also notes with concern that members of the Rohingya ethnic group, including women and girls, who refused to identify as “Bengali” have been arbitrarily excluded from the verification process, which was first piloted in June 2014. (para. 32)
The Committee reiterates its previous recommendations (see CEDAW/C/MMR/CO/3, paras. 31 and 33) and recommends that the State party amend the Citizenship Law of 1982 in order to grant citizenship to residents in the State party, in particular women and girls in northern Rakhine State, so that they can freely enjoy all human rights. It also recommends compulsory birth registration of those born in camps for internally displaced persons in order to protect them from being rendered stateless. (para. 33)
Education:
The lack of an adequate budget for the education sector, which, coupled with discriminatory stereotypes regarding the education of women and girls, limits their access to education, in particular in rural areas; Low literacy levels among women throughout the State party, in particular in rural areas, and the fact that women are concentrated in traditionally female-dominated fields of vocational training; The lack of disaggregated data on the educational status of ethnic minority women and girls; The lack of information on the impact of age-appropriate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights. (para. 34)
The State Party should remove all discriminatory admission criteria regarding women’s enrolment in certain traditionally male-dominated courses such as engineering, intensify career guidance activities to encourage girls to pursue studies in non-traditional fields and raise awareness among teaching personnel of the importance of girls completing tertiary education; Increase the budget allocation for the education sector in order to improve girls’ access to education; Ensure that the national education strategic plan for the period 2016-2021, which is currently being finalized, provides for programmes aimed at improving literacy among women throughout the State party, including through the provision of adult education; Provide data in the next periodic report on the educational status of ethnic minority women and girls and review vocational training curricula in order to remove gender stereotypes and ensure the diversification of fields of studies for women and girls;Intensify the provision of age-appropriate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights and ensure that it is systematically integrated into school curricula. (para. 35)
Ethnic discrimination:
That the protracted displacement of women and girls, mainly of Kaman and Rohingya background, has led to their living under oppressive conditions with limited access to basic services, including education, employment and health care, and restricted their ability to move freely; That local requirements that women and girls receive permits before travelling place undue restrictions on their movement, which poses significant obstacles for women and girls in gaining access to education, health care and emergency medical care and other basic services; That women and girls are subjected to acts of gender-based violence in the context of armed conflict and communal violence; That, owing to legislation and local orders, women face restrictions on pregnancy and child spacing, such that they are limited to a maximum of two children and must adhere to a spacing between births of at least 36 months; That limited access to birth registration and identification papers, combined with the application of the outdated Citizenship Law of 1982, renders many women and girls virtually stateless;
That women and girls are vulnerable to trafficking and smuggling owing to a lack of basic services and undue restrictions on their movement; That notwithstanding the nationwide ceasefire agreement, attacks continue to take place that adversely affect women and girls, including recent attacks on a mosque, a Muslim cemetery and other properties in the Bago region in central Myanmar, as well as a Muslim prayer hall in Kachin State in northern Myanmar; That, notwithstanding the holding of the Twenty-first Century Panglong Peace Conference in August 2016 and the establishment of a national committee on peace and reconciliation chaired by the State Counsellor, there is no indication that ethnic minority women groups are represented on the national committee. (para. 44)
The State Party should repeal all local orders that unduly restrict freedom of movement of women in northern Rakhine State and that prevent them from fully enjoying their rights to education, employment, health care and emergency medical care in a timely manner, in particular in emergency and life-threatening situations, and repeal those local orders that restrict child birth and child spacing; Promptly investigate and prosecute cases of gender-based violence targeting Rohingya women and other ethnic minority women and ensure that those convicted are punished with appropriate sanctions; Ensure that internally displaced women and girls have access to basic services, including education and health care, and intensify efforts for their resettlement in the context of the Rakhine State government resettlement plan; Ensure birth registration of Rohingya and those of other ethnic groups and remove all obstacles faced by Rohingya women and girls with regard to citizenship; Intensify efforts to address the root causes of trafficking by, inter alia, providing Rohingya women and girls with access to basic services, including education, employment and health care; Urgently establish an independent body to investigate allegations of violence against ethnic minority women and girls, including sexual and gender-based violence, and prosecute alleged perpetrators and, if convicted, punish them with appropriate sanctions; Take specific measures aimed at ensuring that representatives of ethnic minority women groups participate in peace processes, including conflict and post-conflict processes. (para. 45)
Harmful practices:
The Committee is concerned that marriage of girls under 14 years of age, with parental consent, is legal. (para. 46)
The State Party should to raise the minimum legal age of marriage with parental consent in order to eliminate child marriage and ensure that women who enter into marriage under customary and religious laws are afforded protection. (para. 47)
(CEDAW/C/MMR/3)
Last reported: 3 November 2008
Concluding Observations published: 7 November 2008
Negative cultural practices and stereotypes: While recognising the importance of the activities of [Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation] MWAF related to the appreciation of cultural diversity and cultural solidarity, the Committee is concerned about the persistence of adverse cultural norms, practices and traditions as well as patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles, responsibilities and identities of women and men in all spheres of life, especially within some ethnic groups. The Committee is concerned that such customs and practices perpetuate discrimination against women and girls, as reflected in their disadvantageous and unequal status in many areas, including in public life and decision-making and in marriage and family relations, and the persistence of violence against women and that, thus far, the State party has not taken sustained and systematic action to modify or eliminate stereotypes and negative cultural values and practices. (Paragraph 20)
The Committee requests the State party to view its cultures as dynamic aspects of the country's life and social fabric and as subject, therefore, to change. It urges the State party to put in place without delay a comprehensive strategy, including review and formulation of legislation, to modify or eliminate cultural practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women, in conformity with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. Such measures should include efforts to raise awareness of this subject, targeting women and men at all levels of society, which should be undertaken in collaboration with civil society. The Committee encourages the State party to effectively use innovative measures to strengthen understanding of the equality of women and men and to work with the media to enhance a positive and non-stereotypical portrayal of women. The Committee urges the State party to use all forms of education (formal, non-formal and informal), including the socialisation process through parenting and community social interaction, to eradicate negative stereotypes, attitudes and practices. The State party is encouraged to carry out studies on this subject, including among the ethnic and religious groups, and to seek assistance, if needed, from the international community for this purpose. (Paragraph 21)
Violence against women: While noting the adoption of a National Action Plan in 2002 and the activities undertaken by the subcommittee on violence against women of [Myanmar National Committee for Women's Affairs] MNCWA, the Committee expresses concern at the high prevalence of violence against women and girls, such as widespread domestic violence and sexual violence, including rape.
The Committee is also concerned that such violence appears to be socially legitimised and accompanied by a culture of silence and impunity, that cases of violence are thus underreported and that those that are reported are settled out of court. The Committee is concerned that geographical areas of particular concern include northern Rakhine State and those areas affected by Cyclone Nargis, as well as other areas where women and girls are particularly vulnerable and marginalised. It is also concerned at information that victims of sexual violence are forced under the law to report to the police immediately, prior to seeking health care, and that as a consequence such victims choose to not seek health, psychological and legal support. The Committee regrets the absence of data and information on violence against women, disaggregated by age and ethnic group, as well as studies and/or surveys on the extent of such violence and its root causes. (Paragraph 22)
The Committee urges the State party to give priority attention to combating violence against women and girls and to adopt comprehensive measures to address all forms of violence against women and girls, in accordance with its general recommendation 19. It requests the State party to raise public awareness, through the media and education programmes, of the fact that all forms of violence against women are a form of discrimination under the Convention and therefore in violation of women's human rights. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that violence against women and girls, including domestic violence and all forms of sexual abuse, constitutes a criminal offence; that perpetrators are prosecuted, punished and rehabilitated; and that women and girls who are victims of violence have access to immediate means of redress and protection. The Committee requests the State party to remove any impediments faced by women in gaining access to justice and recommends the implementation of training for the judiciary and public officials, in particular law-enforcement personnel and health-service providers, in order to ensure that they are sensitised to all forms of violence against women and can provide adequate gender-sensitive support to victims. It also recommends the establishment of high-quality counselling services and shelters for victims of violence. The Committee requests the State party to provide information in its next report on the laws and policies in place to deal with violence against women and girls and on the impact of such measures, as well as data and trends on the prevalence of various forms of such violence, disaggregated by age and ethnic group. The Committee recommends that the State party undertake studies and/or surveys on the extent of such violence and its root causes. (Paragraph 23)
Trafficking: While noting the measures referred to in paragraph 5 above, as well as the training-of-trainers programme for protection against trafficking in persons, the Committee expresses concern at the persistence of trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and girls in the country. The Committee is also concerned at reports that the 2005 anti-trafficking law has been abused and that some innocent people have been arrested on false trafficking charges. It is further concerned at the inadequate protection procedures granted for returned trafficked victims from abroad, especially from China, along the border areas, and at the State party's failure to address the root causes of migration in and from Myanmar, and its consequent inability to seriously address the trafficking problem. (Paragraph 26)
The Committee urges the effective implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, including the prevention of trafficking and the timely prosecution and punishment of traffickers, both those who are directly or indirectly involved in trafficking and those who are negligent in dealing with or preventing trafficking cases, as well as the provision of protection from traffickers/agents and support to victims. The Committee recommends that information and training on the anti-trafficking legislation be provided to the judiciary, law-enforcement officials, including border police, immigration officers, public officials and social workers in all parts of the country. The State party should ensure that the anti-trafficking legislation and directives are not misused by authorities to impose increased restrictions on communities or falsely arrest and charge innocent people, particularly women of ethnic groups. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party conduct comparative studies on trafficking, covering both cross-border and rural-to-urban trafficking, and address the root causes of trafficking, including migration, in order to eliminate the vulnerability of girls and women to sexual exploitation and traffickers and to undertake efforts for the rehabilitation and social integration of women and girls who are victims of exploitation and trafficking. In this respect, the State party should take the necessary steps to ensure that trafficked women and girls have access to quality medical care, counselling, financial support, adequate housing and opportunities for further training, as well as access to free legal services. The State party should also allocate the necessary budgetary funds for the effective implementation of the 2005 anti-trafficking law and other relevant measures. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure systematic monitoring and periodic evaluation in this respect, including collection and analysis of data. (Paragraph 27)
Discriminatory nationality law: The Committee regrets the limited information provided on the entitlements to acquire Myanmar citizenship under the 1982 citizenship law, including with respect to women acquiring citizenship based on their marital status and passing citizenship to their children born outside the country, as well as children with non-national fathers. (Paragraph 30)
The Committee calls upon the State party to review the 1982 citizenship law and repeal or amend it, as appropriate, in order to bring it fully into compliance with article 9 of the Convention. It also calls on the State party to provide more information on Myanmar citizenship rights, including on birth certificates of children born in Myanmar, in particular children of ethnic groups, in its next periodic report. (Paragraph 31)
Education: While noting the adoption of the 30-Year Long-Term Education Plan (2001-2031), the Committee is concerned at the lack of information on the specific budgetary allocations for the education sector, including the implementation of the Plan. The Committee is concerned at the lack of a comparative analysis of education enrolment rates, dropout rates and literacy rates by sex, ethnic group and/or religion as well as at the state/division level. It also expresses its concern at the inadequate educational infrastructure and teaching materials, the limited number of qualified teachers and the marked difference in the quality of and access to education between urban and rural or remote areas, including conflict-affected areas. The Committee is further concerned about traditional attitudes that constitute obstacles to girls' education, as well as about girls' dropout rates due to their involvement in domestic chores. The Committee notes that education is a key to the advancement of women and that the low level of education of women and girls remains one of the most serious obstacles to their full enjoyment of their human rights. The Committee notes with concern that, while a curriculum for human rights education does exist, it reportedly refers to "human opportunities" rather than "human rights" and that the curriculum is not implemented in all schools. (Paragraph 34)
The Committee urges the State party to enhance its compliance with article 10 of the Convention and ensure that "education for all" is realised. It encourages the State party to take steps to overcome traditional attitudes that in some rural areas constitute obstacles to girls' and women's education. The Committee recommends that the State party implement measures to ensure equal access of girls and women to all levels of education and retain girls in school. The State party should take the necessary steps to increase the number of qualified teachers, including through providing appropriate and continuous training, and to ensure the provision of an adequate educational infrastructure, especially in rural and remote areas, and sufficient supplies of teaching materials and textbooks that are not sex-discriminatory. The Committee urges the State party to allocate the necessary budget for the implementation of various projects and programmes. It also requests the State party to provide information in its next report on the measures taken and on their gender impact. It also calls upon the State party to review and improve its statistics in the area of education and to carry out human rights education in all schools. (Paragraph 35)
Health: While noting the activities undertaken by MNCWA in the area of health, the approval of the Myanmar reproductive health policy in 2003 and the training of auxiliary midwives, the Committee expresses its concern at the lack of information about the specific budgetary allocations for the health sector and regrets that maternal mortality and infant mortality rates remain very high, especially in rural ethnic areas. The Committee is also concerned at the number of deaths — largely preventable — that are being caused mainly by infectious diseases, malnutrition, and maternal complications. The Committee expresses concern at women's lack of access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and regrets the lack of information on existing sex education programmes. The Committee is further concerned about the unmet demand for family planning services and the low level of contraceptive use. Furthermore, it regrets reports that the State party does not encourage the participation of the international community and civil society in health-related activities inside Myanmar. (Paragraph 38)
The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen its efforts in the area of health, including by allocating the necessary resources for the implementation of various projects and programmes, and to reduce, as a matter of priority, the incidence of maternal and infant mortality, as well as deaths caused by infectious diseases, malnutrition and maternal complications. It urges the State party to make every effort to increase women's access to health-care facilities and medical assistance by trained personnel, especially in rural and remote areas. It also recommends the strengthening and expansion of efforts to increase knowledge of and access to affordable contraceptive methods throughout the country so that women and men can make informed choices about the number and spacing of children. It further recommends that sex education be widely promoted and targeted at adolescent girls and boys, with special attention to the prevention of early pregnancy and the control of sexually transmitted infections, and that family planning education programmes take due account of traditions and physical barriers facing women in rural areas. In addition, the Committee recommends that the State party continue to seek financial and technical support from the international community and civil society in order to implement measures to improve women's health. (Paragraph 39)
HIV/AIDS: While noting the adoption of the five-year national strategic plan 2006-2010 in the area of HIV/AIDS, the Committee is concerned that the State party faces a serious epidemic and that women and girls may be particularly susceptible to infection owing to gender-specific norms. The Committee is especially concerned that the persistence of unequal power relations between women and men and the inferior status of women and girls hamper the ability of women and girls to negotiate safe sexual practices and increases their vulnerability to infection. It regrets the high infection rates for pregnant women. It is also concerned that current policies and legislation may not adequately take into account gender-specific vulnerabilities or adequately protect the rights of women and girls affected by HIV/AIDS. (Paragraph 40)
The Committee recommends continued and sustained efforts to address the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls, as well as its social and family consequences. It urges the State party to enhance its focus on women's empowerment and to include, clearly and visibly, a gender perspective in its policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS, and to increase the role of men in all relevant measures. The State party is encouraged to undertake awareness-raising campaigns among Government personnel in prevention, protection and the maintenance of confidentiality in order to systemise and integrate approaches for multiple Government sectors. The Committee recommends that the State party report on measures taken in this respect, as well as obstacles encountered and results achieved, in its next report. (Paragraph 41)
Women in northern Rakhine State: The Committee expresses its deep concern at reports that Muslim women and girls in northern Rakhine State endure multiple restrictions and forms of discrimination which have an impact on all aspects of their lives, including severe restrictions on their freedom of movement; restricted access to medical care, food and adequate housing; forced labour; and restrictions on marriages and pregnancies.
The Committee is also concerned that the population in northern Rakhine State, in addition to being subject to policies imposed by the authorities, maintains highly conservative traditions and a restrictive interpretation of religious norms, which contribute to the suppression of women's and girls' rights. (Paragraph 42)
The Committee urges the State party to urgently eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women in northern Rakhine State and, in particular, to alleviate the heavy restrictions on the movement of residents within northern Rakhine State, especially women and girls. The Committee further urges the State party to lift the orders concerning marriage authorisation and restriction of pregnancy, which violate the human rights of those women. The State party should also take effective measures to improve their access to primary health care and basic education. The State party is encouraged to continue to collaborate with the international community, especially UNHCR and the United Nations Population Fund, in those efforts. (Paragraph 43)
Rural women: While noting the adoption of the 30-year master plan for the development of border areas and national races (from fiscal year 2001/02 to fiscal year 2030/31) and various development projects initiated by the State party in the rural areas, including microfinancing programmes implemented by MWAF, the Committee expresses its concern at the disadvantaged position of women in rural and remote areas — the majority of women in Myanmar — which is characterized by poverty, illiteracy, difficulties in access to health care, education and social services and a lack of participation in decision-making processes at the community level. It is also concerned that the various development projects may not always include a gender perspective. The Committee is further concerned that traditional female stereotypes are most prevalent in the rural communities and that rural women are often relegated to tasks related to farming and raising children and have no opportunity for wage employment. In addition, the Committee is concerned at reports that State drug eradication programmes, involving the banning of opium-growing without substituting sustainable alternatives, have also led to large-scale food shortages and migration. (Paragraph 44)
The Committee calls upon the State party to take the necessary measures to increase and strengthen the participation of women in designing and implementing local development plans and pay special attention to the needs of rural women by ensuring that they participate in decision-making processes and have improved access to, inter alia, health care, education and social services. Furthermore, the State party should ensure that development projects are implemented only after gender impact assessments involving rural women have been undertaken. In addition, the State party should ensure that opium eradication is carried out together with the development of sustainable alternative livelihoods with local communities, where rural women are most affected. The Committee requests the State party to include in its next report information on the achievements of constructive governmental interventions and comprehensive data on the situation of rural women in all areas covered by the Convention. (Paragraph 45)
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UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women: Follow-up
On 25 August 2010, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women requested follow-up information on paragraphs 29 and 43 of its Concluding Observations. Paragraph 43 includes information on children's rights.
However, at its forty-eighth session, held in January-February 2011 in Geneva, the Committee examined the additional information provided by Myanmar and noted that it does not address any of the concerns expressed by the Committee in its letter dated 25 August 201 0
Information received on paragraph 43
Women in Northern Rakhine State
1. Out of the countries that connect with the boundary of Myanmar, Bangaladesh has a 152 miles boundary. It is found that Bengali tribes from Bangaladesh come slowly and steadily to Rakhine State and lived illegally there.
Out of these Bengali tribes, those who settle in the former time were permitted to live by issuing the temporary identity card in accordance with the procedure of law though they are not recognised as the national ethics but recognised as a suspected nationality.
2. As Bengali women do not go outside according to their tradition, they have less health care knowledge, social dealing, and education. The government is carrying out NGOs such as UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, AFC Malteser, AZG and Care Myanmar for the development of women in this area.
3. As the Reproductive Health program has been initiated in Butheedaung and Maungdaw townships since 2005 by the MCH section of Department of Health with the assistance from UNFPA, it has been covering areas of safe mother hood, birth spacing, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and post abortion care and provision of reproductive commodities. Capacity building to the health staff has been carrying out for further improvement in knowledge and skill in providing RH services.
4. In addition Women's and Child Health Development Program from the Department of Health, Ministry of Health has implemented WCHD project in Butheedaung and Maungdaw townships since 2007 with the assistance of WHO and UNICEF. The program mainly provides essential newborn care services, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, Essential Obstetrics Care and Adolescent health care. Apart from the capacity building of health professionals both from public as well as private sector there is also provision of supplies and equipments such as Clean Delivery Kit, Auxiliary Midwife kit, tube and mask device, EOC equipments and essential drugs to these areas up till now. AMW trainings have also been conducting in these townships with the production of AMW to be helpful hands for the midwives in delivering services for the women and children in NRS.
5. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health many International NGOs such as ACF, Malteser, AZG and Care Myanmar have been providing nutrition care to the women and children of Northern Rakhine State. For instance, ACF has been distributing food packets to the malnourished children identified by the midwives from the MCH center for management of severe protein energy malnutrition.
6. As regards health infrastructure, Butheedaung township has one 25 bedded hospital, one 16 bedded station hospital, one MCH center, six Rural Health Centers, 24 sub RHCs, and 4 private clinics and maternity homes covering over three hundred thousand population (2009). Maungdaw township has one 50 bedded hospital, 4 station hospitals, one MCH center, 7 RHCs and 28 Sub RHCs with additional 8 Private Clinics and Maternity Homes serving health care to a total population over five hundred thousand (2009). At the Butheedaung and Maungdaw townships in Northern Rakhine State, Township Health Departments are providing maternal and child health services, immunization services, nutrition, environmental sanitation, school health, communicable disease control and surveillance, health education and medical treatment using essential medicines.
7. For the health manpower in the public sector there is almost no vacancy at the two townships and most of the basic health workers being natives have become an advantage in provision of health service delivery to the communities.
8. Similarly, World Food Program has identified school girls with malnutrition to support rice bags.
9. Ministry of Health provides health services at the primary health care facilities at minimum or no cost. In order to provide financial protection for the poor, pro-poor health care approach and exemption mechanism is in place at township hospital level. The revolving drug funds and the interest of trust funds at the township hospitals are used for the poor patients by provision of free medicines. As well, the township health department works in collaboration with related sectors, National and International NGOs and many other stakeholders.
10. For education sector It have being carried out the advancement of education standard of Bengali women through the opening of University, Collages, high schools and basic education schools, conducting non-formal education programme, literacy programmes and providing vocational trainings in Rakhine State.
11. In the Rakhine State, an Arts and Science University, a University of Technology and a Computer University were opened in Sittwe. Moreover, an Education Colleage in Kyauk Phyu which is in the middle part of Rakhine State, (145) primary schools, 6 middle schools, high school in Butheetaung Township; 146 primary schools, 8 middle schools, 5 high schools in Maungtaw Township; 157 primary schools, 6 middle schools and 4 high schools in Yathaetaung Township have been opened.
12. According to the 2008-2009 data, in primary level, enrolment rate for girl is 98.63%, and 85.73% for boys; in the secondary level, enrolment rate fore girl is 25.85% and 31.51% for boys and in the high level, enrolment rate for girls is 18.57% and 22.12% for boys. The adult literacy rate is 87% for male and 80.96% for female. By looking at this it is found that women and children in Rakhine have the right to learn the basic education, higher education and advanced education.
13. Moreover, Ministry of Education is implementing Early Childhood Care and Development Project, life skills and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Project in Bangali village with the collaboration of UNICEF. The literacy movement is also being carried out. Ministry of Education has being carried out the activities in basic education and non-formal education programme in this region. Especially, community development, literacy project and vocational training are being carried out.
14. The awareness raising on gender was conducted in cooperation with UNHCR for the reliance and management in Butheetaung and Maungtaw township in Nothern Rakhine State. UNFPA, UNDP and Care Myanmar promoted the quality of Bengali women from 103 Bengali villages in Butheetaung and Maungtaw Township by conducting the leadership, management and negotiation training, establishing self-help groups and doing the women to participate in community table.
15. Immigration and National Registration Department implemented Rehabilitation project in Nothern Rakhine State from 1st January, 1994 to 1st June, 2011 according to the MoU signed on 5th November, 1993. Transportation sector, support to achieve the needs of household, health and nutrition, educational support, providing vocational training for women, and providing legal advice to the sexually abused women have been carried out in collaboration with UNHCR.
16. It has being carried out to follow the provisions of Registration of persons Residing in Myanmar Act, 1952 for the smoothness and systematic controlling of the internal migration and travelling of any person who resides in Myanmar. The national ethnics who reside in Myanmar, the Myanmar nationality, foreigners and Bengali in Nothern Rakhine State have the responsibility to follow the rules and regulations enacted in the law.
17. In 2010, the total number of 762 persons; 314 women and 448 men, from Nothern Rakhine State, and the total number of 171 persons; 87 women and 104 men in 2011(up to February) travelled from one state to another State. Moreover, the total number of 447 persons; 184 women and 263 men visited the Saudiarabya to pay homage HAJ.
18. According to the social custom of the national ethnics who reside in Myanmar, there are not only the religion who practice monogamous but also polygamous. But Bengali tribes residing in Myanmar can marry up to three or four wives and bear up to 18 or 20 children. Thus, they have difficulty in fulfilling the basic needs of family. The social problems like the marriage with other wife have been frequently solved. Based on these social problems, the other unnecessary human rights issues and the crimes can be emerged.
Thus, the responsible persons in village level have done the awareness raising programmes on practicing monogamy in order to prevent the obstacles in the basic needs of family and unnecessary social problems. Only the constructive supervision has being carried out to solve the oncoming problems at village level whether the women who want to marry is other people's wife or not and not doing the marriage only when they got the permission from local authority.
19. The Republic of the Union of Myanmar is trying to meet the standards in the CEDAW Convention. It is obvious that Myanmar women is on the developing road. Due to the economic sanction laid down by the big countries, Myanmar, the less developing country, is carried out the activities on the development programmes for Myanmar women within the current situation of the State. Moreover, Myanmar is gaining the development momentum after transforming into democratic government system. The Republic of the Union of Myanmar can meet the norms prescribed in CEDAW Convention in the near future.
On 25 October 2010, the Committee received additional information submitted by Myanmar (CEDAW/C/MMR/CO/3/Add.2), ahead of the time limit set by the Committee.
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UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
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UN Committee on Migrant Workers
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UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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