Preventing gender-based violence in Myanmar

Abstract

It explores how gender-based violence in Myanmar, particularly violence against women and girls, is addressed in the absence of a clear constitutional provision and legal protection. It is part of a three-part series, which also includes Brief No. 1, A Guide to Being an Effective Advocate for Gender Equality, and Brief No. 2, Substantive Equality and Women's Representation in Public Institutions. These briefs are associated with the International IDEA, Gender Equality Network (GEN) and Triangle Women initiative to contextualize the 2016 Constitution Assessment for Women's Equality (CAWE) tool, which provides comparative examples from around the world for inspiration and information on good practice for anyone who is determined to contribute to gender-inclusive policy and legislative developments in Myanmar. On the topic of violence towards women and girls, the CAWE asks: 'Is the right of women to be free and protected from violence committed by the state recognized? Is the right of women to be free from violence from non-state actors (such as family members, employers, businesses, private organizations, etc.) recognized?' ((Allen 2016: 92). This brief explores how the right of women to be free and protected from these forms of violence is not constitutionally guaranteed in Myanmar and how different actors approach this challenge through concurrent pursuit of justice and legal reforms, service delivery, attitude change, and continuous advocacy about the scale and impacts of this violence and the obligations of duty-bearers to address it.