By: Khin Maug
Feminists are sensing opportunity amid the recent political liberalization in Myanmar. Independment women's groups are very active there already. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathered recently in Vietiane, Laos for its first ministerial level meeting about women. In myanmar, the U.N hopes to gather information and data about the conditions of women and hopes to train women as mediators and negotiators for situations in conflict there. There has been an explosion of ethnic violence between members of the Rohingaya who are mostly Muslim and Buddhist. The U.N also wants to push a stronger pro-women agenda in Asia where 60% of the world's women resides. They are concerned about a push back on women's sexual and reproductive rights worldwide. Gender violence and maternal mortality remain severe in Asia and representation in parliament is low. It is great that Myanamar has put the conditions of women in Asia at the forefront of the U.N's agenda. Women's rights not only affect women but men and children alike. If conditions are better for women worldwide there could be a shift in education and the economy of the world.
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/a-fresh-start-for-women-in-myanmar/
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