26 May

Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye attended the international conference on Ending Sexual Violence in Humanitarian Crises in Oslo, Norway, on 23 and 24 May 2019.

In his discussion at the conference, Union Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye said that Myanmar is implementing policies, laws, frameworks and schemes with a view to ending sexual and gender-based violence, and fulfilling the National Strategic Plan for Advancement of Women (2013-2022) and the Joint Communique with the Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict in December, 2018. In an effort to carry out the Joint Communiqué, a national-level committee has been set up in cooperation with Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence and other relevant ministries while a national-level programme is being drafted. Myanmar has been following up the peace process with the Ethnic Armed Organizations since recent years, and a new Union Peace Accord has been made for the emergence of a Democratic Federal Union with fundamental principles set forth in the accord. To promote women empowerment and gender equality, policies and work process intend to guarantee female participation rate among nationals 30 percent in all sectors. Moreover, gender-responsive budgeting was one of the schemes that has been dedicated to conducting by the Government. With a view to fostering the benefits of women and children, budget allocation in social sectors in that year has been amounted to three times compared to those of 2016. In carrying out the implementation of the services for the people who suffered sexual violence, it was found that the process has been facilitated greatly. Myanmar has been making strenuous efforts to end sexual and gender-based violence while attending to their requirements to bring about the development of the State.

The conference was hosted by the Norwegian Government and participants from over one hundred countries took part in the event.—MNA (Translated by Win Ko Ko Aung)