The Democratization of Myanmar from a Gender Perspective

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Other Title
  • ジェンダーの視点から見たミャンマーの民主化プロセス
  • ジェンダー ノ シテン カラ ミタ ミャンマー ノ ミンシュカ プロセス

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Abstract

This article examines the pro-democratic movement and the long-term process of democratization in Myanmar from a gender perspective. Gender issues were not a central concern in the student-led pro-democratic movement of 1988 which prioritized putting an end to the military regime. However, this does not mean that gender issues were irrelevant in the Myanmar democratic movement. In the 1990s, the government established several "non-governmental" organizations concerning women, an indication that it was aware of the positive outcome of empowering women such as Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy (NLD). However, under an oppressive political regime, the NDL had limited social influence and ability to disseminate information. However, exiled activists, who founded NGOs in the countries where they settled, began to support refugees and women, offering legal advice. With the help of these diaspora organizations and international NGOs such as the ILO, in 2004 a woman living in Yangon filed a complaint against certain government officers on the charge of forced labor and won the case. It was the first legal case against the government in Myanmar. Moreover, in the latter half of the 2000s, networks and religious associations were formed at the grass-root level, offering support to disadvantaged groups such as women, children, the needy, and disaster victims. They performed welfare work that the military regime had neglected. In 2010, the new government lead by President U Thein Sein began reform policies, and the cooperation with the NLD improved. The NLD participated in the 2012 by-election of the national congress, and the party won 43 out of 45 seats. The number of women in the congress increased from 2.9% to 4.4%. This increase in the political participation of women may help the government focus on gender issues.

Journal

  • jenda shigaku

    jenda shigaku 9 (0), 23-38, 2013

    The Gender History Association of Japan

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