Narinjara News, March 10

Effective actions should be taken to eliminate violence anddiscrimination against women in all sectors in Arakan State, activists workingfor women rights said on the International Women’s Day which falls on 8 March.

Daw Saw San Nyein Thu, chairperson of Rakhine Women’s InitiativeOrganization said: “It largely depends on weak rule of law. We can protectwomen who face violence only when the relevant authorities deal with theircomplaints and take actions. At present, the stage of how to make a complaintitself has difficulties. It is in a position to commit violence as long asauthorities cannot take legal actions against those who commit the cases.”

Legal actions about violence, discrimination, exploitation at work andsexual harassment against the women in Arakan State, remain weak, she said.

Women and underage children from the IDP camps in Arakan State which sawarmed conflicts experienced sexual harassment, victims and news sources toldthe Narinjara.

More than 40 Muslim women from Phwaeyarkone IDP camp in Saythamargyivillage-tract in Sittwe Township told the Narinjara said the in-charge of campraped them.

From 2012 to 2 August, 2022, U Ous Phan Gawni, in-charge of Phweyarkone IDPcamp threatened and raped 45 women such as married women, women with mentalillness and underage girls, victims told the Narinjara.

The police have detained the man who is accused of raping and attempting tokill more than 40 women. The victims called for effective action against theaccused.

During the armed conflicts in Arakan State, some women faced sexualviolence. Some women made complaints. Most cases disappeared as most women didnot dare to complain about their cases due to the various circumstances,according to the organizations working for women rights.

In Arakan State, relevant organizations are organizing vinyl campaigns andeducative talks on the eradication of violence against women and human rightsviolations every year. However, the number of cases continues to rise.

In 2022, the number of complaints about violence against women and the womenrights activities declined compared to those in the previous years due to thepolitical situations, said lawyer Daw Mya Thu Zar, at a ceremony to mark theInternational Women’s Day held in Sittwe on 25 November.

Following the military coup, the country sees more violence against womenamid the current political, social and economic crises.

Daw San San Nyein Thu said: “During the political crisis period, mostlywomen face robbery and coercion, labour exploitation, beating, violence andrapes. The current political, economic and social situations create the rightsto coerce women.”

Women in Arakan State are facing the restrictions of human rights based onreligion and custom including domestic violence, said Ma Saung Hnin Wai, aKaman female youth.

“Every day, women face different kinds of oppressions and discrimination inmy environment. I take faith in Islam. There are the rules on how the women puton their dresses and barring us from going outside. There is a tradition thatwe have to get married to the men agreed by the parents,” she added.

Women from the rural areas and the IDP camps especially face violencewithout knowing the fact that they themselves face violence as knowledgedissemination and laws are not within their reach, the women organizationssaid.

March 8 is 48th International Women’s Day. In late 1900, working-class womenfrom developed countries from the west experienced economic exploitation,forced labour, lack of social benefits, political oppression and poverty.

In 1908, more than 15,000 took to the streets in New York of the UnitedState, demanding women suffrage, designation of fair working hours and equalpay.

German delegate Clara Zetkin from the German Social Democratic Partyproposed the establishment of an annual “Women’s Day”, at the InternationalSocialist Women’s Conference was organized in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1910.

The 100 delegates, representing 17 countries, agreed with the idea as astrategy to promote equal rights, including women’s suffrage. The firstInternational Women’s Day was marked on March 19, 1911.

The UN officially designated March 8 in 1975 as the International Women’sDay. Since then, women have been making demands for equal rights.

Photo by HI Burma