The selection of women candidates in the 2020General Election is just window-dressing, rather than providing a real chance of winning the seat according to Lway Poe Nge, Joint General Secretary of the Women’s League of Burma (Myanmar).

“In practice the parties allowed the female candidates to run for the seats where there is little chance of winning. It is just window dressing”, Lway Poe Nge lamented at a virtual press

 conference on October 6 at the release of comedy dance performance video titled “2020

 Challenge Voices.”

Window dressing is found not only in the big parties but also in the other ethnic parties. The ethnic parties also have to organize women to represent their parties as their chance of winning the election is extremely low.

But Nant Khin Aye Oo, who is running as a candidate for Karen ethnic affairs minister from Ayeyawady Region insists this is not always the case. “Our party allowed me to compete in the election as I have some chance of winning the seat.” She adds that “some female candidates are selected because of their experience.”

More female candidates have registered to run for the seats in the election scheduled for November 8. The female candidate from the ruling National League Democracy (NLD) accounts for 21 percent, the People’s Pioneers Party (PPP), for 20 percent and the Democratic Party of a New Society (DPNS) for 50 percent, according to the statements by the parties.

After the 2010 General Election, the ratio of female candidates in the Union parliament was six percent. After the 2015 General Election, the female candidate accounted for up to 13.7 percent, according to the research reports.

The WLB’s comedy dance performance video named “2020 Challenge Voices” is led by the female comedians. Their video aims to highlight the current political situations, the female IDPs and to encourage voting for more female candidates in the upcoming election.