Naw Htoo Htoo, director of Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), said: “In summary, there still isn’t anyone that will take effective legal actions against the violations of women’s rights.”

KHRG’s new report: ‘Hidden Strengths, Hidden Struggles: Women’s testimonies from southeast Myanmar’ highlights the many obstacles and abuses that women face. Presented yesterday in Rangoon, the report is based on 98 interviews and 1,048 documents from January 2012 to March 2016.

“[It] highlights gender discrimination and abuse. We have recommended [for the authorities] to take effective action in such cases with transparency,” Naw Htoo Htoo told KIC News.

Published in Burmese and English, the one-hundred page report provides recommendations for the government, civil society groups, international community and armed groups on protecting women from discrimination and violence.

Women face different obstacles than men in health, education and earning a livelihood, according to the report. Furthermore, they are subject to arbitrarily violence, both at the hands of their spouses and the Burma Army and paramilitary groups.

May Sabai Phyu, director of the Gender Equality Network, said that abuses against women detailed in the report are common experiences faced by rural women all over the country, pointing out that real reconciliation won't happen unless these issues are also addressed.

Myanmar Human Rights Commission (MHRC)’s chairman U Win Mara said: “I am very satisfied with this report because it has been able to present its points while being balanced,” adding that in the past the government wouldn’t accept any criticism on human rights violations.

Since the KHRG was established in 1992, the organization has released a number of reports to raise awareness on human rights violations in conflicts areas.

Reporting by Saw Tun Linn for KIC News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff