The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP)’s 2025 report indicated that the use of women’s voices and perspectives in Myanmar’s news media has increased notably, while concerns over press freedom and journalist safety in the country remain high.
According to the report, the use of women’s voices as news sources increased from 17 percent in 2017 to 18 percent in 2020, before rising to 29 percent in 2025.
“According to the data, women are appearing in the news more than ever before. However, because of the current situation in Myanmar, women are still mostly portrayed as victims of war. There is a strong need to include the voices and perspectives of women from ethnic groups, minority communities, and diverse backgrounds. I would also like to encourage the media to highlight more stories about women who are taking leading roles in different sectors today,” said Ma Soe San Htike, an executive of the Myanmar Women Journalists Society (MWJS), a network of female journalists and researchers.
MWJS deeply honors journalists who continue working to uphold the people’s right to information despite numerous difficulties and enormous challenges, adding that this research was only possible because independent media organizations still exist.
According to the report, women’s participation was highest in television (TV) news at 44 percent, followed by online media at 20 percent. However, print media has yet to see a significant increase in the use of women as news sources.
When looking at different categories, women appear most frequently in TV and print news related to crime and violence (40%) as well as science and health (38%). In online media, however, women make up a significant share in the business sector, reaching 67%.
MWJS conducted this research based on an analysis of the 20 most-watched media agencies in Myanmar.
GMMP is the world’s largest research project tracking gender equality in the media, conducted every five years across around 100 countries since 1995. In 2025, the study included 94 countries, including Myanmar.
While the role of women in Myanmar’s media is increasing, press freedom in the country continues to deteriorate.
From 2021 to May 2026, more than 200 journalists have faced arbitrary or unjust arrests, with 18 still remaining in prison on various charges.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Myanmar has fallen to 166th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, remaining in the ‘red’ category, which indicates a very serious situation for press freedom.
