MYANMAR/BURMA Breaking Barriers: Advocating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MYANMAR/BURMA BREAKING BarrIERS: Advocating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights ARROW COUNTRY STUDIES ISBN 978-967-0339-23-8 2016 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Any part of the text of the publication may be photocopied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, or adapted and translated to meet local needs, for non-commercial and non-profit purposes. However, the copyright for images used remains with respective copyright holders. All forms of copies, reproductions, adaptations, and translations through mechanical, electrical, or electronic means should acknowledge ARROW as the source. A copy of the reproduction, adaptation, and/or translation should be sent to ARROW. In cases of commercial usage, ARROW must be contacted for permission at [email protected] Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) 1 & 2 Jalan Scott, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50470 Telephone (603) 2273 9913/9914 Fax (603) 2273 9916 E-mail [email protected] Web www.arrow.org.my Facebook The Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) Twitter @ARROW_Women Youtube youtube.com/user/ARROWomen Pinterest arrowomen Production Team Researchers: Rachael McGuin & Nang Lao Liang Won Research Coordinator: Nalini Singh Publication Coordinator/Editor: Maria Melinda Ando Overall Oversight: Sivananthi Thanenthiran & Tabinda Sarosh Copy Editor/Researcher (2015): Ambika Varma Reviewer: Narimah Awin Graphic Designer: Nicolette Mallari Cover Photo Credit: Shutterstock MYANMAR/BURMA BREAKING BARRIERS: Advocating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights MYANMAR/BURMA — Breaking Barriers: Advocating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights CONTENTS 03 List of Acronyms 05 Background 06 Definitions 07 Purpose of the Report 08 Executive Summary 10 Section 1: Methodology 12 Section 2: SRHR Status and Overview 12 2.1 Overview: Current Political Context 14 2.2 Government Policy and Services 20 2.3 Key SRHR Indicators and Status 36 Section 3: Key SRHR Stakeholders on SRHR 36 3.1 UN Organisations 38 3.2 International Non-Government Organisations 39 3.3 Civil Society Organisations 40 3.4 Ethnic Health and Community-Based Organisations in Eastern Myanmar/Burma 42 3.5 Media 43 Section 4: SRHR Advocacy Capacity, Challenges and Opportunities 43 4.1 Key Stakeholders, Challenges, and Opportunities for SRHR Advocacy 49 4.2 Key SRHR Advocacy Opportunities and Recommendations 52 Endnotes 59 Appendix 1: List of Individuals and Organisations Consulted 60 References Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) - 3 - LIST OF ACRONYMS ACWC ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and GEN Gender Equality Network the Protection of the Rights of Women and GEWESWG Enhancing Gender Equality and Women’s Children Empowerment Sector Working Group AFPPD Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population GII Gender Inequality Index and Development GONGO Government-owned Non-government AHMM ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting Organisation AICHR ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission HCCG Health Convergence Core Group on Human Rights HPWG Humanitarian Protection Working Group AMA AIDS Myanmar Alliance HRH Human Resource for Health AMW Auxiliary Midwives HSCC Health Sector Coordinating Committee ANC Antenatal Care ICPD International Conference on Population and APF ASEAN People’s Forum Development APN+ Asia Pacific Network of People Living with ICPD POA International Conference on Population HIV and AIDS and Development Programme of Action ARHN Adolescent Reproductive Health Network IDP Internally Displaced Persons ARHRZ Adolescent Reproductive Health Rights Zone ILO International Labour Organization ARROW Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre INGO International Non-government Organisation for Women IOM International Organization for Migration ART Antiretroviral Treatment JI-MNCH Joint Initiative on Maternal Newborn Child ARV Antiretroviral drugs Health ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations KDHW Karen Department of Health and Welfare ASIR Age-specific Incidence Rate KIO Kachin Independence Organisation AVAW Anti-Violence Against Women KnMHC Karenni Mobile Health Committee BI-MM Burnet Institute Myanmar KWAT Kachin Women’s Association Thailand BMA Burma Medical Association KWEG Karen Women’s Empowerment Group BPHWT Back Pack Health Worker Team KWHRO Kuki Women’s Human Rights Organisation BRC Burma Relief Centre KWO Karen Women’s Organisation BWU Burmese Women’s Union KYO Karen Youth Organisation CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms KYWO Kayan Women’s Organisation of Discrimination Against Women LGBTIQ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, COIA Commission on Information and Accountability Queer, or Questioning for Women’s and Children’s Health LWO Lahu Women’s Organisation COM Charity Oriented Myanmar MANA Myanmar Anti-Narcotics Association CPI Community Partners International MAP Migrant Assistant Programme Foundation CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child MDG Millennium Development Goals CSE Comprehensive Sexuality Education MDM Médecins Du Monde CSO Civil Society Organisation MDR Maternal Death Review DFID Department for International Development MDSR Maternal Death Surveillance and Response DSW Department of Social Welfare MINA Myanmar Interfaith Network on AIDS EHO Ethnic Health Organisations MMA Myanmar Medical Association ENAP Every Newborn Action Plan MMCWA Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare GBV Gender-based Violence Association - 4 - MYANMAR/BURMA — Breaking Barriers: Advocating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights MNCWA Myanmar National Committee for Women’s TWU Tavoy Women’s Union Affairs UHC Universal Health Coverage MNHC Mon National Health Committee ULYO United Lahu Youth Organisation MOE Ministry of Education UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS MOH Ministry of Health UNDP United Nations Development Programme MPG Myanmar Positive Group UNFPA United Nations Population Fund MPWN Myanmar Positive Women Network UNGTG UN Gender Theme Group MSF Médecins Sans Frontières UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner MSI Marie Stopes International for Refugees MSM Men Who Have Sex with Men UNHRC United Nations Human Rights Council MSWRR Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund Resettlement UNTOC United Nations Convention against MTC Mae Tao Clinic Transnational Organized Crime MWAF Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation VAW Violence Against Women MWEA Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs’ Association VCT Voluntary Counselling and Testing NCDP National Comprehensive Development Plan WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene NGO Non-government Organisation WHO World Health Organization NGO-GG NGO Gender Group WLB Women’s League of Burma NHEC National Health and Education Committee WON Women’s Organisations Network NLD National League for Democracy WPNA Women’s Peace Network Arakan NSPAW National Strategic Plan on the Advancement WRWAB Women’s Rights and Welfare Association of Women of Burma PGK Pyi Gyi Khin YDP Youth Development Programme PLHIV People Living with HIV YIC Youth Information Corners PMTCT Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission YWCA Young Women’s Christian Association PSI Population Services International PTE Phan Tee Eain PWID People Who Inject Drugs PWO Palaung Women’s Organisation PWU Pa-O Women’s Union RH Reproductive Health RHS Reproductive Health Services RMNCAH Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health RWU Rakhaing Women’s Union SAW Social Action for Women SHAPE School-based Healthy Living and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education SLS Secondary Life Skills SPDC State Peace and Development Council SRH Sexual and Reproductive Health SRHR Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights SRR Sexual and Reproductive Rights SSDF Shan State Development Foundation STI Sexually Transmitted Infection SWAN Shan Women’s Action Network SWIM Sex Workers in Myanmar SYP Shan Youth Power TBA Traditional Birth Attendant TBC The Border Consortium/Thai Burma Consortium Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) - 5 - BACKGROUND Political developments in Myanmar/Burma1 prompted the the border areas of the country to identify key issues and Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women advocacy strategies for women’s and youth SRHR issues in (ARROW) in 2013 to undertake a small-scale scoping Myanmar/Burma and strategies to support CSO partners study to re-evaluate and refine its advocacy strategies for to participate in regional and international advocacy sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and to partnerships and events. Through these dialogues, strengthen partnerships for advocacy with civil society ARROW developed advocacy projects with these partner organisations (CSO) working on SRHR in the country. The organisations. study aimed to identify the status of and the potential for SRHR advocacy by CSOs in Central Myanmar/Burma and This report contains an overview and analysis of in Eastern states along the Thai-Myanmar/Burma border, government policies and services that were implemented and increase the current knowledge base on SRHR issues, under the Thein Sein Administration—the Government gaps, and challenges. The study was reviewed in 2015 to of Myanmar from 2011 to 2015. At the time of writing, a include an overview of key progress made on SRHR goals new government-in-waiting led by the winners of the 2015 by civil society, government and other non-government