Myanmar women’s voices harder to find in post-coup media reports

By Admin 24 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
24 August 2023, Sittwe

Fewer women’s voices have been represented in media reports about the military and political situation in Myanmar since the military coup in February 2021, according to journalists and women’s rights activists.

Burma News International (BNI) organised an online discussion on reporting on women, peace and security by ethnic media on Thursday.

“Media need to do more regarding the reporting of women, peace and security, and few women’s rights organisations today can work effectively to ensure women, peace and security,” said Mi Sue Pwint, founder and advisor for the Women’s League of Burma (WLB).

With rule of law deteriorating in Myanmar, there have been unprecedented and growing concerns for women’s safety, say women’s rights activists. A total of 3,647 women have been given prison sentences for their anti-regime activities, according to the WLB.

“Women’s participation in women, peace and security is low. The biggest challenge is it has been extremely difficult to ensure safety for women,” said women’s rights activist Ma Mee Che.

Many women dare not answer on the record when interviewed about Myanmr’s political and military situation, and it is therefore difficult to add more women’s voices in stories, according to journalists.

“We want to include the voices of both men and women in making reports. But there is no freedom of expression now, and most people do not want to give interviews. So, we can only repeatedly ask people who dare to give an interview,” said an Arakan State-based journalist.

Junta troops perpetrated sexual violence against more than 100 women from the coup in February 2021 through July 2023 in areas experiencing armed conflict, according to the WLB.

“When there are conflicts and displacement of civilians, [media] usually only report about their need for food and healthcare services. So, women’s rights issues have been ignored, and it appears that it will be ignored until the revolution ends,” said Sam Naw, chief editor of the Kachin State-based Kachin News Group (KMG).