"Sharing women's stories to drive change"
Htet Htet, Yangon, Myanmar “I believe that my work has an impact on my sources and their rights” At first, I was supposed to become an engineer, but my father wanted me to become a journalist, he pushed me towards that. He is very proud of me, when my news come in the paper, he… Continue reading Telling our own story to make women’s issues visible
Before setting foot in Myanmar, we didn’t know much about the country or about women’s conditions there. One thing that we knew was that the country was being led by a feminine icon, Aung San Suu Kyi. This was just before the world was made aware of the extent of the Rohingya’s crisis, right before… Continue reading Has the election of Aung San Suu Kyi changed the situation of women in Myanmar?
Thereza Yangon, Myanmar “I’ve lived on my own in Yangon since I was 16 so I’m very independent” My name is Thereza, I am 24 years old. My father was a simple farmer, he passed away when I was 11. My mom is a housewife and after my father died, she remarried. We also lived… Continue reading Women from the whole world should come together
The story of the education system in Myanmar is closely interweaved with the political situation. Historically, Myanmar had a high quality education system Traditionally, children were taught at monasteries, and later following British colonization, there was a shift towards a westernized public school system. After the independence, the public schools started reaching all parts of… Continue reading Education in Myanmar
Who are the Rohingyas? Rohingyas are part of an ethnic Muslim minority who practice a variation of Sunni Islam, in the predominantly Buddhist country that is Myanmar. Before August 2017 and the mass exodus, Rohingya Muslims represented the largest percentage of Muslims in Myanmar, with the majority living in Rakhine state, in the North West… Continue reading The Rohingyas
Wai Phyo Myint Yangon, Myanmar “There is still a long way for us” My name is Wai Phyo Myint, I am 33 years old and I am a manager at the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business. Right now, there are a lot of discussions, even with men, about what’s going on for women, regarding… Continue reading Fighting, even for the smallest thing
Evelyn Yangon, Myanmar “I came back here at the end of 2015, (…) Myanmar changed a lot. Women had more freedoms, but I think there was a pernicious sexism in society that I was not used to.” My name is Evelyn. I co-founded the Myanmar Women Self Defense Center. I’ve always had an interest in… Continue reading Raising the dirt floor instead of breaking the glass ceiling
Rashida H. Yangon, Myanmar “I am Burmese, I am a woman and I am Muslim. I wear many marginalized identities” My name is Rashida, I am 30 years old. I am a Ph.D. student at the Mahidol University in Thailand and I used to be a physical therapist in Myanmar. I was born and raised… Continue reading One little vibration can create a bigger movement
Anonymous Yangon, Myanmar “I always have to investigate my stories in conflict zones” I am 32 years old. I live in Yangon but I am originally from Myitkyina, in Kachin state. I am a journalist. My mom still lives in Kachin state, she used to be a teacher but she is now retired, and my… Continue reading Unveiling the hardships of ethnic women in Myanmar
A very diverse country Myanmar is a very diverse country: the government officially recognizes 135 ethnic minorities. Despite its small size, Myanmar is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in South-East Asia: 40% of the population belongs to an ethnic minority. The country’s ethnic majority is the Burmans, who are historically settled in Myanmar’s… Continue reading The ethnic minorities of Myanmar
