New bill aims to protect women from rape
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A new legislation to protect women from rape and related crimes is being drafted due to a rise in the number of reported rapes over the last few years, said Brig-General Kyaw Zan Myint, deputy minister for home affairs.
The bill aims to ensure women are protected against rape, sexual harassment and other gender-based crimes, especially in conflict settings, he said. Kyaw Zan Myint made the comments during the last session of parliament. They follow a report from a Kachin women’s group that accused the Tatmadaw of using rape as weapon of war.
The ministry of social welfare, relief and resettlement is leading the drafting of the bill. Details of the new legislation have not been released and it is unclear when the legislation will reach Parliament.
“The country is seeing a rise in the number of cases of sexual harassment against women year by year. Villages see more sexual harassment cases than urban areas. Most of these cases occur during the day,” the deputy minister told Parliament.
In 2012, 318 out of 654 reported cases of rape were perpetrated on children, according to official data. In 2013, 315 out of 734 reported rape cases were perpetrated on children, data from police shows. In the first half of this year 180 of 408 reported rape cases were perpetrated on children, police data shows.
The deputy ministry said the root causes of rape were sharing rooms, too much trust, and consumption of alcohol and methamphetamine pills.
Ministry focuses on healthy children, mothers
The Ministry of Health is aiming to increase maternal and child health this month with four week-long campaigns that focus on four key areas where maternal and child nutrition can be improved.
The campaigns are being implemented in collaboration with Unicef, which has reported that more than one-third (35.1 per cent) of children under five years of age in Myanmar are stunted due to long-term malnutrition while about 8 per cent are wasted due to acute malnutrition.
More than one-tenth of the country’s population, 11.7 per cent, is under the age of five, according to Unicef.
Flood dangers rising along five rivers
The level of the Thanlwin and Ngawon rivers remains at the danger level, while the Shwekyin and Sittaung rivers may reach danger level within two days, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology warned on August 4.
“Due to the heavy rain in lower Myanmar, the water levels of rivers are higher. Ngawon River rose one foot above the danger level on August 4. Thanlwin River is now above the danger level and it may rise another foot within two days,” an official from the department told Eleven Media.
The level of Ayeyawady River, however, remains normal in most areas, excluding Myitkyina, Bhamo and Katha, the department said.
