An opening address sent by State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to the ceremony in commemoration of International Women’s Day which falls on 8 March 2022

Auspiciousness to all!
First of all, I’d like to extend greetings to all guests who attend the ceremony to mark today’s International Women’s Day 2022 to be physical and mental well-being and auspiciousness.
The International Women’s Day ceremonies are held across the world with the aim of paying the attention to the rights and capabilities of women and emphasizing the realization of women’s rights. To do so, the United Nations has been setting the themes for the ceremonies yearly since 1996.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 was set as gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow. The theme of this year’s celebration will help all global countries ensure harmony with climate change in further strengthening the future for sustainable development, recognize the contribution and capability of women and young women who are taking a leading role in the implementation of measures of harmony, risk reduction and response in the climate change in the building the sustainable developed and firm future and pay attention to further taking gender equality into consideration in order to mitigate the crises and disasters related to the climatic conditions which are challenges of the 21st Century.
We all will face climate change and the outbreak of natural disasters which are primary hindrances to marching into the sustainable development goals. Climate change may cause not only biophysical changes but also social impacts.
Climate change may cause inequality and various sensitivities based on gender affairs, standards, movable situations, age and disabilities. Women are suffering from impacts of the climate changes more than men. It is because women are more relying on the resources which may be mostly damaged by climate change and sufferings. At the same time, as women and girls know environments and ecosystems on a wider scale due to their work natures, they can be seen as leaders in harmony with climate change, risk reduction and response tasks. Hence, it is noticeable that women are of great importance in keeping abreast of men in participating in the efforts and response to risk reduction of climate change at full capacity.
With regard to the important role of women, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change approved in 1992 states that those member countries of the convention shall recognize the important role of women in tackling the climate change and gender equality measures and shoulder to shoulder with the men in implementing the convention tasks.
Since the time when Myanmar signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, it has been placing emphasis on the implementation of the provisions of the convention. The National Environmental Policy of Myanmar (2019), the Myanmar Climate Change Strategy (2019) and the Myanmar Climate Master Plan (2018-2030) were drawn in conformity with the situation of Myanmar, including gender quality and role enhancement of the women and girls.It can be seen that the women and natural environment were inserted as a primary work field into the strategic plan in order to emphasize the strengthening of systems, organizational setup, and work procedures in which women shall fully participate with essence so as to harmoniously respond to the management of natural resources, environmental conservation and climate change. I firmly believe that it will be a strategic plan in creating a further comprehensive society with equal participation of both men and women in all sectors.
The year 2022 is the final year of the national-level strategic plan. Hence, it is necessary to draw a new strategic plan for the future by assessing the advantages and disadvantages in the implementation of the main work sections. In so doing, I’d like to urge all ministries and organizations to actively lead their respective arenas.
Gender equality systematically inserted into the policy, strategy, main work programme and plans for implementation is designed to create a good environment to contribute to the enhancement of the leadership role of women and girls in the tasks related to climate change. It will contribute much to shaping a healthy and happy society with resilience to climate change in 2030.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Myanmar signed in 1997 stipulates that it shall need to enhance participation of women as much as possible similar to men in all areas so as to have effects for comprehensive development of a country, the prosperity of the whole world and restoration of peace.
As part of emphasizing these provisions, our country is implementing the role of women on a wider scale. It can be seen that the government has deeply prioritized the women to have the chance to participate in the political and administrative arenas in addition to the economic and social fields keeping abreast of men. Remarkable progress has been gained. I’d like to draw new policies, work procedures, and laws for having acceleration for existing progress and for overcoming the difficulties, hindrances and challenges of the 21st Century the women and girls face as well as to amend the necessities in conformity with the current situations
In conclusion, the women representing more than a half of the population of Myanmar are an important force in building a Union based on democracy and federalism as well as very valuable human resources for the State. I’d like to conclude my speech, urging all to continuously strive for enhancement of the capacity of women and girls so as to effectively utilize their human resources in all sectors including the harmonization of climate change and lessening the risks.
Thank you all.