MoSWRR holds meeting on prevention of violence against women law (draft)

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement held the coordination meeting to approve the Prevention of Violence Against Women Law (Draft) yesterday morning in Nay Pyi Taw.
For the adequate protection against all forms of violence, including sexual violence against women and girls, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, in collaboration with the Gender Equality Network, the United Nations Gender Theme Group, drafted the Law on Prevention of Violence Against Women with the technical assistance of international organizations.
The law was drafted with the study on the laws from other countries, including ASEAN countries. A steering committee, an advisory committee and a working committee were formed to complete the law.
Myanmar National Committee for women’s Affairs Chair Union Minister Dr Thet Thet Khine of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement said the process of drafting the law started in February 2013 and discussions were held with the relevant departments, women associations and members of the Myanmar National Committee for women’s Affairs.
In March 2016, it was submitted to the meeting of the Peace, Stability and the Rule of Law Working Committee and the Union Government Office, then submitted to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw through the Union Government Office. The drafted law was sent back for review as per the policy of the new government.
After the necessary amendments were made to allow the law to be enacted, it was submitted to the Working Committee twice and then submitted to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw through the Union Government Office on 23 January 2020.
After the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw published the drafted law in state-owned newspapers from 25 to 28 January, the discussions were held at the Amyotha Hluttaw Bill Committee and the Committee on Rights of Women and Children.
The Union Minister said the drafted law was sent with a comment to the Union Attorney-General’s Office on the draft law on preventing violence against women as a law that should be enacted immediately before submitting to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw.
The meeting discussed the suggestions of the UNFPA, Law Advocacy Working Group, U Soe Myaing, and Akhaya Women Myanmar on the draft law.
The meeting was also attended by the officials from the Ministry of Defence Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Law, Yangon University, Representatives and officials of local NGOs, members of the Working Committee on the Drafting of the Prevention of Violence Against Women (Draft) Law. — MNA