Opening speech sent by State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to ceremony to mark International Women’s Day

Everybody, Mingalaba!
First, I would like to extend greetings with the best wishes for all the guests attending today’s International Women’s Day ceremony 2023 to be physical and mentally well with auspiciousness.
The number of women, more than half of the global population, is a primary force in global countries and they have been marking International Women’s Day throughout the world with the aim of emphasizing the creation of opportunities for women for focusing on entitlement and capability of women.
The United Nations annually sets the themes for women’s day and this year’s theme was set as “Digit ALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” which means studies on the impacts of gender diversity in the digital technology sector. It highlights the importance of tackling violence based on technological gender.
Creating chances for women and vulnerable groups to have access to technology is to fulfil the requirement of women as well as help emerge the good potential for creating knowledge and innovativeness so as to enhance gender equality. The lack of chances for women in the technological sector causes large costs. According to the UN Women’s Gender Snapshot 2022 report, setting aside women from the digital world caused a US$1 trillion loss in the GDP of low-income countries and middle-income countries within a decade. If anyone can do nothing in such a case, the loss will amount to US$1.5 trillion in 2025.
Not to happen so, it is necessary to tackle the cyber violence problems. According to a survey of 51 countries, 38 per cent of women themselves faced online violence. The number of women who spent longer time online during the Covid-19 period increased in suffering online and information technological violence, according to the survey report.
However, it is necessary to consider that the chances based on the advancement of digital technologies help continue the existence of gender inequality. As the survey mentioned that women get lesser results in digital gender discrimination and the gender inequality in the digital skill arena is high, I would like to urge all to take care of these points.
All countries fulfil the need for the empowerment of women in gender equality. Although women enjoy equal of rights, there are many requirements for gender equality in accord with the prescribed culture of relevant countries and traditions and customs. Everybody knows some hindrances can be seen in the reform process.
The information age commenced in 1990, and the rapid development of computer technology and science and technology and information technology contribute much to all sectors. Currently, the rapid advancement of digital technology and wider connections help obtain information, socioeconomic development opportunities through digital technology, and learning knowledge for accumulation so as to contribute much to the daily life of the people. In order to enable both men and women to the sustainable development goals while enjoying these technological advantages, it is necessary to arrange innovation, enhancement of technological and digital knowledge for approaching gender affairs, accessing the technology and giving technological training.
The policy on gender affairs was mentioned in the entitlement and all-inclusiveness of the pillar-1 of the Human Resources Development Sector, Advanced Science and Technology Sector in Chapter V of the Science, technology and innovation strategic plan (2022-2027) drawn by the Advanced Science and Technology Department under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Such a strategic plan was created in connection with the National Comprehensive Development Plan-NCDP.
Our country conducts the necessary human resources development courses and technological courses. If the trainees are in line with relevant criteria, it can be seen that chances are created for all trainees without gender discrimination. The attendance rate of women at technological and computer universities accounted for 40 per cent from 2016 to 2019 but 48 per cent in 2020.
If women have access to technology and are digitally skilful in the use of monetary services based on digital technology, they will have the chance to operate more vocational businesses. And, only when those women can do their own businesses without any dependence will their socio-economic life improve and so will State economic development measures.
Improvement of refreshed technologies brings advantages. On the other hand, applying technologies to exploit women with cyber-bullying and intimidation as well as force to commit terror acts and crimes are still happening.
Based on the interim census population in 2019, some 86 per cent of households in Myanmar possess at least one mobile phone. With regard to applying the internet, 56 per cent of households in the country use the internet at home, accounting for 74.7 per cent in urban and 48.8 per cent in rural areas. It is expected that the percentage of internet users would rise after 2019. Currently, all children starting school-age children are friendly with mobile phones.
By using mobile phones, the majority of children, youths and girls can enjoy the good result but they may face danger with lack of results in wrongly applying it. So, parents, teachers and guardians are responsible for those users not derailing from the ways of seeking general knowledge for life development through using mobile phones. So also, it is necessary to carry out sharing of knowledge through media. If so, the correct human resources will come out for the nation so as to build a comprehensive society.
In the ASEAN region, the action plan for the whole ASEAN has been schemed for protecting children including girls against exploitation and abuse on the internet.
In reviewing the international conventions for enabling women to enjoy the equal rights and overcome discrimination, the UN General Assembly held on 18 December 1979 adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women-CEDAW which mentions entitlements in political, economic, social and cultural sectors, and it pledges comprehensive development of a country, and it needs to raise the participation of women shoulder to shoulder with men in all arenas as much as possible for having the prosperity and peacemaking process across the world.
Myanmar signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women-CEDAW in 1997 and is seriously implementing the provisions of the convention as it is a member of the convention. According to the interim census population in 2019, the information mentioned 46.8 per cent of men and 53.2 per cent of women in the 54.9 million population in Myanmar. It mentioned that emphasizing the development of the women’s sector would affect the improvement of the nation.
Hence, the government formed the Myanmar National Committee for Women’s Affairs and regional committees at different levels, especially implementing the improvement of women’s lives in the enhancement of the socioeconomic life of girls, gender equality in all sectors and wider realization of the women’s sector. In so doing, the national strategic plan for women’s development (2013-2022) has been implemented for all sectors.
As the national strategic plan came to a close in 2022. So, the steering committee and 12 work committees have been formed for drawing the new strategic plan (2023-2032). I would like to urge all to draw a comprehensively strategic plan focusing on gender equality in all sectors, enhancement of women’s capacity and narrowing the rural and urban development gap based on modern technologies and relevant work committees are to actively participate in their assignments in order to connect with the projects of relevant ministries and organizations.
I would like to express my acknowledgement for taking pride in the capacity of women who shoulder with men in political, economic and social processes to protect and develop the interests of families, society, country and nationality throughout the history of Myanmar.

It is necessary to draw new policies, procedures and laws which need to overcome hindrances and challenges that women and girls traditionally face. Meanwhile, the need to effectively protect women and girls under the existing laws should be amended in conformity with current situations.
In conclusion, I would like to say that today is the knowledge age and well-versed human resources play a crucial role in the development of a country. Hence, women accounting for more than half of the country’s population are a powerful force in building the Union based on democracy and federalism and they are very valuable and powerful human resources.
As the majority of women are the mothers as well as early teachers of children, they play a key role in nurturing the youths for the future of the nation.
I would like to urge all to collaboratively participate in applying the capacity of women and girls as valuable human resources in all sectors with narrowing the urban and rural development gap and creating chances for women to keep abreast of men to have a sustainable developed future in line with the motto: Digit All: Innovation and technology for gender equality set as the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day.
Thank you all.

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