1. CEDAW-Related
Implementations on Health
Dr. Nilar Tin
Director (Planning)
Department of Health

2. CEDAW-Related Implementations on Health
Article 12
• It seeks to eliminate discrimination in the access to
healthcare for women
• and necessitates gender specific healthcare
services such as those related to pregnancy and
postnatal care.
• GRs that pertain to Article 12 are 14,15,19,24
General Recommendation 14
•It recommends several measures to eradicate female
circumcision…. NOT APPLICABLE TO MYANMAR

3. CEDAW CONVENTION
General Recommendation 15
• In view of the risk and effect of AIDS especially
among women and children it recommends that
AIDS-combat programmes that incorporate the
rights and needs of women especially in relation to
their reproductive role and subordinate position be
adopted.
• The participation of women in healthcare and HIV
infection prevention programmes is to be
encouraged

4. Ministry of Health

Responsible for providing health care covering
promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative
services to the entire population in the country.

Health care activities are in line with National Health
Plan 2006-2011

Under the guidance of the Government of the Union
of Myanmar, MOH is working in collaboration with-
Related Ministries

UN Agencies

Bilateral Organizations
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Non Governmental Organizations both Local and International

Other civil societies

5. Nation’s commitment to International Instruments

MOH is contributing the health care activities along the
following International commitments:

ICPD plus 10

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Child Rights

CEDAW

Beijing Platform of Action

MDG 2015

FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control)

6. HIV/AIDS-combat programs-NAP,DOH,MOH
• Number of people living with HIV/ AIDS in
Myanmar among the 15 to 49 years was
240,000 in 2009.
• HIV prevalence in Myanmar has reduced from
1.5% in 2000 to 0.61% in 2009.
• HIV in Myanmar has had its peak in 2000, and
then leveling off.
• A total of 15,191 AIDS patients have been
receiving ARV as of 2008
• 30,344 PLHA have received Opportunistic
Infection drugs in the public and private sectors
by the end of 2008.

7. HIV/AIDS combat programs
• Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Program (PMCT)
was launched since 2000-2001 and has been implemented
both in community- and facility-based settings in coordination
and collaboration with UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, local and
INGOS and related sectors.
• Community based PMCT established in (185) townships and
institutional based PMCT in (38) hospitals over the country.
• As of 2009, prevention from mother to child transmission has
been conducted in (1,773) couple of mother and child by giving
prophylactic ARV from NAP.

8. HIV/AIDS combat programs

9. HIV/AIDS combat programs
• As of 2008, 11,072 males and 11,749 females to a total of
23451 had obtained home based care for PLHIV.
• Greater involvement of people with AIDS (GIPA) programs
have been implemented through formation of PLHIV networks
by NAP in coordination with UN Agencies and NGOs.
• PLHIV and other civil society members have actively
participated in the National Strategic Plan development
process and are well represented in the Country Coordinating
Body for 3 Diseases Fund as well as in Technical and Strategy
Group for AIDS.

10. HIV/AIDS combat programs
• Providing a caring, protective and supportive environment for
PLHIV and their families is a key priority in Myanmar.
• Strategies include
– involvement of PLHIV in project activities as peer workers such as
counselors, health educators and outreach workers
– enabling access to education, employment and social support, along
with the engagement of community leaders to promote a positive
behavior around HIV issues .
– NAP with support from WHO and in close collaboration with many
NGOs is also implementing comprehensive and continuum of care for
PLHIV by integrating prevention, clinical care and support services
aiming for universal access to care.

11. Care and support for the persons infected and affected with
HIV and AIDS

12. CEDAW CONVENTION
General Recommendation 19
a)It recognizes the violence against women in general puts their
health and life at risk.
DOH Gender and Women’s Health project has worked upon
GBV during 2008-2009 biennium
1. Gender sensitive disaster management trainings were given to
Basic Health Staff from the disaster affected areas of
Ayeyarwaddy Division, Yangon Division and Mon State.
•Participatory training with exercises on sharing of experience of
BHS from disaster struck areas followed by theoretical training.

13. CEDAW CONVENTION
2. Survey on Gender Based Domestic Violence in two townships
in Myanmar
Total (265) married women (107) from Pyinmanar and (158) from
Hlegu, living in periurban or rural areas were interviewed.
Data analysis near to final.
Later dissemination of survey results and sensitization of G
sensitive policy and programmes to PM.
General Recommendation 19
b)Similarly, certain traditional practices harmful to health of
women and children, for example, female circumcision, dietary
restrictions on pregnant women and preference of the male child,
must be addressed.

14. Antenatal care for Pregnant Mothers
Includes nutrition
promotion activities
and heath
education for AN
mothers to take
nutritious foods
during pregnancy

15. Control of
Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) in children
• Interventions :
– Growth Monitoring and Promotion
– Nutrition Rehabilitation
• Community Nutrition Centres
• Hospital Nutrition Units
• Village Food Banks
– Proper infant and young child feeding
• Impact: Prevalence of under-weight decreased
from 38.6% in 1997 to 31.8% in 2003

16. Preference of male child
• Myanmar culture also prefers male
child as the parents would have a
chance to let the son enter into
monkhood (Shin pyu) which happens
to be a huge ceremony, depending
upon the capacity of the family,
believed to be a great merit to the
family.
• Although this value has in most
people’s heart, if girls are born still there is no discrimination as
girls are thought to be the ones who will look after the family.
(results from BHS trainings on Gender and Health)

17. CEDAW CONVENTION
General Recommendation 19
c)It also seeks to prevent coercion of women with respect to
fertility and reproduction, and recommends fertility control to
help avoid unsafe medical procedures.
• In Myanmar, birth spacing project -started since 1991,
providing services thru’ community-based distribution system.
• The birth spacing projects were funded by different funding
agencies FPIA, UNFPA and UNDP.
• It has been expanded in phase manner.
• Couple counseling and informed choices of both male and
female contraceptive methods are the main activities in quality
reproductive health care services.
• Previous-unwanted, unplanned pregnancy in married couples
leading to unsafe abortion-complications-MMR;CPR 40%(2007)

18. CEDAW CONVENTION
General Recommendation 24
• Unequal power relations based on gender and harmful
traditional practices like female genital mutilation, polygamy
and marital rape make women more vulnerable to AIDS
• Therefore, states are called upon to ensure women’s right to
sexual health information, education and services (including
illegal women residents and those who have been trafficked
with due regard to confidentiality)

19. CEDAW Convention
• As a result of safe motherhood activities, maternal mortality
ratio (MMR) has declined over the years from 580 per 100,000
live births in 1990 to 380 in 2005 (Revised 1990 estimation of
maternal mortality 1996 WHO/UNICEF).
• With a paradigm shift from safe motherhood to Making
Pregnancy Safer, Myanmar is striving to improve the health of
mother through women's rights approach.
• Ensuring universal access to essential reproductive health
care information and services by 2015 is of national health
concern.

20. CEDAW Convention
Strategic Plan for Reproductive Health (2009-2013)
• Behavior Change Communication Strategy for Reproductive
Health-to adolescent girls and women to have information on
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sexual health
promotion of birth spacing and preventing unwanted pregnancies
dangers of unsafe abortion
danger signs during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum
preventing and use of services on reproductive morbidities including
STI/RTI/HIV and reproductive cancers
(RH/WCHD/Adolescent Health/Gender)
Body mapping
exercise with girls

21. CEDAW Convention
• General Recommendation 24
• It recognizes specific health care needs of women in
difficult situations such as those in armed conflict,
prostitution or trafficking, and women with vulnerabilities
like older women and women with disabilities. It also calls
upon the states to ensure healthcare services that address
the needs of these special groups of women.
• Elderly Health Care project- DOH MOH initiated since
1993 and covers (80) townships
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Community based elderly health care
Opens clinics at different levels up to Rural Health Center
Medical check up, treatment and counseling
Encourage exercise
Encourage self help groups, recreation and local visits