Project name: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Programme (GEWEP) II
Project period: 2016-2019
Number of people that have been directly reached: 4,429 Female and 2,305 Male
Myanmar endline / baseline report submission: 31st March 2019
Result highlights for GEWEP II in Myanmar
Sex Workers in Myanmar (SWiM) is growing. SWiM advocates for the rights of fellow sex workers by advocating for amendment of the 1949 Suppression of Prostitution Act, a law that punishes and fines prostitution, putting sex workers at increased risk. With the contribution from SWiM and other stakeholders, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement has been drafting a new law. The draft law is expected to be submitted to parliament by the end of 2019.
More than a hundred brothels have been lobbied to promote safer work environment for female sex workers using a minimal standard checklist. The minimal standard includes provision of condoms, and hygiene and sanitary materials for both clients and female sex workers. It also needs the brothel owners/managers to allow sex worker to go out for regular medical check-up.
58% of the endline survey respondents are members of one or more self-help groups. Participation in self-help groups develops sense of social inclusion among the sex workers. This is important, as sex workers are greatly discriminated in the general community and often excluded from the social activities in the general community.
During the survey, a subset of men – who were partner of, have work relationship with, or are somehow related to FSWs – showed aggressive attitudes towards their intimate partners. These attitudes may be linked to high incidence of violence against female sex workers. More exploration on this finding and more targeted engaging men activities are suggested for future programs.