MWAF urges eradication of trafficking in Burmese women

Thu 03 Jul 2008
Mon Son

The Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation (MWAF) has urged doing away with trafficking in women in Burma while observing Myanmar (Burmese) Women Day in the country today.

The Chairman of MWAF in Moulmein Daw Khain Myat Htwe called on Burmese women to eradicate trafficking in women in Burma, explained its current activities and provided finance to help Burmese women who are jobless, said a MWAF member who attended the Myanmar Women Day.

According to the MWAF member "MWAF gave loans to Burmese women to the tune of 7 million kyat in each township in Mon state. The women have to pay 2 percent interest per month."

Despite MWAF's support to jobless Burmese women it cannot solve the condition of women in Burma, the secretary of Women's League of Burma, Nan Yin said.

Arrests and help to women migrant workers alone will not prevent trafficking in women. The MWAF should take stock of the economic situation in Burma and should spend money to support Burmese women, she added.

Nay Yin said that "if they want to help Burmese women, they have to find a way to resolve the political situation in Burma and fight basic problems of women."

MWAF, which was founded in 2003, also held competitions such as feature writing, longest hair, and Miss Beautiful on Myanmar Women's Day.

MWAF observes Women's Day on the day the military government formed the Myanmar Women's Affair Committee on June 3, 1996. But opposition party and activists in exile such as WLB hold it on the birthday of pro democracy Leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

MWAF has wives of military government leaders as members. A majority of the members are teachers, civil servants and are pro-junta.