Debunking myths: Counter-narratives in the fight against gender-based violence in Myanmar (Hsu Myat Yadanar Thein, Than Tun, Yay Chann) looks at the positive impact of social media in creating momentum toward rejecting social norms and promoting an environment where survivors can speak out and gain support and empowerment to address gender-based violence.
Debunking myths: Counter-narratives in the fight against gender-based violence in Myanmar
By Hsu Myat Yadanar Thein, Than Tun, and Yay Chann
MYANMAR DIGITAL RESEARCH 21
Executive summary
Violence against women is a significant issue in Myanmar, but condemning this violence is considered ‘taboo’ – as it is challenging to confront the status quo in a male-dominated society. Society continues to uphold conservative views when it comes to addressing sexual harassment, especially in terms of openly identifying and calling out perpetrators (The Gender Equality Network, 2015). A UNFPA study in 2016 found that one in five married women has faced physical, sexual or emotional violence from their intimate partners. Shockingly, the same study found that less than eight percent of 15-19 year-olds who have encountered such violence have sought help. Since the 1990s, the struggle for women’s rights has gained momentum alongside the political struggle for democracy. Following the political transition in 2011, the pace of change increased: there have been growing voices for women’s participation in political spaces, gender mainstreaming, condemnation of harassment and violence against women, and so on.
Alongside rapidly rising internet penetration after 2011, countless individuals started using digital platforms to share their experiences, seek support, and advocate for change. The digital world has become a significant avenue for survivors and allies to disclose and discuss instances of gender-based violence (GBV), creating a dynamic and evolving discourse. With the rise of social media, more individuals came forward to report gender-based violence online. These voices included the media, human rights activists, civil society organisations and political leaders. Moreover, the global #MeToo movement was evident in Myanmar, pushing boundaries and shifting the discourse around sexual violence and women’s rights (Kyaw & Miedema, 2020).
Against this backdrop, we believe such efforts and conversations around women’s rights, and violence against women, are essential to drive progress in Myanmar toward being a society that can manifest gender justice. We also believe these discussions and debates can influence government policy toward upholding principles of gender justice and women’s rights. Thus, counter-arguments to patriarchal norms must be produced within society, including in people’s daily conversations. However, limited research has been done on how these powerful discourses have been produced among the public, and to what extent these are impactful in shaping public perceptions. This study focuses on these conversations on various digital platforms, particularly social media and the mainstream media. We attempt to explore and analyse how conversations or discussions around women’s rights and gender-based violence have been produced, and how they reject commonly held assumptions about gender-based violence against women. In other words, this study investigates how language or discourse is being used to expose and fight for women’s rights in Myanmar and how impactful this can be in curbing GBV in society.
Building from an analysis of the comments and interactions from three cases of gender-based violence shared by survivors, we recommend policy interventions that include: 1) Victim-centred support systems; 2) Public education and awareness initiatives; 3) Legal accountability and enforcement; 4) Community-led reporting mechanisms; 5) Cultural and social norm reformation; and 6) Data collection and transparency.
This paper was produced as part of the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar (K4DM) initiative, with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and with support from The SecDev Foundation. Views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of either organisation.
Myanmar Digital Research series will have researchers within and in the Myanmar diaspora exploring how the digital world is shaping their social, political and economic crisis, bringing new insights into issues facing Myanmar citizens. See below for others available now.