Mingalarbar!
Welcome to the November 2018 Edition of the GEN Monthly Newsletter... A month has passed again but we are far from slowing down and busy with celebrating the 16 Days of Activism by organising the Forever White Ribbon Film Festival in various States and Regions. Selected films for the film festival are all short films and documentary films which reflect gender equality and prevention of violence against women. The award ceremony will be in December and it is now highly anticipated.
We always request a GEN member, friend or staff to provide some insight into their participation with GEN. This month, Ma Khaing Pwint Aung (Local Resource Center), who actively participated in GEN's activities as a member, shared her feelings and experience with GEN.
Mingalarbar!
I’m Khaing Pwint Aung from Local Resource Center.
Although we have been familiar with the Gender Equality Network for a long time, our membership started only in 2018. I’ll keep supporting the ongoing activities of GEN such as advocating for women’s rights, gender equality and laws that prevent violence against women with LRC and as an individual. I’ll also keep involving in the activities of GEN with LRC and as an individual as well.
GEN’s Highlights
CSO Organizational Development Training in Mandalay
Four-day CSO Organizational Development Training was held on 30th October to 2th November 2018 at Hotel 89 (Road 89, Between 22nd and 23rd Street, Aung Myae Tharzan Township, Mandalay Region.) Gender Equality Network and DCA-NCA co-facilitated the workshop and 52 people (11 M, 38 F, Other 3) including 52 representatives from 14 CSOs joined the workshop.
CSO Organizational Development Training in Taunggyi
Four-day CSO Organizational Development Training was held from 30th October to 3rd November 2018 at Cherry Queen Hotel (No/119 ၊ Myint Mo Street ၊ Nyaung Phyu SaKham Quarter, Taunggyi). Gender Equality Network and DCA-NCA co-facilitated the workshop and 39 people (7 M, 30 F, Other 2) including 39 representatives from 14 CSOs joined the workshop.
Gender, Labour and Workplace Workshop in Nay Pyi Taw
"Gender, Labour and Workplace Workshop" was successfully conducted on 9th November 2018 at Horizon Lake View Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw. Union Minister U Thein Swe gave the opening speech and around 80 people including the government officials from different departments attended the workshop.
Gender-based Violence 4W Mapping Workshop
Gender-based Violence 4W mapping workshop was held on 11th November 2018 in Hpa An Township, Kayin Region. Gender Equality Network, Department of Social Welfare, UNFPA and Marie Stopes International co-facilitated the workshop and 48 people (11 M, 37 F) joined the workshop.
CSO Organizational Development Training in Myitkyina
Four-day CSO Organizational Development Training was held from 6th November to 9th November 2018 at Koan Thal Gyi Myar Hotel (No/8 ၊ Zaw John Street ၊ Myo Ma Quarter, Myitkyina). Gender Equality Network and DCA-NCA co-facilitated the workshop and 39 people (11 M, 28 F) including 32 representatives from 15 CSOs joined the workshop.
Forever White Ribbon Film Festival (Yangon)
Forever White Ribbon Film Festival which is part of 16 Days of Activism was successfully held on 25th November (Sunday) at Mahar Bandula Park in Yangon. In the afternoon, 16 Days of Activism Public Campaign which included entertainment session, booth shows and role play was held. In the evening, the selected documentaries and short films of Forever White Ribbon Film Festival were screened.
Forever White Ribbon Film Festival (Mandalay)
Forever White Ribbon Film Festival which is part of 16 Days of Activism was successfully held on 28th November at Manaw Yaman Park in Mandalay. 16 Days of Activism Public Campaign which included entertainment session, booth shows and role play was held. In the evening, the selected documentaries and short films of Forever White Ribbon Film Festival were screened to the public.
Meetings and Workshops attended by GEN’s representatives
Training to Ethnic Armed Organization (EAO) on gender-based violence in collaboration with KNWO (Karenni National Women’s Organization)
27th – 28th 2018 - Training was provided by GEN National Consultant, Daw Su Su Nge at Loikaw with 50 participants. The participants were actively discussed in the group work and present their views.
Final Dissemination Workshop for Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (MCCA) Programme, Nay Pyi Taw
31st October 2018 - National Consultant, Daw Su Su Nge, joined the workshop at Thingaha Hotel as the panellist on discussion of “Participation and support to implementation of the MCCSMP and MCCP in Myanmar”. Panellists were asked to share their views on the implementation of programme and GEN shared its opinions on how climate change has negative impact on women and what should be done especially for women on the resilience of global warming.
1st & 2nd November 2018 – GEN’s Director attended AGIPP's Women, Peace and Security Forum at Mercure Hotel and provided the opening speech.
2nd November 2018 – GEN’s Director attended dinner meeting with Ethnic Armed Organizations leaders who are the members of UPDJC at Mercure Hotel organized by AGIPP.
3rd & 4th November 2018 – GEN’s Director joined AGIPP's OD workshop at Mercure Hotel.
7th November 2018 – GEN’s Director joined as a panelist in "Roundtable on the future of work for Myanmar Women" jointly organized by IDRC's K4D Myanmar Initiative, University of Toronto and MIPS at Mercure Hotel.
12th -15th November 2018 – GEN’s Director attended “2018 Women, Peace and Security Forum” jointly organized by ICAN (International Civil Society Action Network) and the Association of War Affected Women (AWAW) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ICAN’s annual forum brings together women peacebuilders and human rights defenders, including members of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL), for three days of learning, exchange, and strategic planning. This year’s theme is “Locally Rooted, Globally Connected: Harnessing the Collective Power of Women’s Leadership in Preventing Violent Extremism and Promoting Sustainable Peace”.
12th November 2018 - GEN Deputy Director and Advisor participated in the workshop on “Strengthening Women’s Entrepreneurship in ASEAN” at the Department of SME Development in Yangon. GEN Advisor presented a power point presentation on “Women Entrepreneurship and Development in Myanmar” focusing on the linkage of Myanmar women entrepreneurship to the regional and global initiatives.
15th November 2018 – GEN’s Director attended meeting with Pete Vowles, Director of DFID for Asia to share the experiences of promoting peace and governance in Myanmar.
The ACIAR Southeast Asia Regional Workshop on integrating gender in agricultural value-chain research, Hanoi
15th -16th November 2018 - GEN was invited to join one panel in the workshop to talk issue around policy advocacy and how gender related policies are advocated to the policy makers. National Consultant was able to share of GEN’s experiences on policy advocacy and challenges and how barriers were overcome along the way. Daw Su Su Nge was also participated in a panel named “the role of NGOs in agricultural research and development in SEA” as the moderator.
19th November 2018 – GEN’s Director joined as a panellist in “What do policymakers really want from researchers?” roundtable discussion organized by IDRC at Mercure Hotel.
19th – 20th November 2018 - GEN’s Director attended training and mentoring programme for think tanks researchers and policy advocates in Myanmar organized by Kivu at Mercure Hotel.
19th November 2018 – GEN Advisor conducted one day workshop on “Urban safety for women: Reducing all forms of violence against women”, held in Hpa An with participation of law enforcers, government officials, CSOs and parliamentarians.
21st November 2018 – GEN Advisor facilitated a session on women’s rights and inclusion of women in promoting social accountability and good governance at a five-days “Workshop on Human Rights, Social Accountability and Good Governance”, held in Thaton. It was participated by government officials representing various government departments.
26th November 2018 – GEN Advisor participated in the workshop jointly organized by Ministry of Education, Ministry of Industry and ADB on reviewing the project on “Equipping Youth for Employment (EYE)”. A key focus of EYE is supporting 2 sets of national reforms aimed at enhancing gender sensitive curriculum and the role of secondary education (middle school and high school) in equipping youth with flexible/foundational “soft skills” like creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication; and the role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in providing vocation-specific “hard skills”, such as skills for construction, welding, machinery repair, etc.
30th November 2018 - GEN Advisor participated in the “IPACE’s 16 Days of Activism event on Walking the Walk on Combatting Gender-Based Violence in Myanmar”. Participated as panel member to discuss about preventing violence against women by law, together with Dr. San San Aye, Director General, Department of Social Welfare.
