(From L to R) Ma Pyu She, Tun Soe Aye, Myat Soe Nwe, and Myint Myint Oo are some of the women from Kyay Ma Thout village receiving gender leadership training in Rakhine State to combat gender inequality and rigid social norms.

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Rakhine State is one of the poorest and most unstable State in Myanmar where international media has turned its attention towards the State’s active persecution of the Rohingya Muslim ethnic group. But, an underlying issue also exist in Rakhine: patriarchal norms dominate both women’s private and public lives and inhibit them from taking active meaningful roles in their communities. “In our country Myanmar, women’s participation in politics and decision making is very weak, especially in Rakhine State. Responding to these issues, our program is committed to making change for women (by) raising women’s leadership skills and helping them stand up for their rights” states Ma Khin Hla, director of local Rakhine women’s organisation, Yaung Chi Thit.

Since 2018, Yaung Chi Thit with Oxfam Myanmar has been working with women in Buddhist rural villages and internally displaced people’s camps (IDP camps) to address these issues. Women gather together and not only learn about women empowerment, but are taught leadership, negotiation skills and basic entrepreneurial skills to increase their confidence. They also take part in public awareness activities to challenge discriminatory attitudes against women in their communities.

“I think about (gender norms) a lot. Why do women only do housework? We are more that that, we can be leaders too” says Myat Soe Nwe, a participant of the training (second from right).

Myat Soe Nwe focuses on a garment as she sews.

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Myat Soe Nwe (20) is like many young women her age in her village; hard-working, dutiful and curious. As a kid at school, she dreamt of becoming a teacher. But when her mother fell ill, that dream was dashed as roles were reversed and she had to become the primary caregiver of the household.

“When I was 13 I had to drop out of school as my mother suddenly needed a stomach operation and I needed to support my family. I felt so upset because I had to give up my dream of being a teacher.” This is not uncommon for girls in the villages who are expected to adopt domestic work growing older. Since then, Myat Soe Nwe has continued to look after the family shop and runs a small tailoring business.

In Rakhine State, pursuing education is not prioritised for girls as it is for young boys. In many cases, students are chosen are accepted into schools not because of their entry marks, but instead their gender.

Myat Soe Nwe watches on as her younger sister studies for her final exams. While Myat Soe Nwe has dropped out of her school, she is grateful she’s able to support her young sister Khin Thandar San (18) to finish her studies.

Myat Soe Nwe reads one of the pamplets provided by the trainings. They include information about international laws that protect women’s rights such as The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Myanmar is signatory of.

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Myat Soe Nwe’s mother found out about the Gender Leadership Program through a community visit by a Yaung Chi Thit staff.

“When my mother first came home and told me about the new program that would be held in the community about leadership, I didn’t know if I could join or not, but I said I was very excited to try.” For several months, Myat Soe Nwe was introduced to concepts like ‘gender norms’ and ‘gender roles’ and key international conventions that impact women’s lives in Myanmar and taught skills to address gender issues within her community.

“After the training I looked around me and realise that women had less education and less confidence, so I started to talk to my relatives. I told them they shouldn’t discriminate against their daughters, but encourage the mto go to school or else they can’t become leaders.”

She admits that changing people’s rigid beliefs in her village is hard but she tries anyway, “I’m persistent”.

Myat Soe Nwe’s sewing machine.

As the eldest daughter, Myat Soe Nwe quit school to look after the family when her mother fell ill.

Myat Soe Nwe shares a laugh with her sister Khin Thandar San outside the family shop.

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Although Myat Soe Nwe couldn’t finish school, she’s immensely proud of her sister’s pursuits. She’s also proud of herself. “I talk to her about women leading activities, gender equality and womens’ rights.”

“By explaining leadership to my sister and other people in the village, I feel more self-confident and proud of myself because people are becoming more aware of the knowledge I’m sharing.”

Through this gender leadership training, women’s lives are changing, one women at a time.