Auspiciousness to all!
First of all, I’d like to extend greetings to all guests who attend the ceremony to mark today’s International Women’s Day 2022 to be physical and mental wellbeing and auspiciousness.
The International Women’s Day ceremonies are held across the world with the aim of paying the attentions to the rights and capabilities of women and emphasizing the realization of the women’s rights. To do so, the United Nations has been setting the themes for the ceremonies since 1996.
The theme for the International Women’s Day 2022 was set as ‘‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” Thetheme of this year’s celebration will help all global countries ensure harmony with climate change in further strengthening the future for sustainable development, recognize the contribution and capability of women and young women who are taking a leading role in implementation of measures of harmony, risk reduction and response in the climate change in the building the sustainable developed and firm future and pay attentions to further taking gender equality into consideration in order to mitigate the crises and disasters related to the climatic conditions which are challenges of the 21st Century.
We all will face climate change and outbreak of natural disasters which are primary hindrances to marching into the sustainable development goals.
The climate change may cause not only biophysical changes but also social impacts.
The climate change may cause unequality and various sensativities based on gender affairs, standard, movable situations, age and disabilities.
Women are suffering from impacts of the climate changes more than men. It is because women are more relying on the resources which may be mostly damaged by climate change and sufferings. At the same time, as women and girls know environments and ecosystems on a wider scale due to their work natures, they can be seen as leaders in the harmony with the climate change, risk reduction and response tasks.
Hence, it is noticeable that the women are of great importance in keeping abreast of men in participating in the efforts and response to risk reduction of the climate change at full capacity. With regard to the important role of women, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change approved in 1992 states that those member countries of the convention shall recognize the important role of women in tackling the climate change and gender equality measures, shoulder to shoulder with the men in implementing the convention tasks.
Since the signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Myanmar has been implementing the provisions of the convention with all seriousness. It can be seen that the Environmental Policy of Myanmar (2019), the Myanmar Climate Change Strategy (2019) and the Myanmar Climate Change Strategy (2018-2030) have been adopted in an appropriate manner with the situation of Myanmar by combining them with the concepts of gender equality and the promotion of the roles of women and girls.
It can also be seen that the section titled women and environment has been added to the strategy as a major field with an emphasis on meaningful participation of women in management of natural resources, environmental conservation, responses to adapt to climate change and strengthening of structures and rules and regulations. It is fully believed that men and women can participate equally in the strategic plan, which covers various sectors, and it is an important plan to create a better society.
As the year 2022 is the final year of the national level strategy, it is necessary to review the advantages and disadvantages in order to develop a new strategy for the future. In doing so, respective ministries and organizations are urged to actively take the leading role in relevant sectors.
Taking gender equality systematically into consideration in such policies, strategies, main initiatives and plans is meant to create a favourable environment to promote the leading role of women and girls in tasks relating to climate change and will contribute much to building a resilient, healthy and happy society through the cooperation of all in 2030. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was signed by Myanmar in 1997, states that the full and complete development of a country, the welfare of the world and the cause of peace require the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields.
Placing emphasis on the provision, Myanmar is taking measures for development of the women sector extensively.
It can also be seen that emphasis has been placed on encouraging women to participate not only in economic and social sectors but also in political and administrative sectors on equal terms with men and remarkable progress has been achieved. To accelerate the success already achieved, participants are urged to draft new policies, rules and regulations and laws and to amend existing ones to be compatible with the current situation in order to help women and girls overcome traditional barriers and challenges of the 21st Century.
In conclusion, I would like to point out that women, who represent more than half of the population of the country, are an important force in building a union based on federal system and invaluable human resources for the country and urge all to continue to exert efforts to utilize the capabilities of such invaluable human resources effectively in various sectors including adaptation to and reduction of the climate change and to enhance the capabilities of women and girls.
Thank you.