2/:%$M9/5:%>"=+.%&$"6>&2"& 2/:%6L=":;%87!%##%6<" 6>"N1$+"&2"& $</-1D@S 6>0H?/56>" #HcH$)"6>" ."&2B%(/5:%#Q;-A5!A.QO <#:%&'*+=%'2=%$6-&-1D@&” '$+/,&<$H&$+"&#3:% 0HN+!%#?%.B%&-B">-%<A5& <#:%&'*+=%'2=%$+"&>>)/$M 62+";.B%&8*:%& G:%6>"=%693&6(3&<@#!%R&J '68-"'> 6?D5?+'"&87:;% '$+/,&<$H&$+"&<B% =3.%8-d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z$+"&=/5 !/5&>/$%=" #$:%#="-:% ':%#".=% <A5&*3:;%$8-,6L=":%& 68-"8--1<B%S '$+/,&<$H&$+"&'#3=% >B%>3?%6<" <#:%&'*+=%'2=%$+"&():;% -B"6-&$@G10$+"& '62;'4$+"&=/5 '=Q87#%$M $8-,8*:%& '$+/,&<$H&$+"& 2=%*A>>)/6<"<#:%&'*+=%'2=%$+"& (A5*+">8*:%&$)" '!/5&>'6.87:;% k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ssue 6: Women’s access to gender-specific information is hindered by cultural barriers. In Myanmar, cultural barriers are some of the most significant blocks to women achieving their right to information. Both society and the government create such barriers. Women’s access to information is restricted by the government to protect ‘traditional values’. Participants believed that the government actively restricts women’s right to information on the basis that they are protecting a set of traditional and shared cultural values. For example, during the 2015 new year’s festival of Thingyan, the authorities banned all healthcare providers, including high street pharmacies, from selling contraceptives and ordered their withdrawal from public display for a week. While this is primarily blocking access to healthcare, it had the effect of healthcare providers also ARTICLE 19 - Censored gender: Women’s right to freedom of expression and information in Myanmar - Page 55