Implement policies to empower women’s access to information: • • • Appoint public officials at all levels, particularly in township administrations and government hospitals, to proactively empower people to access information that is upto-date, relevant and in an appropriate language. Such responsibilities should include the removal of barriers to information for women established by society on the basis of ‘tradition’, and a requirement for such officers to proactively engage with women. Ensure all government departments conduct gender-sensitive evaluations of their projects, including gender-disaggregated data, and disseminate the results openly. Reform all policies and practices relating to digital media and telecommunications to ensure their gender sensitivity, with the aim of facilitating equal access. Implement policies to empower women’s voices in decision making: • • • • Disseminate to ministries, departments and institutions guidance on interpreting the constitutional guarantee to non-discrimination under Article 348, including its application when regulating dress. Implement systems that aim for the proportional representation of women in the legislative, judicial and executive pillars, and seek to encourage the representation of women among parliamentary candidates and cabinet ministers. Include in all consultation processes independent gender-focused civil society organisations, in addition to – or in place of - the government-aligned MWAF and MMCWA. Identify and initiate the reform of all de facto and de jure rules that require women to gain permission from a third party in order to make decisions about their own lives, particularly their sexual and reproductive health. Implement policies to protect women who speak out: • • • • Publicly condemn gender-based violence. Ensure that all allegations of gender-based violence or gender-based discrimination are investigated in a transparent, prompt, impartial and efficient manner. In the civil service, establish a safe mechanism to review gender-based complaints made against civil servants. Establish a commission to investigate women’s access to justice with the aim of identifying mechanisms that can support vulnerable and marginalised gender groups in accessing police and judicial processes. Initiate the urgent training of police officers, prison staff, military and other members of the security services in non-violent and gender-sensitive approaches to their work. Reform recruitment policies and procedures of security services to ensure 50% representation of women at all levels. '!/ 5 & ></ 5 P 'W=A 8 -,*+=% $ +"& • “'$+/,&<$H&$+"& #/5&#=%6>&'#3=% '$+/,&<"&'9:;% $\"c+d\"!H$A=/.%&” =/5 2+:%8$.% -3:;%2:%&8$:%<"!3" '6=":%'4B%67"%>.% <:;%62+"%2A562"=%6<" D#%N+#% 2+"4"&*+=%*+$)#%Y-H& #/5:%&#"(/5:%6<" 'FC.%&=/.%&$+"&87:;% */5:%$"6<" ()!%'2/5=%25-%:.%& ARTICLE 19 - Censored gender: Women’s right to freedom of expression and information in Myanmar - Page 6