Myanmar people are kind by nature and we have heartfelt pity on other living things. If someone were to say this sympathetic nature is engendering the dangers caused by pigeons and dogs on the streets of Yangon, animal lovers will be quick to provide a stream of comments. But this is a serious and very […]
‘Overreacting to failure’: Facebook’s new Myanmar strategy baffles local activists
February 11, 2019 by
Facebook banned four ethnic armed Myanmar-based groups from its site this week, in its latest effort to reckon with its role in the violence in that nation. But the tech giant’s decision is drawing criticism from local civil society and human rights groups who warn that the move appears ill-considered and inconsistent with international law. […]
The Muslim woman breaking barriers in sex education in Myanmar
November 27, 2018 by
Adjusting her hijab and looking around the class, Dr Thet Htwe starts the day’s lesson with a simple question. “Who wants to know about the human sexual response?” Everyone raises their hand, some sheepishly giggling. In a country where there’s still a debate over the proper word to use for “vagina” and simply talking about […]
Facebook ‘ban’ of anti-Muslim slur sparks Myanmar outcry
June 1, 2017 by
Myanmar netizens were in an uproar on Monday after Facebook seemingly banned people from posting the word “kalar,” often used as a slur against Muslims, at a time of rising Islamophobia in the country. Facebook is under global pressure to clamp down on hate speech, violent threats or deliberately misleading information on their platform — […]
Deadly secret: The illegal abortions killing Myanmar’s women
May 8, 2017 by
Yangon, May 2 (AFP) Thiri’s heart started pounding and her whole body shook after she swallowed the final dose of pills that would end her unwanted pregnancy in a Yangon hotel. Her boyfriend had abandoned her after finding out she was pregnant — a familiar story in Myanmar, where many consider women “ruined” if they […]
The land of the $20 smartphone
March 31, 2017 by
“This one $40, this one $30 … that one $20!” The owner of the street stall, a man of about 30 years wearing a traditional longyi tied around his waist, is gesturing at a phone that looks, to my eyes, like a mid-range Android phone. It bears the brand Singtech, a brand among myriad others […]
Myanmar’s Garment Industry Holds Unique Opportunity
February 20, 2017 by
Just as I return from visiting garment factories in Myanmar, a stream of press attention focuses on challenges facing this area. Although there are challenges, my trip has only made me believe in the unique opportunity this country represents to change the future of how our clothing is made. Amidst the media headlines there lies […]
Workers Left in Lurch By Overseas Employment Agency Seek Compensation
November 17, 2016 by
Eighteen Myanmar migrant workers are seeking additional compensation from the Perfect Company employment agency over what they say is its failure to accept responsibility for the joblessness to which they were subjected upon arriving in Thailand. That denial is in violation of an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding (MoU), the workers and the Confederation of Trade […]
