{"id":5062,"date":"2011-11-07T10:41:54","date_gmt":"2011-11-07T17:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/humanium.org\/en\/?page_id=5062"},"modified":"2025-12-05T15:38:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T15:38:35","slug":"myanmar","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.humanium.org\/en\/myanmar\/","title":{"rendered":"Children of Myanmar"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Children of Myanmar<\/h1>\n

Realizing Children\u2019s Rights in Myanmar<\/h2>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the 1960s, Myanmar was one of the most prosperous nations in southern Asia.\u00a0 Since 1962, however, it has been governed by a military junta, and has in the process become one of the poorest countries in the world.\u00a0 Not surprisingly, very little respect is shown for children\u2019s rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Population:<\/strong> 55,1 million
\nPop. ages 0-14:<\/strong> 26,7 %<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Life expectancy:<\/strong> 65,2 years
\nUnder-5 mortality rate:<\/strong> 40 \u2030<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Main problems faced by children in Myanmar:<\/p>\n

Poverty<\/a><\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n

Myanmar suffers from structural poverty<\/a>.\u00a0 32 % of the population lives below the poverty line.\u00a0 For example, the Gross National Product (GIP) per inhabitant is $1,246. This sort of poverty<\/a> prevents children from enjoying their most fundamental rights.\u00a0 Children from rural areas are especially hard hit.<\/p>\n

Right to Health<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lack of equipment and competent personnel has a considerable effect on the health<\/a> of children, particularly those from poor families.\u00a0 In effect, around 70 \u2030 of Myanmar\u2019s children die before the age of 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Other alarming health indicators include such things as dietary deficiencies (often present from birth) and AIDS<\/a> (often passed from mother to infant); it is estimated that numerous children suffer from these two problems. Suffice it to say that, in order to improve the living conditions of children, the risk of mother-to-child HIV infection needs to be eradicated.<\/p>\n

Right to Education<\/a><\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n

Instruction is free and obligatory up to the age of 10\u2014which is well short of the international average.\u00a0 It is estimated that 20% of Myanmar\u2019s children have no schooling. The government provides no real funds for education<\/a>, and parents are not always able to finance their children\u2019s studies.<\/p>\n

Violence<\/strong><\/p>\n

The children of Myanmar are regularly the victims of violence:\u00a0 physical, sexual, psychological, etc. Violence directed at children very often occurs in the context of the armed conflict raging through Myanmar.\u00a0 Owing to this deplorable situation, it is all the more difficult to set up structures dedicated to meeting the needs of children.<\/p>\n

Child Labour<\/a><\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n

Children from poor families are the principal victims of this problematic. In effect, many of them are obliged to find work in order to support the needs of their families.Often, they are forced to work<\/a> in mines, on construction sites, or as domestic help.\u00a0 These forms of work are dangerous for their health<\/a> and has a negative effect on both their physical and psychological development.<\/p>\n

Displaced Children<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

In Myanmar, economic difficulties and armed conflict have caused more than 500,000 people to flee their homes.\u00a0 The situation is alarming:\u00a0 more than a third of those displaced<\/a> are children.<\/p>\n

Witnesses to atrocities and sometimes victims of violence themselves, these children lead intensely stressful daily lives.\u00a0 Deprived of shelter, of access to an education<\/a> and the most basic social services, they stand in dire need of protection.\u00a0 Indeed, much needs to be done on that score.<\/p>\n

Child Soldiers<\/a><\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n

The minimum age for enrolment in the army is 18; nevertheless, children as young as 14 are often kidnapped and forced to fight against ethnic rebels. These children pass their days in training camps where conditions are absolutely awful:\u00a0 violence, filth, lack of food, etc.<\/p>\n

Certain of them desert the camps but they do so at their own peril.<\/p>\n

Identity<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

65 % of births are not officially reported in Myanmar.\u00a0 Rural regions are particularly affected by this problem since midwives register births in an informal manner. Very few births are reported to the proper authorities; consequently, many children do not officially exist in the eyes of society<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Children of Myanmar Realizing Children\u2019s Rights in Myanmar At the beginning of the 1960s, Myanmar was one of the most prosperous nations in southern Asia.\u00a0 Since 1962, however, it has been governed by a military junta, and has in the process become one of the poorest countries in the world.\u00a0 Not surprisingly, very little […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5062","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChildren of Myanmar - Humanium<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Being governed by a military junta since 1962, Myanmar has become one of the poorest countries. 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