MEDIA RELEASE

The Government of Myanmar and UNICEF hold first ever

Consultative Workshop to review the Myanmar Child Law

Myanmar Child Law is critically reviewed to ensure alignment with the United Nations

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), international standards of juvenile justice

and the 2008 Constitution of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar

YANGON, 09 December 2011 – The first ever joint consultative workshop to review Myanmar

Child Law concluded in the city today with recommendations on alignment of the Child Law,

structured after the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC), with the provisions

made in Myanmar’s 2008 Constitution.

“This first ever joint consultative meeting to review the Child Law within the framework of the new

Constitution sets a milestone for both the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and all of us

participating in the workshop,” said U Aung Tun Khaing, Deputy Director General of the Department

of Social Welfare in his opening remarks on 8 December.

“In the last 18 years, Myanmar has sent four reports to the CRC Committee, and the Committee has

made a number of observations on child rights in Myanmar. Myanmar as a State Party to the CRC

must address those issues through its laws and policy formulation,” added U Aung Tun Khaing.

The two-day workshop was organized by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Social Welfare,

Relief and Resettlement and with support from the Government of Australia. The workshop brought

together over hundred participants from government ministries, national and international NGOs and

UN Agencies for a broad-based consultative process. The participants engaged in analysing and

assessing gaps in Myanmar Child Law and its Rules, in relation to other key legislations, and in

identifying issues which may not be in compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child

(CRC) and international standards pertaining to Juvenile Justice.

Her Excellency Ms. Bronte Moules, Ambassador of Australia in Myanmar in her opening speech said,

“Since 2005 the Australian Government has been supporting the work of the Government of

Myanmar and UNICEF to improve the treatment of children in contact with the law.”

“It was therefore with great pleasure that we agreed to extend our cooperation with UNICEF on

juvenile justice to support the Myanmar Government’s efforts to do a comprehensive review and

reform of legislation for children. The aim of this review is to help Myanmar bring its national

legislation further in line with provision the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other

international instruments on Juvenile Justice Administration,” she said.

U Aung Tun Khaing Deputy Director-General, Department of Social Welfare, Mr. Ramesh M.

Shrestha, Representative of UNICEF Myanmar and Hon. Murray Kellam, retired Judge of the

Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia were the key presenters and facilitators in the workshop.

“Growth does not always narrow the gaps between the poorest and the richest, and it may leave the

very poorest behind. In every society there is also discrimination based on wealth, language,

disability, race, or simply from looking different. The national legal protection system must be able to

mitigate the impacts of these factors so that every child has an equal opportunity to grow, develop and

contribute to the society through the national development process,” said Mr. Ramesh Shrestha,

Representative of UNICEF Myanmar, in his welcome remarks, “Meanwhile, we also need to pay

attention to ensure that what is recommended and prescribed in the law and the Constitution are fully

implemented.”

On the first day participants divided in groups discussed a number of thematic issues such as:

Obligations of the State, Sustainability of Reform and resource mobilization, Maintenance, Custody

and Care of Children, Powers of Department of Social Welfare with respect to children in need of

protection, Birth Registration and Citizenship, Adoption and Inheritance, Education, Health, Working

Children and Views of the Child and Participation.

The discussions and group work in the second day focused on International Standards in relation to

the Protection of Vulnerable children and children in contact with the law.

Recommendations gathered from the review workshop will be used by the Ministry of Social Welfare,

Relief and Resettlement and other relevant government partners to redraft the Child Law.

Myanmar Child Law was enacted in 1993 after Myanmar ratified the CRC in 1991. Rules related to

the Child Law were issued by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in 2001.

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Enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child are full ranges of child rights clustered in four

major groups: right to Survival, Development, Protection and Participation.

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For further information please contact:

Zafrin Chowdhury, Chief of Communication and Information Section, UNICEF Myanmar,

+95-1-375527-32 (Ext. 1443) zchowdhury@unicef.org

Sandar Linn, Communication Officer, UNICEF Myanmar, +95-1-375527-32 (Ext: 1439),

slinn@unicef.org