Political Party Guidelines Eng

Example: Myanmar and harmful practices
Many harmful practices still take place in various parts of the Myanmar. Amongst them:
1. Many girls have to marry under-aged.
2. Girls or young women are forced to marry the man who raped them.
3. Compensating rape with material goods such as a cow, a chicken, or offering local alcohol
to the whole village.
4. Holding on to the tradition where women do not inherit.
Again, it must be stressed that these kinds of practices are severe violations of girls’ and women’s human
rights. At the same time they severely hamper development, as they prevent women and girls
fulfilling their potential. The individual suffers, her imminent family suffers, and the whole nation loses.
3.8 Substantive equality
There are two ways of looking at equality: equality of opportunities, and equality of outcome. The
latter is called by scholars substantive equality.
People who promote equality of opportunity believe that, once everyone gets the same chances to use
their talents, then it is up to the individual to reach the goals she or he has set for her or his life.
People who promote substantive equality understand that there are in our societies, hidden structures
which make it harder for some people or groups of people to fulfil their full potential. Above mentioned
scientists in Yale University serve as a good example of this: the hidden structures in this case
is their biased thinking which automatically makes them suppose that men are more competent. And
this thinking, in the Yale university case, makes it harder for the aspiring female students to advance.
Unfortunately, women run into these barriers everywhere, all the time.
3.9 Gender equity
What is the difference between the words “equality” and “equity”?
Equality carries the meaning of “the same”. E.g. in front of the law everyone is to be treated exactly in
the same way.
Equity is a wider concept. It carries the meaning of “fairness”. People have to be treated in a way which is
fair and e.g. takes into consideration the fact that the game does not have the same rules for everybody.
Someone in a wheelchair will not be made to compete with a person with a bicycle.
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GUIDELINES FOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN MYANMAR