Discussions
from the
Concerning
the False News Reports from
Internal
and External Dissident Groups
June
2006
Discussion
from the
Concerning
the False News Reports from Internal and External Dissident Groups
Myanmar
Maternal and Child Welfare Association is a voluntary social organization (NGO)
that is working to enhance the health, education and living standards of mothers
and children in
Out
of population of 55 million in
Currently,
our membership stands at over 5.4 million. Immediately after the founding of the
Association, it gives priority to health activities. Later, in addition to
health care activities, educational, economic and social welfare programmes,
contacts with organizations in the country
and abroad became the primary focus of the Association in order to
contribute to economic and social activities for higher living standards. Our
members, belong to a hierarchy of branch associations from the grass roots level
in rural areas to township, district, state, division and central executive
committee levels, are providing assistance to the people. Members of the Central
Executive Committee and the Central Council are always aware of the developments
in the public as they work among the people.
In
The White Shirts published by Network for Democracy and Development (NDD)
in May 2006, false accusations are made under the headings — Organizational
Structure, Recruitment Procedures and Control of Civil Society — to the effect
that together with the USDA, Women's Affairs Federation and Maternal and Child
Welfare Association are interfering in the activities of other NGOs and trying
to gain control over them under the guise of carrying out activities for the
public benefit. In reality, recruitment is entirely on a voluntary basis and
those who appreciate the Association's belief, aim and mission to serve the
people become members.
Our
members are both male and female volunteers with varying economic circumstances.
They take an interest in social
affairs and have a strong motivation to work for others. They wish to provide
financial assistance and professional
skills they possess and able to devote sufficient time to volunteer work. As the
Association was born out of the people, it is impossible that allegations such
as the Association bullies the people. In fact the successful activities of the
Association for the benefit of the people are due to the people's awareness and
support of its services for mothers and children.
Another
fabrication is that the Association forces its members to attend mass rallies.
In fact, it even limits the number of members in attendance at mass rallies as
there are too many who wish to participate. The Association also receives
contributions from well-wishers who have witnessed our activities that benefit
the people and wish to make a donation according to the Buddhist custom.
As
the Association serves the interests of the people, they accept it as their own
organization. While it plays a role in helping to prevent the self-serving
activities of some organizations in
In
its health activities, the Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association
focuses on community-based health activities. It cooperates with the Ministry of
Health especially in the implementation work of health awareness programmes,
prevention, control and elimination of infectious diseases and basic health
development projects that are being carried out by the MoH.
In
2005, the Association conducted 251,837 health talks, which attracted 14,326,672
participants.
Currently,
the world's nations are implementing the United Nations' Millennium Goals. To
fullfill the Goals the Association is working for the reduction of under-five
mortality rate by two-thirds, and maternal mortality rate by three quarters
while combating malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS and other diseases with constant
cooperation of the MoH,.
Since
1995-96 the MMCWA has been engaged in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in cooperation
with the MoH and UN agencies. It has carried out projects with the support of
such UN agencies as UNICEF, UNDP, UNAIDS, NAP, and such organizations as CARE/MDM,
and JTF. It is also initiating its own activities with funds from the state,
division, district and township branch associations contributed by members and
donations from well-wishers. Between 1994 and 2005, the Association carried out
projects in life skills training for housewives, awareness raising, advocacy
workshop on HIV/AIDS for district leaders, peer education training, home-based
care, care, counseling and support, responding to emerging needs of people
living with AIDS (PLWHAs). In 2005, 5,639 HIV/AIDS educational activities are
carried out, reaching 4,232,840 people.
The
allegations against the Government concerning the threat of HIV/AIDS, contained
in the NCUB statement are also falsehoods. The Government has formed a hierarchy
of National Health Committees, which are carrying out health care activities as
a national movement. The project and activities that our Association taking part
prove that measures for the prevention, cure and control of HIV/AIDS are
being carried out as a national movement from the central level to village
grassroots level.
World
AIDS Day ceremony held annually on 1 December is one of the activities carried
out in partnership with organizations in
Allegations
by the NCGUB to the effect that
The
Government is making endeavours to build a modern, developed nation. The
Government, the Armed Forces and the People have joined hands and our
Association also contributes
enthusiastically together with other NGOs such as the USDA, Women's Affairs, the
Myanmar Red Cross Society, etc.
In
the education sector, our Association has set up pre-primary schools with the
aim of supporting the all-round early childhood development, both physically and
intellectually. The schools fulfill the needs of children who lack a mother's
care and enabling mothers to engage in income-generating activities and
businesses as they can entrust their children to safe nurseries.
In
addition, we provide assistance such as educational stipends to enable children
to complete primary school education. We carry out literacy campaigns for the
middle-aged and the elderly in order to achieve a higher literacy rate.
As
a result of the efforts made by the Ministry of Education, the literacy rate
among the elderly in Myanma is 94%, the highest in
The
MMCWA carries out mothers and
children care activities in order to ensure safe motherhood and safe childhood
starting from pregnancy to birth.
The
maternity clinics opened by the
MMCWA provide health care services
for the reduction of maternal mortality, infant mortality and under-five
mortality, which are included in the Millennium Development Goals. The maternity
clinics provide access to reproductive health care services, care during
pregnancy, safe delivery with professionals, postnatal care, health education,
vaccination, birth spacing for the health of the mother and the child,
breastfeeding, and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS.
In cooperation with the MoH and UNFPA, the MMCWA has carried out projects in
reproductive health, behavioural change communication, adolescent reproductive
health and provided reproductive health education for young people with a
special focus on HIV/AIDS and the prevention of narcotic drugs abuse.
Regarding
the nutrition of children, the MMCWA is working to ensure under-five nutrition
by conducting a survey of malnourished children, setting up village food banks
in villages and townships, opening community nutrition centres, initiating a
growth monitoring programme to ensure nutrition of children, carrying out
education programmes for mothers on nutritious cooking and demonstration of
cooking techniques, conducting training courses, and giving supplements for
iodine deficiency, iron-deficiency, vitamin-A deficiency and other conditions
caused by malnutrition.
The
participation and contributions of the MCCWA in activities implemented by the
MoH under the leadership of the Government may be likened to a brick or a grain
of sand in a building. As a result of the endeavours made by the Government
health status has risen. The under-five mortality declines from 130 per 1000
live births in 1990 to 66.6 in 2005 while under-one mortality has decreased from
98 per 1000 live births in 1998 to 49.7 in 2003. As an outcome of public health
care activities,
While
the MCCWA is making special efforts to
provide vocational training, assist in finding jobs and create income-generation
opportunities with the aim of raising family incomes and living standards, the
EU and the West imposed economic sanctions on our country, resulting in the
closure of a number of factories, which greatly affected the working mothers.
The Association redoubled its efforts for the benefit of mothers and families
and has provided the necessary social support and assistance in the form of
small loans, seed money or capital and assisted in finding employment. The
allegation that
As
for social welfare activities, the Association provides assistance to those with
health problems. It has initiated a programme of treatment for eye disease under
which 5,564 cataract patients were operated
in 2005 and regained eye sight. Similarly, patients with congenital
defects, cleft lips and cleft palates have received operations. It is also
engaged in providing care for the elderly as part of its contribution to social
welfare work. In 2005, 473,138 elderly persons have received health care and
social welfare
In
addition, the MMCWA in cooperation with other social organizations (NGOs) obtain
access to female inmates of
prisons and imprisoned mothers in accordance with rules and regulations, as part
of it social support work. It is also carrying out humanitarian activities in
partnership with the Government, departments concerned and NGOs.
The
MMCWA is also making efforts to promote health, education, economic and social
activities for the benefit of mothers, children and families, its contributes on
a continuous basis to activities that serve the fundamental interests of the
nation. As for the persistent allegations by the ILO that
The
Association is working in partnership with various organizations within
The
MMCWA is one of the organizations taking part in national development
activities. As our membership has reached 5.4 million out of a total population
of 55 million, 10% of the people are our members. With one member in every two
households, we have been able to carry out health, education, economic and
social welfare activities very effectively for the people in accordance with the
objectives of the Association. The activities of our Association are
non-political and are only concerned for the
care of mothers, their children and their families. Every member is involved in
the four major activities of the Association: health, education, social affairs
and economic affairs in order to fulfill the needs of the State and the People.
As our Association works for the people's interests and benefit, we enjoy
popular support. We also serve as necessary in order to prevent the harmful
self-serving activities of some organizations inside
The
activities and programmes of our Association are achieving success through the
participation of the public and the support and guidance of the government,
ministries and departments concerned. The cooperation of international
organizations and UN agencies, and the participation of local NGO partners such
as the Union Solidarity and Development Association, Women's Affairs Federation,
the Myanmar Red Cross Society, and the Myanmar Medical Association.
The
allegations that Myanmar has low health, education and living standards and that
Myanmar constitutes a threat to world peace run counter to the health care,
educational welfare, social welfare and economic development activities
undertaken as mentioned above. In reality, endeavours to ensure security and
peace together with quality of life for the people have had positive impact and
achieved progress. The dissident groups inside
The Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association shall continue its welfare work in four major areas of health, education, social affairs and economic affairs of the people, whether or not it receives assistance from outside the country.