In the current global mean stream, changes in gender roles in SEA become an inconvenient truth. Based on my culture, traditionally, I was taught that women have the responsibility to take care of the family’s house whole needs whereas men are considered as the head of a family. Besides, all parent’s belongings are inherited by only men whereas girls are considered to be married and stayed with her marriage family.
I personally think that because of such culture issues, men have to become more and more engage in business sectors since they will have to take in charge of the family’s necessaries after the parent die. However, this beliefs and tradition only remained and practiced in some families today. My personal opinion to these changes is that we are being so much influenced by western culture in many different ways. As an example of my culture, after the British missionaries enter to Kachin state in around 1813, many of our traditional beliefs, religion (ancestor worship) were changed and we become Christian.
Moreover, there are many NGOs and INGOs, doing the gender awareness education in Myanmar such as –Thingaha Organization, whereas mostly the teachings of which are taken from the western country (especially from some already developed countries) or the countries which have been practicing Democracy for many years. I think we, SEA countries are now just has begun to understand little knowledge of democracy and started apply them somehow in society. As I believe that democracy is strongly based on Human Right, if more people understand the sense of democracy, the changes of, gender roles will continue to happen in the near future. To me democracy simply means that all, we, human beings are equal in dignity. However, I think it would have to take time for the older generation to adapt with such rapid changes of Gender roles.
Inclusion, instead of saying “Change” , it would be more accurate to say “ Balance” , for the reason that the society tend to support or lift up women participation in society, but it does not means that men participation are slowing down. I do not see the changes as a bad thing since today younger generation are more and more educated and awake to cope with those changes. However, it would become a bad thing for society, if older and younger generations are not prepared to cope with the gap each other - because of different experiences, opinions, habit and behavior.
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