Salai Kyaw Moe — Of the twenty-three female candidates that ran in the recent election in Chin State, three were elected, and only one was from an ethnic party.
“There are 13 Chin parties. Twenty-three female candidates from these parties ran in the election but it has been found that Daw Cing Ngaih Mang (ZCD) is the only winning female candidate from an ethnic party. We need to wait and see whether or not women’s rights can be effectively carried out in Chin State,” said Salai Htan Pi from Chin Election Watch Group. The other two women that came out victorious were Daw Ni Shwe Lian and Daw Khin Swe Lwin both from the National League for Democracy (NLD).
Daw Khin Swe Lwin told the BNI Election Newsroom her focus will be on gaining rights for ethnic populations but will also work on issues that affect women.
“As we face discrimination, I plan to work on implementing laws that serve to uplift women,” said Daw Khin Swe Lwin. She won a seat in Upper House Constituency No 9 in Kanpetlet Township.
In comparison, during the last election in 2010 only two female candidates ran in the whole of Chin State and only one won. Daw Za Talan from the National Unity Party (NUP) took a Lower House seat in Htantlang Township.
National results for Myanmar showed that over 600 female candidates contested the 1,158 seats in Parliament, and out of this, only 133 candidates were elected: 40 candidates in Lower House, 23 candidates for Upper House and 70 candidates in State and Regional parliaments.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
