Thank you, witnesses, for coming today to address human rights abuses against Burmese women.
It is sad to see the recent events and changes that have occurred in Burma. When we concluded our report in 2013 there was hope for positive democratic change and the improvement of human rights across Burma. Now Burma appears to be regressing and continuing human rights abuses. Recently, the Burmese government has considered legislation that would discriminate against women by restricting interfaith marriages, conversion to another religion, and allowing the government to regulate family planning.
Why does the government want to implement these kinds of changes?