Myanmar
Population: 58 million
Christian: 8 percent
Dominant religion: Buddhism
Persecution ranking: 13

Myanmar’s economy has never been strong. They have a long history of military rule. Such misrule destroys the economy and the people subjected to it.

There was a 10-year period between 2011 and 2021 when Myanmar had civilian rule. The middle class grew rapidly, and so did the economy. In 2021, a coup threw them back to a military government. From that time forward, the middle class was reduced by 50 percent, according to the United Nations Development Program. The World Bank tells us that nearly half of the population now lives in poverty. Inflation is increasing, especially last year. In 2024, the cost of a meal increased 160 percent, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Though everyone but the military elite suffered, women suffered the most. Myanmar was starting to develop a garment industry. Many of those industries fled Myanmar once civilian rule ended. That meant that women, who usually worked at these factories, faced dire unemployment. Those who remained have no clout; if they complained, they would lose their jobs because thousands of others could take their place. Female garment workers don’t earn enough to pay for necessities. Some have resorted to prostitution, a “profession” that pays to make ends meet.

As the economy has continued to deteriorate, women nurses and doctors have joined the ranks of prostitutes. They, too, cannot pay for life’s necessities. Eventually, as there are more prostitutes, the women will earn less, even in this demeaning line of work.

The military government has made matters worse. Arrested prostitutes are usually forced to pay bribes to be released from custody. Now that the government only controls less than half the country as of December of last year, they are conscripting more people from urban centers where they still maintain power. Until last year, women with babies were exempt from the draft; that is no longer the case. Now, mothers are forced to fight for an evil government. Some predict the same military government will force them to be human shields as they fight against insurgents. Most likely, these women will face sexual abuse and rape.

What options do women have? Thousands have already fled Myanmar. Their chances of earning a clean and honest living elsewhere are slim. Human traffickers prey upon such people by offering legitimate jobs but forcing them to be prostitutes or slave laborers.

Let us pray fervently for:

  • Pray for the Lord to rescue vulnerable women in Myanmar (The Bible, Psalm 82:3).
  • Pray for the Lord to replace the abusive government with one led by servant leaders (The Bible, James 1:27).
  • Pray for Myanmar’s Buddhist and animistic peoples to taste and see that the Lord is good (The Bible, Psalm 34:8 ).

 

Sources:

Bangkok Post. Myanmar’s war has forced doctors and nurses into prostitution. December 16, 2024.

Wikipedia. Prostitution in Myanmar.

The Diplomat. Myanmar’s Women Face Significant Risks From Junta Conscription Drive. July 7, 2024