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Myanmar set to introduce draft law on gender based violence, in Parliament
A new law to punish gender based violence has been drafted, and is set to be introduced in the current session of the Burmese Parliament. The law, called the Prevention and Protection of Violence against Women Bill carries a broad definition of violence, which includes domestic violence, marital rape, sexual violence, harassment and assault in the workplace and in public places. The bill carries a life sentence for rape of girls under the age of 18 and disabled women, and significantly, also seeks to criminalise marital rape, although punishable with a lesser sentence.