For decades, Myanmar’s women had to endure ignorance, taunts and prejudice against their bodies, while being simultaneously told to value it. In this searing talk, Htar Htar, founder of a women’s right group in Myanmar, exposes the hypocrisy of these stances and the part parents can play in reducing gender discrimination.


Htar Htar is the Founder and Director of Akhaya Women, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of women. Through her work as an activist, Htar Htar works to bring education, justice, and advocacy for women and children. She is particularly interested in addressing social and cultural barriers that hold women back from participating in decision making in the family, community and national level through innovative strategy: women empowerment through sexuality dialogue. Her innovation in addressing gender norms is now widely spread accepted by development organizations including government, police task force, private sector and religious institutions.

Through sexuality dialogue in a Myanmar context, she and her team help women develop a positive relationship with their body, build self-confidence and recognize the right to exercise ownership over it. This enables freedom from discrimination in the home and in public, and support for women to participate in decision making.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx