Many young women are forced to work at the Karaoke bar for their earnings.

Why Burmese women are increasingly turning into sex workers when the country is getting billions of US dollar from gas sales?

How can we improve the lives of young women?

Listen to 'live' discussion

The programme took place on 23 July 2008.

The followings reflect the balance of opinions received so far...

These "girls" were and are being forced by hardships they went through under current social and economic situation of Myanmar. Most of them do not have enough education to work as professional workers. I am still very hopeful for "revolution" of our country and I believe it must begin with improvements in education system. In fact, social and economic situation can be handled by our own civilians or elected government and it has nothing to do with army.
Kyaw D, Singapore

That is because of poor economy. As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, Burmese economy will take off only when current political situation change. People have to eat. Not enough to buy basic needs. No jobs. Only way to get money is by selling sex. This will go on as long as corrupted government is ruling. They are not abiding to the rules of Father or Burmese Army, General Aung San who said, Army is for the country, country is not for the Army. If undisciplined, corrupted army is not following this rule, better not to have the army at all in Burma.
Ni Ni Swe, Dallas, USA

The Burma economic situation is going to down side for public sector. A lot of Beer bars and karaoke are also increased and no other choice for the way to get the earning of lives and survive of families. The large number of gas income is using for military men businesses. Therefore, the real contribution for country development amount becomes lesser and lesser in every year. For not only women lives, so many classes and places are found the misuse and loose character among the public. Therefore, we are trying to improve of their lives by our Democracy way of attack. We are also afraid to say as SEX workers for them because we understand their lives struggling by the proper way for the daily food problem and the consumer price are also raised every day. We offer to change their individual earning by the sincere way.
Aung Moung, Pakokku, Burma

There should be support programs, vocational trainings, creating jobs for the victims.   Tom Tun, Calgary, Canada

Billions of US dollars from the gas sales? That is not meant for Burmese people; those dollars belong to military generals. The animals in the Naypyidaw Zoo get more care from the generals but the Burmese people have to do with frogs and wild vegetables growing in flooded fields, contaminated with human remains. If not happy, leave the country or get an easily available job, like "sex worker".
Khin Thitsar, Europe

The number of women in sex industry is increasing because of poor economic situation in our country. It is hard to make a living especially in Burma. Women are drawn into the industry because their parents cannot afford to raise them and they find no other alternatives to feed their family. Sex industry that requires little skill can offer a relatively well-paid job, which would be appealing to young women who find no alternatives. Whom should we blame for this? I believe both the SPDC and NLD are responsible. SPDC does not have the capability to govern the country and on the other hand, NLD is not helping at all. All NLD wants is to ask the west to impose economic sanctions. To improve lives of young women, we should attract and encourage foreign nations to invest in our country. In addition, we should do the badly needed economic reforms. By doing economic reforms and getting rid of economic sanctions, I believe economic conditions will get better and young women in our country do not have to resort to sex industry to make a living.
Mg Mg, Bangkok, Thailand

Can you imagine if your sister or daughter ends up in sex industry? However, many Burmese girls go to Thailand or else where for a better life but end up in horrifying place like sex industry. This is a nightmare caused by military idiotic management in building (destroying be a better word) the nation.
Van Mualcin, USA

This problem boils down to the need to dress well and live well. The problem of girls or women resorting to sex industry for money is not only faced by Myanmar. This problem is apparent even in developed nations like US and Japan. To me, it is an issue on personal belief of self-honour, value and shame. Those who want easy way out will choose easy route to escape from their problems. In our case, we can be contended that this problem exists due to the government's inability to provide jobs for the people. However, it remains that it is that person's choice to be a Karaoke lounge hostess. Sometimes, I hope Burmese will take the blame to themselves for some of the social wrongs rather than throw it at our favourite dartboard, SPDC. Morality and self-worth are our own to give away. We are sometimes giving SPDC so much credits of what they do not deserve!
Si Thu, Singapore

Sex industry that requires little skill can offer a relatively well-paid job, which would be appealing to young women who find no alternatives.   Mg Mg, Bangkok, Thailand

In Burma under military regime, billions of US dollar income does not reflect the country's booming economy. It does reflect the amount of pocket money for the military generals and their allies and depict how badly the country and its people are being exploited. The main cause to have increase in the number of women working in the sex industries is the long term political crisis which has destroyed the people's morality and increased poverty and mortality. The increase in the number of those women does show high poverty, no access to proper higher education, no inspiration for career prospects, loss of human resources and treat to well-being of the people and their country.
Paut Kyine, New Zealand

Ancient Greek philosopher Plato argued," The ruler of the country must process precise knowledge of how to rule ". If rulers are lack of knowledge in ruling, the country will be crippling in every corner such as economy, social structure, education, health care, lack of respect in law and so on. Every country has strong group and weak group. The strong group is lawmakers, law guardians and wealthy and the rest is weak group. Sadly, the interest of the strong group in our country is not to help the unfortunate one such as sex labours, but punishment. There should be support programs, vocational trainings, creating jobs for the victims and punishment for the villains who are taking chances on the unfortunate one. The strong group (Burmese Army) interest is not to raise social and living standard of the country from the business surplus but protect their power and make their lives more comfortable. Who knows how much money these army leaders hide away in overseas banks?
Tom Tun, Calgary, Canada

After absent from Burma/Myanmar for a few years, I returned for a short visit and found that not only prostitutes are increasing in number but also the number of elderly and children begging on the streets. As a citizen of Burma/Myanmar, I feel quite shameful and helpless of the situation in my country. It is easy to blame it all on the military dictator for being stupid and cruel in handling the crisis. However, it is not going to help the poor in our country. The most practical way to improve lives of women is to solve the economic crisis. I think both the military and the opposition party need to cooperate and find a common ground to come up with a solution. There is no doubt the military leader and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will play a very important role in our country's future. If both leaders are going with their separate way of doing things without cooperation, then Burmese/Myanmar women and men alike will suffer economically and become the main exporter of cheap labours to ASEAN members and other countries, modern day slavery is in the making.
Aung Oo, Singapore