CNI News 

25 December 2025

Among the disabled candidates who will participate in the election, there are diverse policy views regarding what priorities they will take up in parliament(Hluttaw) after the election.

U Mann Win Than, who will contest as a Pyithu Hluttaw candidate from the People’s Pioneer Party (PPP), told CNI News that creating employment opportunities for the disabled will be his main priority.

“Employment opportunities are among the top priorities for both disabled and non-disabled people across the country. For persons with disabilities, access to employment already falls under the priority program of youth employment. If we ask where this agenda begins, it doesn’t start directly from employment. It begins by reducing prices or stabilizing prices. If prices naturally reflect the true value of goods, people will need income to afford them. Only trying to reduce prices is not the real solution. If market forces naturally push prices up, people need sufficient income to match those rising prices. To earn income, jobs are needed. To have jobs, employment opportunities must be created. We cannot simply let the market run freely. The government must be involved. Its involvement should not be excessive interference, but rather support based on what it can provide—with parliament pushing for such action. Therefore, employment opportunities for persons with disabilities are already included under the broader national priority of employment and income generation for everyone,” he said.

According to the 2014 Population Census, there are more than two million persons with disabilities in Myanmar, and around seven million family members living with them. It is estimated that 85% of persons with disabilities are unemployed.

Although persons with disabilities are willing and capable of working, most employers show very little interest in hiring them, resulting in limited employment opportunities.

U Win Zaw Tun, a Pyithu Hluttaw candidate from the Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), told CNI News that the three main priorities in parliament after the election will be employment opportunities, education, and disability issues.

“The most important thing is demanding rights for persons with disabilities. Next, we must ensure more employment opportunities for young people and improve wage levels. Education also needs strong support. Since I myself am a teacher, I give great importance to education and will work to improve it. The three main priorities are: youth affairs, education, and disability issues. There are various vocational programs for persons with disabilities — hairdressing courses, painting and design courses, etc. Those who are educated, such as disabled persons skilled in computers, can work efficiently in office jobs. For such people, we will work to help them get office jobs. For those without formal education, we will provide training that enables them to be self-reliant. We have plans to promote vocational programs for persons with disabilities both in Yangon and across the regions so that livelihood training centers can emerge,” he said.

In Myanmar, persons with disabilities often face discrimination in workplaces, and companies willing to hire them are still limited. Disability rights advocates point out that persons with disabilities should also be trained in vocational skills in order to secure sustainable livelihoods.