How a nun in Myanmar is battling deeply-rooted misogyny

In a nation where the plight of nuns is not openly spoken or written about, 40-year-old Ketumala is confronting the situation head-on.

There is a popular saying in Myanmar that asks women to "regard her son as her master and her husband as her god" which is very much seen in practice too where nuns are required to shave their heads, wear pink and several amongst them face abuse too.

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However, Ketumala, a fierce advocate for the significance of women in religion, is fighting this battle for more than two decades as she didn't pursue the desire of marriage and children as a teenager.

"When a man enters into monkhood, people always applaud saying it is good for the religion and will make it better, but when a woman enters into nunhood, people always think it is because of a problem," said Ketumala, as quoted by news agency AFP.

"They think it's a place for women who are poor, old, sick, divorced or need help for their life."

Backed by strong beliefs and outspoken attitude, Ketumala is undoubtedly Myanmar's best-known nun and is responsible for founding the Dhamma School Foundation, which runs over 4,800 Buddhist education centres for children across Myanmar.

However, she adds that nuns are still seen with contempt as the nunneries survive on donations but they are not given the same respect as is given to monasteries and so funding remains a concern.

In the worst scenarios, nuns have also been abused when they ask for alms.

Women of Myanmar woes can be understood from the fact that only 10.5 per cent of MPs are women and laws are often made by men.

Rights activists say that the violence again women is so widespread that now it is considered as normal.

Also, there are superstitious practices that don't allow women's clothes with men, believing that doing that will affect men's masculinity.

In some Buddhist sites or temples, women are not allowed to enter and are asked to not sit above men.