The Women's League of Burma () is a community-based organization advocating for the rights of women in

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

, with a focus on addressing systematic sexual violence in ethnic regions and promoting women's participation in political processes, particularly in peace initiatives. It is a membership organisation comprising various ethnic minority women groups from Burma. The organization's headquarters are located in

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the List of municipalities in Thailand#Largest cities by urban population, second largest city in Thailan ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

, with additional offices throughout the region.

History

Under the brutal military regime of the

State Peace and Development Council The State Peace and Development Council ( ; abbreviated SPDC or , ) was the official name of the Military dictatorship, military government of Burma (Myanmar) which, in 1997, succeeded the State Law and Order Restoration Council (; abbrevi ...

, which used systematic rape as a tool of control, numerous women, men, and children fled to the jungles, border regions of Burma, and neighboring countries such as Thailand and Bangladesh. Several groups united to organize an annual forum for these women's organizations, inspired by the

Panglong Agreement The Panglong Agreement ( ) was reached in Panglong, Southern Shan State, between the Burmese government under Aung San and the Shan Committee, Kachin Committee, and Chin Committee peoples on 12 February 1947. The anniversary of this agreeme ...

. In the second year, on December 9 1999, the groups concluded that a unified voice would better concentrate resources and strengthen their advocacy for common goals, particularly in political processes.

Profile

Women's League of Burma is the only women's political organisation involved in the constitution-drafting activities of the pro-democracy movement, the Federal Constitution Drafting Coordinating Committee, supported by the Center for Constitutional Democracy in Plural Societies at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

Member organisations

The Women's League of Burma member organisations include: * Burmese Women's Union (BWU) * Kachin Women's Association - Thailand (KWAT) * Karen Women's Organisation (KWO) * Karenni National Women's Organisation (KNWO) * Kayan Women's Organisation (KYWO) * Kuki Women's Human Rights Organisation (KWHRO) * Lahu Women's Organisation (LWO) * Palaung Women's Organisation (PWO) * Pa-O Women's Union (PWU) * Rakhaing Women's UNion (RWU) *

Shan Women's Action Network The Shan Women's Action Network (: abbreviated SWAN) is an organisation of Shan people, Shan women active in Shan State and Thailand, working to attain gender equality and achieve justice for Shan women in the struggle for social and political c ...

(SWAN) * Tavoy Women's Union (TWU) * Women's Rights and Welfare Association of Burma (WRWAB)

Awards

One of their noted activists, Khin Ohmar, won the 2008 Anna Lindh Prize and the 2008

Vital Voices Vital Voices Global Partnership is an American international, 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-governmental organization that works with women leaders in the areas of economic empowerment, women's political participation, and human rights. The organiza ...

Global Leadership Award for Human Rights, which she shared with SWAN activist Charm Tong.

References

External links