Women's League of Burma
Encyclopedia
The Women's League of Burma is one of the many exiled, pro-democracy political movements in the region. With headquarters in Chang Mai, Thailand
, the Women's League of Burma is an umbrella organization linking various women's ethnic minority organizations into a proactive organization fighting for democracy and the protection of women's human rights in Burma.
With the brutal military regime of the State Peace and Development Council
ruling Burma and employing systematic rapes as an instrument of control, many women, men and children have fled to the jungle or border areas surrounding the country. The Women's League of Burma fights for the institution of democracy in Burma, and has been involved in pro-democracy activities such as drafting a gender-sensitive constitution for future Burma. The Women's League of Burma also publishes reports documenting the human rights violations of the SPDC within the country. The most recent report, "State of Terror," documents the systematic rapes, human trafficking, portering and forced labor for which the SPDC is notorious.
Women's League of Burma activities have included constitution drafting via legal trainings by American women's rights lawyers from the Global Justice Center, research and reporting on the human rights abuses of the military government, lobbying the U.N. Security Council for intervention, and more. The Women's League of Burma is the only women's political organization 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 Indiana University
's Law School. The Women's League of Burma member organizations include the Shan Women's Action Network
(SWAN), the Karen Women's Organization (KWO), the Burmese Women's Union (BWU) and the Kachin Women's Association - Thailand (KWAT), among others.
One of their noted activists, Khin Ohmar
, won the 2008 Anna Lindh Prize and the 2008 Vital Voices
Global Leadership Award for Human Rights, which she shared with SWAN activist Charm Tong
.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, the Women's League of Burma is an umbrella organization linking various women's ethnic minority organizations into a proactive organization fighting for democracy and the protection of women's human rights in Burma.
With the brutal military regime of the State Peace and Development Council
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
ruling Burma and employing systematic rapes as an instrument of control, many women, men and children have fled to the jungle or border areas surrounding the country. The Women's League of Burma fights for the institution of democracy in Burma, and has been involved in pro-democracy activities such as drafting a gender-sensitive constitution for future Burma. The Women's League of Burma also publishes reports documenting the human rights violations of the SPDC within the country. The most recent report, "State of Terror," documents the systematic rapes, human trafficking, portering and forced labor for which the SPDC is notorious.
Women's League of Burma activities have included constitution drafting via legal trainings by American women's rights lawyers from the Global Justice Center, research and reporting on the human rights abuses of the military government, lobbying the U.N. Security Council for intervention, and more. The Women's League of Burma is the only women's political organization 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 Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
's Law School. The Women's League of Burma member organizations include the Shan Women's Action Network
Shan Women's Action Network
The Shan Women’s Action Network , is a organization of 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 change in Burma....
(SWAN), the Karen Women's Organization (KWO), the Burmese Women's Union (BWU) and the Kachin Women's Association - Thailand (KWAT), among others.
One of their noted activists, Khin Ohmar
Khin Ohmar
Khin Ohmar is a Burmese democracy activist noted for her leadership in the 8888 Uprising and her work with the Women's League of Burma and the Burma Partnership....
, won the 2008 Anna Lindh Prize and the 2008 Vital Voices
Vital Voices
Vital Voices Global Partnership is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization that works with women leaders in the areas of economic empowerment, women's political participation, and human rights. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C..-History:The nonprofit Vital...
Global Leadership Award for Human Rights, which she shared with SWAN activist Charm Tong
Charm Tong
Charm Tong is a Shan teacher and human rights activist. She is head of the School for Shan State Nationalities Youth in Northern Thailand...
.