The Women’s League of The Women’s League of Burma Burma

PresentationPresentationByBy Thin Thin AungThin Thin AungGender Justice DialogueGender Justice Dialogue

Mexico, April 2010Mexico, April 2010

Facts about Facts about BurmaBurma

Series of military Series of military regimes ruling since regimes ruling since 1962 1962

One of the world’s One of the world’s Least Developed Least Developed Countries.Countries.

Cont.Cont.

Size of army – nearly half a millionSize of army – nearly half a million total of over 500 battalions in Burma total of over 500 battalions in Burma More than 40% of GDP used on armyMore than 40% of GDP used on army Less than 1% on health and educationLess than 1% on health and education

More troops meanMore troops mean

More human rights violationsMore human rights violations

Systematic human rights Systematic human rights abuses Committed by the abuses Committed by the

regime’s troopsregime’s troops•documented by international human rights organisations and the UNIncluding:•forced labour, forced portering•forced relocation•confiscation of lands and crops•arbitrary arrest and detention•extrajudicial killing•torture•Rape as a strategy of war

To Escape war crimes and To Escape war crimes and crimes against humanitycrimes against humanity

several million people particularly several million people particularly fromfrom

ethnic nationalities area have fled ethnic nationalities area have fled their homes, to becometheir homes, to become

Internally Displaced PersonsInternally Displaced Persons RefugeesRefugees Migrant WorkersMigrant Workers

Crimes against humanityCrimes against humanity

Result : Fleeing to neighboring Result : Fleeing to neighboring countriescountries

estimated around 470,000 estimated around 470,000 Internally Displaced Persons in Internally Displaced Persons in

BurmaBurma

over 130,000 refugees in over 130,000 refugees in campscamps

around 2 million migrant around 2 million migrant workers from Burma in Thailand workers from Burma in Thailand

alonealone

Women refugees & exilesWomen refugees & exiles

Despite the limited resources, Despite the limited resources, limitations living as refugees & in limitations living as refugees & in stateless situations with lack of stateless situations with lack of legal status in neighbouring legal status in neighbouring countries…… countries……

Refugee/exiled women have Refugee/exiled women have formed women's groups along formed women's groups along

Burma's bordersBurma's borders1.1. To address the needs of their To address the needs of their

communitiescommunities

2.2. To advocate for political change in To advocate for political change in BurmaBurma

Women’s organizationsWomen’s organizations

25 organizations to date around 25 organizations to date around Burma’s bordersBurma’s borders

most with a strong focus on most with a strong focus on women's human rights, gender women's human rights, gender equality & women's participation in equality & women's participation in decision–making processesdecision–making processes

9 December 19999 December 1999

First umbrella organization for First umbrella organization for women‘s groups from Burma women‘s groups from Burma was founded.was founded.

The Women’s League of The Women’s League of Burma (WLB)Burma (WLB)

Ongoing tasks of Ongoing tasks of women’s groups women’s groups

Educating ourselves – skills trainings, Educating ourselves – skills trainings, languages, confidence building – in languages, confidence building – in order to address community needsorder to address community needs

Advocating for peace, to put an end Advocating for peace, to put an end to war crimesto war crimes

Working towards genuine political Working towards genuine political reform and national reconciliationreform and national reconciliation

WLB ProgramsWLB Programs

StrategyCapacity Development Advocacy

Peace- Building and

Reconciliation Program

Women Against Violence Program

Political Empowerment

Program

Since 2002Since 2002

Women’s organizations Women’s organizations have documented hundreds have documented hundreds of cases of rape and other of cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence forms of sexual violence committed by the regime’s committed by the regime’s troopstroops

System of ImpunitySystem of Impunity

Women’s organizations Women’s organizations from Shan, Karen, Chin from Shan, Karen, Chin and Mon States have given and Mon States have given evidence of military rape evidence of military rape

Such abuses are very Such abuses are very shameful in Burma shameful in Burma and it has taken a and it has taken a long time for women long time for women and girls to gather and girls to gather the courage to speak the courage to speak out about what has out about what has happened to them.happened to them.

Nationwide military rape in Nationwide military rape in BurmaBurma

All the ethnic statesAll the ethnic states

Central areas of Central areas of BurmaBurma

Sexual violence against Sexual violence against women women

an integral part of the military an integral part of the military regime’s strategy:regime’s strategy:

to control the peopleto control the people to intimidate and humiliate the to intimidate and humiliate the

civilian population civilian population

Women live in constant fear Women live in constant fear of rape and other abusesof rape and other abuses

Regime has denied the reports of rape.Regime has denied the reports of rape. Regime claims that they have brought Regime claims that they have brought

peace and stability to Burma peace and stability to Burma

WLB’s advocacy workWLB’s advocacy work IssuesIssues Refugees & Internally Displaced Refugees & Internally Displaced

PeoplePeople Migrant WorkersMigrant Workers TraffickingTrafficking Violence against WomenViolence against Women Political PrisonersPolitical Prisoners Women Human Rights DefendersWomen Human Rights Defenders Women’s political participationWomen’s political participation

At the grassroots level At the grassroots level At the international level At the international level

e.g. – UNGA, UNSCR 1325 lobby e.g. – UNGA, UNSCR 1325 lobby Week, CSW etc… Week, CSW etc…

CEDAW Shadow ReportCEDAW Shadow Report

WLB has produced a CEDAW shadow WLB has produced a CEDAW shadow report report

WLB has attended the 42WLB has attended the 42ndnd CEDAW CEDAW Session in Geneva, and used the report Session in Geneva, and used the report to lobby the CEDAW Committee to lobby the CEDAW Committee

Recent AdvocacyRecent Advocacy

International Tribunal on Crimes International Tribunal on Crimes against Women of Burma jointly against Women of Burma jointly organized with the Nobel Women’s organized with the Nobel Women’s Initiatives Initiatives

ConclusionConclusion

Despite growing international Despite growing international awareness of the problem of Burma,awareness of the problem of Burma,

the regime’s troops are still committing the regime’s troops are still committing state-sponsored human rights violations state-sponsored human rights violations systematically and with impunity.systematically and with impunity.

Because…. Because….

various countries in the world and various countries in the world and particularly in Asia are overlooking particularly in Asia are overlooking Burma’s crimes against humanity Burma’s crimes against humanity in favor of their own political and in favor of their own political and economic agendaseconomic agendas

WLB’s callsWLB’s calls

The international community must act now to The international community must act now to prevent further abusesprevent further abuses

We urge the UN and international governmentsWe urge the UN and international governments To continue supporting our movement and our To continue supporting our movement and our

advocacy efforts for peace and democracy in advocacy efforts for peace and democracy in BurmaBurma

Cont.Cont. To call for International Arms Embargo To call for International Arms Embargo

on Burma on Burma To reject the regime-organized electionsTo reject the regime-organized elections To form Commission of Inquiry to To form Commission of Inquiry to

investigate CAH and War Crimes in investigate CAH and War Crimes in Burma.Burma.

To refer Burma to the ICCTo refer Burma to the ICC

Thank YouThank You

www.womenofburma.orgwww.womenofburma.org