Website : Burmese Women Union (BWU)
Background
The Burmese Women’s Union (BWU) was established on January 7, 1995 by a group of young female student activists. These women had fled Burma for the Thai-Burma
border following the military’s brutalcrackdown. Because of the military dictatorship’s control of Burma, the women of Burma have had very little opportunity to learn about international human rights and women’s rights movements. It is the BWU’s strong belief that the development of a democratic civic culture emphasizing tolerance, respect for human rights and women’s rights is essential in a future democratic federal Burma and it is only through such a mechanism that the military regime’s culture of oppression can be erased.
The goal of the BWU since its inception has been to work for the rights of Burmese women, and to increase women’s political participation within the Burmese pro-democratic movement. The organization has also been deeply involved with establishing social welfare projects that provide support for refugee and migrant women residing along the borders of Burma. Lastly, the BWU has been committed to raising awareness about the women of Burma by participating in various international conferences and publishing reports about rights abuses in Burma.
BWU is an independent organization and its aim is to help organize women of Burma who are in exile. BWU membership is open to all women of Burma regardless of their ethnicity, race, religion, marital status, and sexual orientation. The BWU hopes to improve cooperation among the women groups of Burma in exile by creating a forum where women of diverse ethnic, religious, social, and cultural backgrounds are able to discuss their common problems and aspirations.
Mission:
- To promote the role of women in Burma
- To efficiently increase the contribution of women in the struggle for democracy and human rights and establishment of a genuine democra tic federal union
- To advocate for the acceptance and exercise of women’s rights in the Burmese society according to the standard recognized internationally
- To use women capacity to establish stable peace and long term development in the society in future Burma
