WLB Calling for Greater Women’s Participation in Peace Process (English Version)
WLB Calling for Greater Women’s Participation in Peace Process (Burmese Version)
Statement on Peace and Development in Burma
Statement on Peace and Development in Burma by 36 Community Groups (English Version)
Statement on Peace and Development in Burma (Burmese Version)
$25 will help feed a Karen child at our Nursery Schools for a full year
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The children in our Nursery Schools in Karen State in Burma need your help. We know that education is important for people all over the world, especially education of young children. Despite the long standing abuse by the Burmese military Karen communities across Karen State join together to build and support nursery schools for their children. They gather building materials, construct the school, bring fire wood and other things they can find to help. There is a community committee of volunteers who run the school. These schools work amid fighting and commonly must relocate to avoid the fighting.
KWO, Karen Women Organisation, has always tried to support the schools with money we raise through grants. Through the generosity of the Dave and Kerry Rickards we have been able to support many children and schools. We pay small stipends for each teacher, about $17 US dollars a month. We provide training to the teachers, school supplies, basic hygiene supplies for the children.
Unfortunately, KWO has not been able to raise enough money to supply lunch food to the students. The 3000 students enrolled in these community schools do not always get enough food at home. For just $25 we can provide an entire school year of supplemental lunch food to one student. This will let them get the nutrition they need since many families have been separated from their land by the war. The Karen community has been disrupted and abused by years under the dictatorship in Burma. We hope by supporting these students we are building our future, but we need your help.
Please click here to DONATE the much needed funds to feed these young students.
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Statement for the 27th KWO Day on 5th April 2012
Karen Women Organisation Statement in Recognition of KWO Day
A Call for More Women in the Peace Process
On KWO day, a Call for More Women in the Peace Process Statement by KWO Karen Version 2012
KWO Day is the commemoration of our work and the work of all Karen women. Karen Women Organisation (KWO) has provided leadership and services to the Karen community, particularly women and children for decades. This year we welcome the recent progress toward peace in our homeland. We are not sure yet if we will be successful, but we believe it is a time for all Karen people to make every effort to bring peace to our people. We believe women’s participation in the peace process is essential for it to be successful, genuine and to benefit the whole of our community. The need for and value of women’s participation in Peace Processes is widely recognized in the world.
Karen women have suffered greatly, like all Karen people, in the conflict with the Burmese Dictatorship from human rights violations: forced labor, the destruction of our villages, and being forced to flee for safety far away from our land. Women have had to sacrifice their fathers, husbands, and children to this struggle for our rights. We have been left to support and raise our families alone. In addition women have suffered from countless acts of sexual violence and exploitation. We have worked to maintain our families in the midst of this conflict, struggled to feed them, care for our children, provide education, and to empower ourselves.
Karen women have been leaders in all areas of the Karen society: at home, in the community, in advocacy and social welfare support, and politically. Karen Women Organisation believes we have a vital role to play in the peace process because of our experience, our point of view, and our leadership. If a lasting peace is achieved in Burma, as we all hope, women’s perspective and participation is essential for building a strong Karen State and preserving our proud culture.
The important role that women can play in peace processes in the world has been recognized many times by the International Community. The UN has passed 5 separate Resolutions calling for increased participation of women: 2 resolutions specifically relate to the role of women in Peace Processes, and 3 resolutions relate to responses to sexual violence during war.
1. Resolution 1325 and Resolution 1889 states that women’s participation is essential in decision making in peace processes, early recovery, governance and in peace operations.
2. Resolutions 1820, 1888 and 1960 demand an end to sexual violence and to hold perpetrators accountable.
Despite these international agreements, women have been poorly represented in peace processes around the world. The United Nation’s own studies indicate, “women have represented fewer than 8 percent of participants and fewer than 3 percent of signatories, and no woman has ever been appointed chief or lead mediator in UN-sponsored peace talks. Such exclusion invariably leads to a failure to adequately address women’s concerns, such as sexual and gender-based violence, women’s rights and post-conflict accountability.”
As we celebrate KWO Day today, we call for a full commitment to women’s participation in every aspect of the welcome peace process. We stand ready to do everything we can to join with other Karen leaders in making peace and freedom a reality. We have been partners in the Karen people’s struggle for justice. We are fully prepared to be partners in negotiations for peace.
International Women’s Day 2012 – From Fear To Freedom
Karen Language Version KWO Statement for Int’l Women Day 2012
Date: 8th March 2012
“Women moving forward from Fear to Freedom”
The Karen Women Organization (KWO) welcomes another International Women’s Day. One of the themes for this year is “FROM FEAR TO FREEDOM”. On March 8th each year, women around the world reflect on our progress toward equality and freedom. We celebrate our victories and look at how far women still have to go. KWO has worked for many years to protect, support, defend and empower women who have been abused, by anyone from members of the Burmese military or their own husbands. These women have been taught to be afraid, to live each day with fear.
Worldwide, at least one third of all women are victims of violence. It is the most widespread human rights violation on earth. We see this every day, particularly in the 7 refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border where KWO runs safe houses for women who have been subjected to violence and need a safe harbor. 77% of the cases we handle are women who have been subjected to domestic violence, the other 23% are rapes or attempted rapes. Women will not be able to move from fear to freedom without a working system to achieve justice in the camps and for any cases referred outside of camps to the justice system in Thailand.
We believe the current system is failing women in our community. Community systems and structures need to be supported and strengthened in order to directly and effectively reduce the violence experienced by women in our community. Camp justice systems must be made more comprehensive and supported rather than undermined.
KWO Joint Secretary 2, Ta Mla Saw said today, “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi wrote a book called “Freedom from Fear” so we know that she too, as a woman, understands how important this idea is. Our aim in KWO is to help women who have suffered from violence, to transform their fear, and for it to grow into something stronger. freedom! Every woman understands this.”
Currently, the Burmese government says they want to work for peace in Burma and has started the peace process talks with different ethnic opposition groups. KWO has called for women’s participation in the peace process to ensure that this process reflects the voices of women who live this conflict. KWO reaffirms that only women’s participation in the peace process can stop fear and create freedom without fear for all women
As KWO has been involved in solving the problem of violence against women in the community, we believe that any solution must include an empowered, engaged, and educated community, especially women and women’s groups. “KWO believes that all refugees and particularly women should continue to say to everyone, “Nothing about us without us.” We need to be involved and engaged in order to gain our rights, equality and our freedom.” Stated Dah Eh Kler, Secretary
Right now the current system is teaching women that there is no safe place and no future. There is a lot of fear and not enough freedom. This International Women’s Day all of us should recommit ourselves to strengthening the justice systems available to abused women in refugee camps. We have to work together to win access to real justice and so women can find themselves successfully walking from fear to freedom.
Contact:
Nan Dah Eh Kler – +66 857269291
Naw Blooming Night Zan- +66 885455746
Karen Women Organization condemns attempted rape of 22-year-old Karen woman by Burmese Army
Karen Women Organization
P.O. Box 19, Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son, 58110, Thailand,
Email: kwocentral@gmail.com Website: www.karenwomen.org
Karen Women Organization condemns the attempted rape of a 22-year-old Karen woman by the Burmese Army
Date: March 5, 2012
The Karen Women Organization today has begun caring for a 22 year old mother who was viciously attacked yesterday by two members of the Burmese Military. The two soldiers attempted to rape her while she was working to grow vegetables for her family. The victim has been badly beaten and drugged. She was only able to escape when nearby gunfire caused the soldiers to leave. This case of violence against a young woman in our community is particularly disturbing as it confirms previous reports of continued human rights violations against women and others despite the Burmese government’s initial cease fire agreement with the Karen National Union and some recent changes inside Burma.
“We are outraged and deeply saddened to hear about this attempted rape and brutal attack. Unfortunately, it is only the most recent case. We hope for peace every day, but this despicable attack reminds us how far we have to go to have the rights, peace and safety our community deserves.” stated Dah Eh Kler, Secretary, Karen Women Organization
There must be an end to human rights abuses in order for true peace and democracy to be achieved in Burma. Karen women, along with Karen men and children, have been abused by the Burmese military for decades. While the international community has welcomed changes inside Burma as the beginnings of a new day, the day to day reality for people living in villages throughout Karen State remains unchanged. This most recent egregious case is only one example of human rights abuses which continue every day including forced labor and other acts of violence against women. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights has affirmed many times that violence against women is a violation of human rights and has emphasized the particularly heinous role such violence plays in conflict situations or when condoned or encouraged by the State.
We ask the international communities, who have been encouraging the Burmese dictatorship to move toward democracy, to take our reports of abuse seriously. We ask that you take all possible steps to create a more comprehensive Peace Agreement which ends human rights violations so a legitimate political settlement can be reached. We need a Peace Agreement which the military-backed government can be held to with real monitoring and accountability. Violence against women cannot be tolerated, nor can Karen women have faith in a process for change or the Thein Sein government when they are faced with this type of abuse.
Contact: Nan Dah Eh Kler – +66 857269291
Naw K’nyaw Paw – +66 810295503
KWO Magazine in Karen
KWO puts out a quarterly magazine in Skaw Karen which are distributed through out the 7 Karen refugee camps. Each magazine is passed between refugees being read by multiple people. It is just one way we seek to keep our community up to date and informed.
Use this link if you’d like to download or read our magazine: Magazine Vol. 2 Issue 7
Nursery Schools in IDP areas and camps
KWO also runs nursery schools in IDP camps and areas in Karen State inside Burma. Children’s families have been forced to flee their villages due to conflict and attacks by the Burmese junta. Despite the circumstances we are able to provide enrichment, nutrition, and care to hundreds of children as well as training for teachers.
Since May 2008, KWO has given financial support to Nursery schools in 5 districts of Karen State: Mu Traw, Du Thu Htu, Doo Pla Ya, Kler Lweh Tu and Pa an. The schools are managed by local KWO staff.
Since 2006, when Ei Tu Hta camp was established, KWO has been supporting the nursery schools for IDP children who live there. There are 5 Nursery Schools with a total of about 400 children receiving daily lessons and care.
Parents Workshops: Parents of young children in Ei Tu Hta IDP camp were given the opportunity to attend 4 half-day training sessions on early childhood development
Student in Nursery School in Mu Traw District
Teacher and Students in Doo Pla Ya District
2011 Train the Trainers Workshop
Teacher Training: Teachers in Ei Tu Hta IDP camp are given a 10 day training each year during the April school holidays.
Family Days: In all of the schools in the Ei Tu Hta IDP camp project, and in Mae La Oo and Mae Ra Moe Refugee camps, we conducted short opening and closing ceremonies each school year, plus a family day to celebrate the festive season in December. These were designed to encourage family involvement and included speeches by staff and community leaders and performances by the children.
Teacher Training KWO trainers in refugee camps cannot easily reach the Nursery School teachers in Karen State. Currently we provide 10 days of training, once per year. The area coordinators then returned to their districts and provided training to the teachers in that area, either through a central group training session, or by visiting individual schools, or a combination both.
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KWO Camp Support
The KWO Camp Support project assists elected KWO position holders in 7 camps with very small monthly stipends and funds some of the running costs of in-camp KWO offices, enabling women to work more effectively in community management. The camp offices provide a place to meet, plan, coordinate, and learn.
INCOME GENERATION PROJECT
Our goal is to empower Karen refugee women to generate income for themselves and their families. The project started in 2003 to provide advanced training in weaving and sewing for women in the camps and to source weaving and sewing materials, thus increasing women’s capacity to cre ate garments of a quality high enough to sell in competitive markets. The project is now fully implemented in Mae La Oo, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Umphiem and Noh Poe camps. In Ban Dong Yan camp, KWO provides cash to the camp based KWO staff so that they can source thread and materials themselves.
KWO provides a dedicated group of skilled weavers, sewers and embroiderers in the camps with materials, needles and thread to create traditional Karen products. The project encourages women to preserve Karen tradition by using traditional practices and designs in the products. The number of weavers and sewers has declined from over 250 in 2008, and nearly 400 in previous years. This decline is because of resettlement, and because there has been a cut in funding for conducting training to develop skills of other women in the camps.
Product Sales
The products created by women in the camps are sold in the shop in our Mae Sot Resource Centre, and sold via postal orders to resettled Karen people. The income from the sales is spent in two ways: part of it is given to the women in the camps who create the products; the other part is returned to the project to cover project materials and running costs for the shop.
