Goal: to encourage women of different backgrounds to share their concerns and exchange information and ideas.
About the Project:
The Women s Exchange with MAP started in 2001 and many women took part in a number of sites along the border area. Now, KWO runs regular Women’s Exchange meetings in Mae La Oo and Mae Ra Moe camps.
The meetings involve women from different ethnic and religious groups, to encourage open dialogue and cooperation. Participants have included Burmese women from the Burmese Women s Union (from Mae La Oo camp) and Karen women from KWO and KYO. They also included individuals representing NGOs and other CBOs.
The KWO Women s Exchange program is run in conjunction with the BWU. The monthly meetings were hosted by each organisation on an alternating basis and took place one month in Ma Ra Mo and the next month in Mae La Oon. At the meetings, the women exchanged information about their communities, raised concerns about issues in their sections in camp and shared information about their respective organisations.
The women also discussed specific topics identified at previous meetings like:
- young people and development
- young people and health education
- women s health
- women s vocational skills for income generation
- personal care & hygiene
- exploitation and human trafficking
