(2 May 2019) – The Women’s League of Burma (WLB) successfully held its 10th Congress from April 22-24, 2019, along the Thai-Burma border, where 70 delegates attended, including representatives from its member organizations, policy board members, secretariat members, advisors,
At the Congress, the delegates approved working and financial reports, prepared by the secretariat, which was appointed at the 9th Congress and served between March 2017 and March 2019. The Congress delegates also reviewed, amended, and endorsed vision, mission, values, principles, and strategies of the WLB. The delegates also analyzed the political situation in Burma, including the ongoing civil war, increasing fighting in ethnic areas, the peace process and the role of women in the peace process, human rights violations, and lack of rule of law in the country.
The delegates also explored the main challenges that exist in Burmese politics, including; a lack of political will to resolve political problems and armed conflict by peaceful means, the continued control of power by the Tatmadaw (armed forces) in the military and the political spheres, conflicting interests of stakeholders in the peace process, the lack of democratic and human rights in society, a failure to bring justice to victims of atrocities, and widespread manipulation and exploitation of nationalism and religious beliefs for political advantage.
Furthermore, the delegates discussed the deteriorating land rights of the local population, the negative impact of mega development projects and foreign investments, the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, illicit drug problems, and the general economic and social hardships people in the country face every day.
At the congress, delegates also discussed the WLB’s political aims, and future programs for the coming two years, which include the promotion of gender equality, social justice, and ethnic equality, pursuant to a federal democratic union in future Burma. The WLB will also continue to work towards the end of the civil war, building a sustainable peace, promoting the role of women in the political process and peace-building, strengthening women’s political empowerment, ending violence against women and ending impunity, and justice for those who have had their basic freedoms and rights violated.
At the end of the Congress, delegates unanimously elected 13 Policy Board members from each representative of its 13-member organizations who will continue to uphold the values and principles of the WLB, and three secretariat members who will implement future plans agreed upon, for the upcoming two-year term. (April 2019 to April 2020).
The WLB congratulates the newly elected secretariat members: General Secretary: Naw Hser Hser,Joint General Secretary One: Nang Moet Moet, and Joint General Secretary Two: Lway Poe Ngeal.
The WLB was established on December 9, 1999, and is made up of 13 member organizations from different ethnic groups and backgrounds. The WLB has been working in Burma for twenty years.
For further information, please contact:
General Secretary: Naw Hser Hser
+66 0813873312; +95 09255817092
Policy Board Member: Nant Zin Nwe
+66 992963428; +95 09449329580
Click on the link to download full statement in [ English ] [ Burmese ].
