Owing to the deteriorating political, economic and social situation in Kachin State, many Kachin people, mainly young men and women, have left their homeland and scattered to foreign countries.

The number of Kachin people coming to Thailand for various purposes is increasing year by year. Problems in the Kachin community in Thailand have also increased accordingly. Recognizing the urgent need for women to organize themselves to solve their own problems, the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) was  formed in Chiang Mai on the 9^th December 1999.

• To develop the skills of women

• To promote children's rights

• To empower women to be more involved in leadership positions

• To promote women's awareness of gender and women's rights

• To promote women's awareness on how to manage and protect the environment

Activities

1.      SkillsTraining Program

2.      Internship Program

3.      Publications

4.      Women's Exchange meetings

5.      Documentation & Research

6.      Health Education

7.      Income generation

Kachin women expose alarming trafficking trend to China Kachin Women's Association Thailand (KWAT) has launched a new report entitled "Driven Away" revealing an alarming increase in trafficking of young Kachin women and girls from Burma and questioning the effectiveness of current anti-trafficking measures being promoted by the Burmese military regime.