Aims of RWU

•       To build the capacity of Rakhaing women to become  progressive leaders

•       To work for the protection of the rights of Rakhaing women and children including basic healthcare

•       To advocate for the advancement of  the status of women in the community

•       To work together with other individuals and organizations for the freedom of Rakhaing people from all forms of oppression

Background

At the present time the Rakhaing people are living as one of the minority groups in Burma under the Burmese military rulers. The Rakhaing state is situated on the western coastal region of Burma, adjacent to the borders of Bangladesh and India.

After the loss of their independence in 1784, the Rakhaing people began a revolt against their Burmese oppressors, and have been trying to regain their independence and sovereignty since that time. Many Rakhaing patriots have given their lives fighting for their nation.

In 1962 General Ne Win seized state power from U Nu's democratically elected government and then ruled using a one-party system, known as the Burmese Socialist Program Party. After seizing power, Ne Win oppressed all civilians, but was especially brutal to ethnic minorities in his attempts to crush and monopolize the nation. The result of this treatment was that all ethnic minorities, especially the Rakhaing people, were opposed to the military regime of Ne Win. This opposition led to further oppression by the military force, so that many Rakhaing people fled across the border into neighboring areas.

One of the worst of Ne Win's policies was to encourage forced marriages between Burmese men and ethnic minority women, to undermine ethnic nationalism. According to this policy, Burmese soldiers were spread everywhere, and ordered to marry indiscriminately with any other ethnic minority women, including Rakhaing women. In some cases, where the circumstances were unavoidable, the women would settle into conjugal life with the soldiers. Other stronger women, revolted by the idea of this type of forced marriage, managed to avoid rape, and escaped. The women have since been sheltering in the border areas with other patriotic revolutionaries.

The women's situation along the border areas is extremely difficult. Most of them are uneducated and understand only their mother tongue. Thus they are unable to contact international agencies, to assist them to survive in the harsh conditions. In Rakhaing State, the military rulers' policies made it impossible to set up a school in every village, so that it has been difficult for children to be educated, especially Rakhaing girls. Communication between villages is also difficult. Because of these problems, 80% of Rakhaing people understand only their mother language. The lack of education and equality means that women struggle to solve their problems and cope with the difficulties.

In 1988 a democracy movement was formed in Burma with all civilians, including students, women, monks, nuns, and all classes of people participating. Rakhaing people also participated and demanded their national rights. On 18 September 1988, General Saw Maung's military junta seized state power and brutally killed many civilians. Those who were able to flee made for the Burma border areas to avoid torture, rape and detention. Up to the present day many people, including women and children, are continuing to flee into neighboring countries. 

Early in 1997 the numbers of Rakhaing refugees, including women and children,  increased in the border areas. To address their needs, the Rakhaing Women's Union (RWU) was founded on 14th November 1998, on the Bangladesh-India-Burma border.