UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted on October 31, 2000, emphasizes the importance of women’s participation in peace processes and the need to protect women and girls in conflict situations. It was the first formal and legally binding document by the Security Council requiring parties to a conflict to prevent violations of women’s rights, ensure women’s participation in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction, and protect women and girls from wartime sexual violence.
Twenty-five years later, women in Burma/Myanmar continue to face the devastating consequences of war, displacement, militarization, and deep-rooted patriarchy. Since the 2021 military coup, more than three million people have been displaced, nearly 1,900 women killed, and over 6,000 arrested. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)—especially by the military junta—remains widespread, while survivors are denied justice and accountability.
Since its founding in 1999, the Women’s League of Burma (WLB) and its member organizations have documented widespread and systematic crimes against women committed by the Burmese military. The WLB has recorded over 1,000 cases of SGBV, including more than 550 conflict-related sexual violence cases, though the actual numbers are believed to be far higher.
For twenty-five years, the women of Burma have upheld the spirit of UNSCR 1325 with courage and persistence. It is now time for the global community to match that courage with decisive action for justice, accountability, and lasting peace.