Celebrating Myanmar’s women’s resilience for democracy
The military coup precipitated an unprecedented human rights and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar severely impacting women and girls.
In 2025, women and girls in Myanmar continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing crises and conflict in Myanmar: 10.4 million women and girls need humanitarian assistance, including 7.1 million women and 3.3 million girls. Women-headed households are 1.2 times more likely than male-headed households to live in poverty, and families with more children face higher risks. Women and girls deal with a host of crisis-driven hardships, including the risk of forced conscription, early and child marriage, human trafficking, and gender-based violence.
Deep-rooted patriarchal norms continue to relegate women to secondary roles in decision-making, making it difficult for them to participate in legislative and constitution drafting in Myanmar’s post-coup transition. Structural barriers such as a lack of legal protections, discriminatory practices, and economic barriers further hinder women’s full participation.
Despite these challenges, women in Myanmar have shown exceptional resilience by stepping into leadership roles in politics, combat and the humanitarian field, driving grassroots activism, and advocating for equality and justice in their communities, contributing to a vision of a federal democratic union as outlined in the Federal Democracy Charter (FDC) . The FDC’s human rights provisions include gender equality and children’s rights, and a prohibition of discrimination on any grounds, including race, faith, gender, disability, and sexual orientation. The FDC also aims to build inclusive state institutions, establishing a Women Rights and Gender Equality Commission and including a 30 percent quota for women at all levels of decision-making in Myanmar’s future democratic institutions.
Women MPs and Ministers: Shaping the Future of Governance
Women MPs elected in the 2020 general elections joined the pro-democracy movement in 2021, establishing the Myanmar Women Parliamentary Network (MWPN) , a coalition of more than 100 female MPs from various ethnic groups and all states and regions of Myanmar, including those in exile and from conflict-affected areas, as a platform for collective action to strengthen women’s political participation. Women MPs continue to work as advocates for policy and legal frameworks that support gender equality and to participate in governance on state and regional level. Their increased outreach efforts to their constituents since 2023 in the form of in person townhall meetings in liberated areas address core issues such as women’s rights, service delivery including healthcare access and interim education, security, human rights protection and the prevention of gender-based violence, thereby promoting a more inclusive democracy that reflects the needs of all citizens.
In their outreach to the international community, the MWPN has worked to expand its network and relations with regional MPs and in global fora such as the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), organising regional exchanges on the challenges of women’s political participation, and amplifying the voices of Myanmar’s women.
Watch the video by Aye Mya Mya Myo, the Chairperson of Myanmar’s Women Parliamentary Network (MWPN) on the challenges and work of the network:
"If we were to mention the greatest challenge under Myanmar's current military rule, it is that some believe that the role of women and gender equality is no longer important. I, however, truly believe that women's leadership is the key to building a peaceful society. However, we cannot do it alone: we need to join forces and work together, unite and collaborate more effectively. This is crucial for women in Myanmar to be able to take on more leadership roles and work towards a just and equal society." Aye Mya Mya Myo, Chairperson MWPN
Women have also taken up ministerial roles within the National Unity Government (NUG), leading key Ministries such as education, health, and social welfare as well as the Ministry of Women, Youth, and Children Affairs. Furthermore, the Interim Gender Equality Policy (2024-2026) was recently adopted by the government, prioritizing Myanmar’s efforts to ensure gender-responsive governance, strengthen women’s political participation, economic empowerment and social protection, advance women, peace, and security efforts, and secure a better response to gender-based violence.
Grassroots Leadership and Peacebuilding
Women in Myanmar have emerged as leaders of grassroots movements, which are essential to the fabric of the pro-democracy struggle. The Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) has seen significant contributions from women who organize protests, share resources, and provide essential humanitarian support to communities impacted by the coup.
The voices of civil society and disadvantaged groups, particularly women, youth, and ethnic minorities, must be heard and integrated in the political processes shaping a future Myanmar. Practical strategies to promote coalition building and financial support to empower women are essential, including creating supportive networks and training programs to allow them to effectively participate in political processes and to deliver humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable. The sudden and significant loss of funding that has already occurred this year will severely impact the ability of women’s organisations and the CDM to continue providing life-saving assistance and to participate in shaping a future democratic Myanmar.
A Vision for the Future
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it is vital to acknowledge the sacrifices and achievements of women in Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement. Their courage, leadership, and relentless advocacy not only inspire future generations but also frame a vision for a just and equitable society.
Moving forward, it is essential that the international community continues to support the efforts of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement to make the necessary structural changes for women's inclusion and representation. Strategies must be implemented that prioritize women's voices in all areas of decision-making, from community-level initiatives to national governance combined with financial support, resources, and capacity-building for women-led advocacy initiatives.
To read more about women’s challenges of political participation since the coup and proposed strategies to promote gender equality, please go to Inclusion and Gender Equality in Post-Coup Myanmar: Strategies for Democratic Constitutional Reform – Perspectives and Key Takeaways.
For further International IDEA resources on gender equality and Myanmar please visit:
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