The Burmese Women’s Union (BWU) held a book launching event to introduce a documentary titled “Women Trailblazers – Call for a New Era of Reform”, and the role of women in the Spring Revolution written in both Myanmar and English, live online on November 24.
Ma Zu Padonma, Associate 1st General Secretary of MWU, explained the purpose of the event organized by BWU officials.
"Since the formation of the BWU, the role of women in the revolution, the lives of female prisoners, and the conditions faced by ethnic women under the military dictatorship have been
assiduously documented. This book was published to record the important roles of women during the Spring Revolution as historical data”, she said.
Women have participated in the revolution throughout the ages against the discriminations and oppressions in Myanmar, which has been under the slave rule of the military dictatorship for many years.
However women’ participation and representations were rarely over the decades have been little documented or appreciated. According to data collected by BWU, 2636 women were unjustly arrested and 344 were killed since the Military staged a coup until October 2022, are documented in this book.
Ma Thwe Zin Toe, BWU’s head of news and archives said “ This book encompasses CDM female staff from Karenni (Kayah), Chin Karen, Mon, Shan States as well as Yangon and Ayeyarwady Divisions, female fighters in armed revolution, housewives, female workers, women in logistics
sector of the revolution, disabled women, and the clicker women who helped the Revolution. All are featured in 8 different sections. Contents, data and experiences of 34 women from different backgrounds were described in the book.”
“This book describes the participation of women in the revolution. I believe this book will inspire and encourage women. At the same time, I think this book can create opportunities for women to develop a movement together. I hope that people will become more aware of the role of women after reading the contents of the book”, Ma Thwe Zin Toe told KIC.
International Cooperation Minister of National Unity Government (NUG) Dr. Sasa, representatives from Karen Women Organization (KWO) and Pa’O Women Organization (PWO), other guests and media attended BWU’s documentary book launch event via Zoom.
BWU was established in 1995 with the aim of bringing together the voices of women from all walks of life who participated in the 1988 People Power Uprising. BWU is based on the Thai-Myanmar border. We previously published monthly women’s news, quarterly reviews and reports on women workers. However, this is the first time that such a documentary book has been published, BWU said.
