Women’s Groups Demand End to Impunity for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

The Women’s League of Burma (WLB) has called for an immediate end to impunity for perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence in Myanmar, revealing that it has documented nearly 1,000 cases since the 2021 military coup. In a statement issued July 31, the alliance of community-based women’s organizations urged anti-junta resistance forces, emerging federal authorities, and the international community to enforce accountability and deliver justice for survivors. According to the WLB, successive military regimes have systematically used sexual violence as a weapon of war throughout Myanmar’s decades-long civil conflict. Since the February 2021 coup alone, the organization has recorded more than 963 cases of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). However, the actual number of offenses is believed to be significantly higher, as survivors routinely face severe threats, social stigma, and coercion to remain silent. “Addressing these issues requires more than just having structures and policies in place,” said Maw Phray Myar, chairwoman of the Karenni National Women’s Organization (KNWO) and spokesperson for the WLB. “We need to stand with survivors, provide psychological support, and assist their recovery and rehabilitation. We also need to prioritize survivors’ voices and put an end to the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators.” The WLB criticized previous attempts to address wartime sexual violence for a lack of transparency, noting that survivors are continually denied justice while perpetrators evade prosecution. To break the cycle of impunity, the umbrella organization pledged to continue documenting atrocities, facilitating survivor compensation and rehabilitation, and liaising with international justice mechanisms. The WLB also urged the international community to deny diplomatic recognition to the military junta and pursue legal action over its systemic rights abuses. Additionally, it called on resistance forces and regional federal units to actively protect and support local women's rights groups on the ground.