Examining the Empowerment of Woman Activists in the Women's
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Power To ‘Shake The Ground’: Examining the Empowerment of Woman Activists in the Women’s Movement at the Burma-Thailand Border by Meaghan Anderson A Thesis Presented to The University of Guelph In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts In Sociology and International Development Guelph, Ontario, Canada © Meaghan Anderson, October, 2014 ABSTRACT THE POWER TO ‘SHAKE THE GROUND’: Examining the Empowerment of Woman Activists in the Women’s Movement at the Burma-Thailand Border Meaghan Anderson Advisor: University of Guelph, 2014 Professor Lisa Kowalchuk This thesis explores the capacity of woman activists at the Burma-Thailand border to influence the sources of their gendered marginalization. These woman activists are part of an expanding women’s movement comprised of political exiles, documented refugees, undocumented refugees and migrant workers from Burma, living in exile communities along the Burma-Thailand border. Feminist researchers have pointed to the gendered marginalization women experience in regions of conflict and displacement, arguing that conflict affects women differently than men. Further, researchers in peace-building and refugee studies have highlighted the important role exile communities play in addressing the roots of their displacement, fostering stability in their communities, and promoting positive social change in their exile communities and country of origin. I conducted individual interviews, focus groups, and participation observation with woman activists working for women’s organizations in Mae Sot and Chiang Mai, Thailand, to explore the constraints and opportunities for activism that they experience in their daily lives. My research indicates that the experience of ‘social flux’ that characterizes exile communities facilitates expanded opportunities for women to be involved in activism. These opportunities have facilitated the women’s movement’s use of a grassroots capacity building strategy that has led to the expansion of their informal power in their exile communities, and in turn, the expansion of their opportunities to influence the sources of their marginalization. iii This thesis is dedicated to the women at Mon Women’s Organization in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand who welcomed me into their lives and shared with me their strength of spirit and love of their ethnic homelands in Burma. Witnessing their courage and the courage of all the women that participated in this project has been transformative. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would foremost like to thank my fantastic Academic Advisor Lisa Kowalchuk, for her enthusiastic guidance and kind encouragement throughout this thesis project, Professor Belinda Leach for her critical input on my drafts, Professsor Beth Finnis for her thoughtful contributions to the arguments of my research, Shelagh Daly for nurturing an environment of support and Vivian Shallah for her generous guidance throughout my degree. I am eternally grateful to the women and organizations in Mae Sot and Chiang Mai, Thailand who welcomed me into their community and shared their experiences with me. Thank you for your honest and thoughtful contributions to my research and for sharing with me your unwavering commitment to the struggle for human rights in Burma and at the border. v ACRONYMS BSPP Burma Socialist Program Party SLORC State Law and Order Restoration Committee NLD National League for Democracy SPDC State Peace and Development Council NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees WLB Women’s League of Burma BWU Burmese Women’s Union KWAT Kachin Women’s Association-Thailand KWO Karen Women’s Organization KNOW Karenni National Women’s Organization KYWO Kayan Women’s Organization KWHRO Kuki Women’s Human Rights Organization LWO Lahu Women's Organization PWO Palaung Women's Organization PWU Pa-O Women's Union RWU Rakhaing Women's Union SWAN Shan Women's Action Network TWU Tavoy Women's Union WRWAB Women's Rights and Welfare Association of Burma IMF International Monetary Fund KIO Kachin Independence Organization GAD Gender and Development BPfA Beijing Platform for Action GDI Gender Development Index GEM Gender Empowerment Measure POS Political Opportunity Structure vi GBV Gender-Based Violence INGOs International Non-Governmental Organizations TANs Transnational Activist Networks TBBC Thai-Burma Border Consortium SYCB Student Youth Council of Burma KNU Karen National Union IDPs Internally Displaced Persons YNS Youth for New Society SAW Social Action for Women CBOs Community-Based Organizations DPNS Democratic Party for New Society LLC Labour Law Clinic CEDAW Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women vii Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction…………………….………………………………………………1 Chapter 2: Background of Statelessness in Burma................................................4 Conflict in Burma…………………………………………………………………...............5 Political Repression of the Pro-Democracy Movement…………………………………….6 The Pro-Democracy Movement at the Burma-Thailand border………………………...….7 The Women's Movement at the Burma-Thailand Border………………………………......8 The Ongoing Political Transition and Peace Process……………………………………...10 Chapter 3: Literature Review………………………………………………………........12 Empirical Research on Women’s Activism: The Mobilization of Women in Unstable Communities…………………………………………………………………..…………...13 The Mobilization of Exile Communities and the Development of ‘Peace building Capacity’……………………………………………………………………………..…….15 Women’s Role in Peace-Building…………………………………………………...……..17 Chapter 4: Conceptual Framework………………………………………….…………19 Gender and Life in Exile…………………………………………………………………..19 ‘Power as Domination’ and Breaking Down the Formal and Informal Dichotomy…...19 Power as Capacity: Capabilities and Empowerment......................................................21 Opportunities for Mobilization……………………………………………………..……...22 Political Opportunity Structure in Regions of Protracted Displacement........................23 Constraints and Opportunities for Activism in Exile Communities…………..………...25 New Stakeholders and the Development of Transnational Activist Networks (TANs)….27 Creating Movement Opportunities through Empowerment.................................................29 Chapter 5: Methodology………………………………………………………………....35 Data Collection……………………………………………………………………..……...40 Individual Interviews……………………………………………………………………41 Focus Groups……………………………………………………………………….…..43 Participant Observation……………………………………………………………..….44 Language Limitations and Translation……………………..…………………………..….45 Transcription and Coding………………………………………………………………….47 Chapter 6: Opportunities for Activism at the Burma-Thailand Border: Expanding Women’s Opportunities Through Grassroots Capacity-Building….50 Comparing the Social and Political Environment of Communities Inside Burma and Exile Communities at the Burma-Thailand Border………………………………………………54 The Lived Experiences of Women Inside Burma………………………………………..54 Traditional Role of Women………………………………………………………..55 viii Diminished Human Capital: Lack of Access to Education………………………...57 Conflict, Instability and Fear in Ethnic Minority Regions…………………………59 The Lived Experiences of Women in Exile Communities.................................................61 Building an Underground Movement: Blessing and a Curse………………………63 Normalizing of Women’s Rights…………………………………………………..66 Community Driven Humanitarian Assistance: Addressing Women in Exile Communities Immediate Needs……………………………………………………69 Utilizing a Movement Specific Strategy of ‘Grassroots Community Empowerment’: Creating New Opportunities Out of Old Constraints………………………………………72 “Everything is Politics”: The Ideology and Objectives of Woman Activists in the Women’s Movement…………………………………………………………………….74 Gender and the Political Landscape of Exile Communities at the Burma-Thailand Border…………………………………………………………………………………...75 Access to Education and Knowledge: Grassroots Capacity Building in Exile Communities……………………………………………………………………………78 Individual Empowerment Through Grassroots Capacity Building………………...78 Renegotiating Social Roles………………………………………………………...81 Utilizing Informal Networks to Increase the Scope and Impact of the Women’s Movement……………………………………………………………………………….....83 The Women’s Movement’s Informal Networks in Exile Communities…………………83 Transnational Advocacy Networks: Connecting Woman Activists to Formal Political Processes………………………………………………………………………………..85 Building Bridges: Reconciling Long-Standing Social Divisions within Diverse Exile Communities.........................................................................................................................89 Ethnic Divisions: Building Understanding and Conflict Resolution Mechanisms Within Women’s Organizations...................................................................................................90 Building Cooperation Between Women’s Organizations at the Burma-Thailand border and Women’s Organizations Inside Burma………………………………….................93 Chapter 7: Conclusion…………………………………………………………………..95 Limitations………………………………………………………………………………..97 Implications………………………………………………………………………………98 Future Research…………………………………………………………………………..100 Works Cited.............................................................................................................101 Appendix I: List of Ethnic Groups from Burma...................................................108 Appendix II: Map of Burma Outlining Ethnic Minority Regions.........................111 Appendix III: Individual