How can you support the work of KWO?

KWO is only able to reduce poverty, build confidence and empower thousands of women each year with the ongoing support of our generous donors and supporters. Please contact us if you would like to help. KWO welcomes you to join us in the fight for the rights of women and the Karen people in Burma.

Contact usKaren Women's Organization (Central)

P.O. Box 19, Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son 58110, Thailand.

E-mail: kwocentral@gmail.com

Karen Women's Organization (Branch)P.O. Box 60, Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand.

E-mail: kwomaesot@gmail.com

Social Welfare Program

KWO plays a key role in caring for vulnerable members of the Karen community. Most of this work is unfunded, comprising day-to-day assistance for members of the community by KWO members and staff both inside Karen State and in the refugee camps. In addition, KWO runs a number of funded projects: safe houses for women and children at risk, and programs to raise awareness about women's protection in camps and Karen State. KWO also advocates on behalf of vulnerable groups and assists women to attain justice for rights violations. KWO strongly advocates for victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) to access justice. We care for elderly people, hold community events to maintain our Karen tradition and culture. We support traditional handicraft production, and support those women by selling their products from small shops in our offices.

Find Out MoreFor further information about the Karen People and

KWO, visit www.karenwomen.org and

www.facebook.com/karenwomenorganization

Empowerment

Karen Women’s Organization

Equality

Freedom

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Who is the Karen Women Organization (KWO)?

KWO is a community based organization active in all seven Karen refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, one internally displaced camp and in seven Karen districts within Burma working for women's equality, empowerment and freedom. In 2015, KWO celebrated its 30th year supporting and strengthening women's roles in all spheres of life. KWO has grown into an organization of 50,000 members. KWO aims to build the capacity of women to advocate for their rights and empower them in politics and decision making, whilst supporting the Karen community to maintain its culture and identity. KWO is a founding member of the Women's League of Burma (WLB).

KWO Goals:

Our goals are to attain freedom from oppression and equality with men, to improve women's living standards, health, education and social status and to increase active participation of women in leadership and decision-making at different levels.

KWO values:

• Condemning of all forms of discrimination and violence against women

• Promoting respect and mutual support and assistance among women

• Embracing and practicing democracy and gender equality

• Accepting duties with honesty and practicing accountability and transparency

• Maintaining and practicing Karen culture within the context of women's empowerment

• Discouraging cultural and traditional practice that harm and discriminate again Karen women

Objectives of KWO

• To assist women in the endeavor to be free from all forms of oppression.

• To promote and empower women in all spheres of life, including education and general living standards.

• To encourage women to participate in the struggle for freedom, democracy and equality.

• To develop women's knowledge, ability and skills, including political and organizational skills.

• To achieve the rights of women and equal status with men.

• To maintain and promote Karen culture and tradition.• To improve the wellbeing of women and children

and to increase their access to adequate health, education and welfare services.

We divide our work into 4 main programs:

Organizing and Information Sharing Program

KWO recognizes that we have a responsibility to communicate with Karen women and to represent their concerns and struggles to the wider world. KWO facilitates information sharing and organizing programs in order to encourage dialogue and unity with the Karen community. We also maintain continuous contact with the Karen community in the refugee camps and in Karen state. This makes us an invaluable source for collecting information, identifying needs, and planning projects with the community. In addition, KWO collaborates with other community-based organizations (CBOs) to enable effective advocacy. Cases of human rights violations are collected, documented and shared. KWO also carries out our own advocacy activities when it comes to community ownership, protection of children and women, worker participation in decision making and stopping violence against women. KWO works closely with the Women's League of Burma (WLB)

to promote women's Rights and women's participation locally nationally and internationally.

Education Program

KWO runs short-term training and longer-term education projects designed to afford better opportunities for Karen women and assist them to realize their potential. These projects build women's skills and increase their confidence, enabling them to work for their communities, engaging them in politics, and empowering them to become more effective in the struggle for Karen people's rights. We implement and provide education opportunities that we identify as gaps not met by mainstream education providers: for children with special needs, early childhood education, support for unaccompanied children, adult literacy, and leadership programs for potential young leaders. We advocate for inclusive education and non-formal education for young and adult people who lack educational opportunities in their lives. We strongly advocate for education that maintains and promotes Karen identity and promotes a peaceful community. (I moved the pink highlight sentence… it fits better closer to the sentence about women's training.)

Health Program

Karen women in rural remote areas have little access to healthcare and the infant mortality rate in Karen state is one of the highest in the world. KWO provides material assistance to pregnant women and to new mothers in those areas. We also support traditional birth attendants in refugee camps to assist women with safe, home births. KWO advocates on a variety of health issues in the camps and inside Karen state areas, and is involved in training and facilitating information sharing on adolescent reproductive health, basic women's health care, hygiene and clean environments for better health.