Forced to Fight: The Reality of Military Conscription in Myanmar

In February 2024, the junta unlawfully activated the 2010 People’s Military Service Law, mandating military service for men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27, with penalties of up to five years in prison for evasion.

This report documents the widespread coercion, violence, and human rights abuses linked to forced recruitment under this law. Key findings include:

Systematic Abductions & Coercion: Young men, particularly from ethnic minority communities, are forcibly taken from homes, workplaces, and military checkpoints.
Extortion & Bribery: Families are forced to pay bribes to prevent their relatives from being conscripted.
Severe Human Rights Violations: Recruits face forced labour, psychological trauma, and in some cases, child recruitment.

Between February 2024 and February 2025, over 14 million individuals were deemed eligible for conscription, with 560 documented forced recruitment cases out of 886 recorded incidents (63%), according to the National Youth Congress (NYC).

At time of writing, these forced recruitment tactics have been used against young men only. However young women are now eligible to be compelled into the military, and if the battlefield situation for the junta worsens, we can confidently expect that women will be the next target.

Forced conscription in Myanmar is not only a violation of international law but also exacerbates the country’s humanitarian crisis, fuelling displacement and instability. This report contextualizes the findings within Myanmar’s historical and legal framework and calls for urgent international intervention.

Download full report in English I Burmese.