Situation Overview for Women in Burma: July-September 2025
3 October 2025
It has been a challenging four and a half years since the attempted coup on 1 February 2021, especially for young women and girls. Justice has been repeatedly denied and dismissed as the military continues to exert control through brute force. A new report by the United Nations Security Council noted that displaced, refugee and migrant women and girls faced widespread patterns of conflict-related sexual violence. The report further states that the lack of a functioning judiciary and the collapse of the rule of law have hindered survivors’ access to justice, highlighting the need for increased monitoring and protection for women and young people.
The military offensive against opposition forces has intensified, causing more Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to flee active conflict areas. Over three million people are now facing a humanitarian crisis as the regime continues escalating its attacks at an alarming rate, targeting schools, hospitals, clinics, as well as temples, monasteries, and churches. Residents are afraid and struggling to survive, living in a constant state of fear. Countless women and young girls are living in informal settlements to escape the war. While residing in isolated areas, they lack access to legal representation or reliable justice pathways to advocate for their rights and interests.
Victims encounter challenges in accessing treatment, mental health services, police protection, and legal aid after experiencing gender-based violence. Armed conflict further complicates holding perpetrators—especially soldiers—accountable. Burma has a fragile justice system that lacks a stable and dependable rule of law, which hampers the advancement of women’s rights. Additional barriers to women’s access to justice include discriminatory patriarchal and cultural norms, customary law, economic barriers, and corruption. Women face widespread discrimination in exercising their rights and seeking justice for violations.
Discrimination and exclusion against religious and ethnic minorities have shaped many of Burma’s laws and policies for over fifty years. They have fostered and sustained violence, severe poverty, exploitation, and dispossession. Notably, the 1982 Citizenship Law rendered a large portion of the Rohingya and other Muslims stateless, heightening their vulnerability. Before the coup, seeking justice through official channels was already difficult, mainly due to economic barriers to attending court hearings and the high cost of legal fees. Burma Army soldiers have a disgraceful history of committing sexual violence against women and specifically targeting religious minorities.
Nationwide, women have been targeted by the military junta and security forces in violation of the UN Charter, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
Since the failed coup, women-led organizations operating in conflict-affected areas have had to adapt their approach constantly. They continue to help survivors seeking refuge in their safe houses, which provide accommodation, food, and counselling to victims of violence. However, they have had to adapt because of the escalating crisis. Many local women’s groups report that survivors are suffering from both physical and mental trauma, which impairs their ability to focus and build relationships. Numerous women endure prolonged trauma. Yet, under the current crisis, access to mental healthcare remains limited.
Findings from this third quarter show that between July and September 2025, in the HURFOM targeted areas of Mon State, Karen State, and the Tanintharyi Region, 18 women were killed, 53 were injured, and 28 were arbitrarily arrested. There were 15 children killed and 27 injured. Since the unlawful coup attempt, HURFOM has documented 243 women killed, 548 wounded, and 288 arbitrarily arrested. Additionally, at least 80 children have been killed and 165 injured. Serious concerns persist regarding the protection of women, given the challenging realities they face on the ground.
Women face numerous obstacles, especially young women who often encounter double standards with respect to their gender. They are undervalued and disrespected by male leaders in the community, and they frequently lack support from their families. Many women are restricted due to a lack of cooperation from some male leaders and because certain community members want to maintain stereotypical roles for women. In Burma, ethnic groups face two main struggles: dictatorship and Burmanization. Women face three challenges because they also have to combat patriarchy and strive for their voices to be heard and respected.
Following the failed coup, access to justice for women has become virtually nonexistent.2 Burma’s 2008 Constitution shields soldiers from civilian oversight, while the Commander-in- Chief can grant impunity for crimes, including sexual violence, against civilians. Ultimately, the Commander-in-Chief has the final say on all cases and complaints, thereby extending the military’s control over institutions and depriving civilians of their fundamental rights, including the right to a fair trial.
Women in Burma continue to challenge gender stereotypes by questioning the status quo and advocating for laws that protect women’s rights. They work to empower women, especially young women, enabling them to lead and serve as positive community role models. Additionally, they advocate for justice for women and victims through case referrals and home visits. Women human rights defenders also aim to increase awareness of women’s rights and gender equality within their communities.
Women are advancing in their leadership roles across all aspects of the revolution, increasing visibility for the actions and initiatives led by women. They are recognized on the frontlines of protests, outside prisons offering free legal support, and represented in the National Unity Government (NUG). Women have long been at the helm of advocating for change in Burma. Ethnic women, in particular, have been leading voices for accountability and reform for decades. Their efforts and sacrifices for the country must not be overlooked.
The brutality of the military has not diminished the momentum of the Spring Revolution. From a gendered perspective, it is different because women are now better educated, more experienced, and have had the chance to resist, participate in various training programs, and explore gender protection mechanisms in democracies — all of which empower women. Further, international actors must recognize that the people are building a federal democracy from the ground up and are defeating the military junta, thus dismantling this murderous and corrupt institution.
As HURFOM and civil society organizations, including those in our network, have repeatedly expressed, there must be an end to military impunity, which remains a widespread threat to the protection of citizens and the advancement of human rights.
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