Empowered Voices
"They see us only as victims. But we are the ones organizing relief in the camps. We are the ones mediating disputes. We are the ones keeping our communities together." In Karenni State, women are leading—but rarely recognized.
Women and marginalized groups in Karenni State face compounding barriers: structural discrimination, cultural norms that exclude them from leadership, and the daily dangers of ongoing conflict. Gender-based violence goes unaddressed. People with disabilities and LGBTQ+ individuals face heightened risks with almost no support. Yet in IDP camps and displaced communities, women are often the ones holding everything together—organizing aid distribution, resolving conflicts, supporting survivors. Their leadership goes unrecognized; their voices unheard in the spaces where decisions are made.
