Myanmar

Conflict has created a humanitarian crisis that disproportionately affects women and children, with more than 13 million in need of aid. Entrenched patriarchal norms, long-standing militarization, and religious and ethno-nationalist extremism fuel violence against women by the junta, resistance groups, and even opportunistic civilians. For decades, the junta has perpetrated widespread sexual violence against women, men, girls, boys, and LGBTQ+ individuals during combat, village raids, detention, and at military checkpoints. The junta’s policy of forced conscription also causes women to fight, flee, or lose vital income as relatives are drafted. Meanwhile, Myanmar is the world’s leading hub for organized crime, exposing women and girls to trafficking, forced labor, and sexual exploitation. The conflict has deepened longstanding gender inequalities in access to income, assets, livelihoods, and decision-making. Cuts in international aid and fuel shortages further compound economic challenges, as women increasingly bear responsibility for household survival and unpaid care while facing greater barriers to employment and economic independence. Nevertheless, women’s civil society organizations continue to provide life-saving services and advocate for human rights, often at great personal risk and despite dwindling resources.

While domestic rule of law has been undermined by the junta, some international accountability efforts continue, such as an International Criminal Court application for an arrest warrant for junta leader Min Aung Hlaing for alleged crimes against the Rohingya, including weaponized sexual violence. At the local level, women remain leading agents of resistance and inclusive recovery: women have advanced a nine-point political declaration for feminist federalism and ethnic diversity in the future federal democratic union of Myanmar, while others lead grassroots initiatives, serve in combat roles within the People’s Defense Forces, and provide logistical support to resistance efforts. Women’s organizations and networks are advocating for a future federal democratic system that incorporates women’s rights and meaningful political participation. Sustaining these efforts and ensuring women have a meaningful role in shaping Myanmar’s political transition and eventual peace process will be critical to building an inclusive and durable peace.

Min Aunt Hlaing’s swearing-in as president further entrenches military control of Myanmar’s government, following the widely condemned scam elections in winter 2026. Loyalist appointments and the transfer of military officials into civilian roles have reinforced junta authority, while repression and conflict dynamics continue to have a devastating effect on civilians. The consolidation of power is narrowing already limited civic space, which uniquely impacts women who compose roughly 60 percent of the pro-democracy movement. Over 30,000 people, including more than 6,000 women, have been jailed on political charges since the coup, reflecting a systematic crackdown that suppresses dissent and restricts participation in public and political life.

Worsening airstrikes and clashes with resistance forces continue to drive civilian casualties, with 241 airstrike events recorded in March 2026 alone and deaths exceeding 400—over 65 percent higher than any previous month since the 2021 coup. This follows the killing of more than 800 women in junta airstrikes and ground attacks in 2025. These strikes are also forcing millions from their homes, with women and children comprising a disproportionate share of those fleeing, often via dangerous migration routes. For women and girls, continued insecurity is restricting safe movement, reducing access to health and protection services, and increasing exposure to forced marriage, harassment, violence, and exploitation—particularly during flight and displacement.

Spillover from conflict in the Middle East is worsening economic instability in Myanmar, driving fuel shocks, inflation, and rising food prices. Diesel prices have surged by nearly 200 percent since late February, increasing the cost of staples such as rice and palm oil, while supply chain disruptions and higher transport costs are further inflating prices and constraining humanitarian delivery. These pressures compound an already fragile economy, where inflation exceeds 20 percent and food inflation could reach 35 percent under prolonged disruptions. An estimated 12.4 million people are projected to face acute hunger in 2026—over half of them women—with displaced and stateless populations like the Rohingya particularly affected. Women, especially those heading households, face disproportionate impacts as rising costs erode purchasing power, increase unpaid care burdens, and drive harmful coping strategies such as meal reduction, school withdrawal, and early marriage.

Women-led and women’s rights organizations delivering frontline humanitarian assistance in Myanmar face pervasive security threats and operational barriers, with nearly all reporting deliberate obstruction, heightened checkpoint scrutiny, forced route changes, and exposure to airstrikes during travel and service delivery. Female staff also face gender-specific risks, including sexual harassment at checkpoints. These challenges are compounded by severe funding gaps—61 percent report limited access to funding, 50 percent have never received duty-of-care support, and 44 percent face financial pressures threatening organizational sustainability. At the same time, many report exclusion from coordination and response planning, limiting their ability to deliver services effectively and reducing access to critical assistance for women and girls in conflict-affected areas.

Since the 2021 coup, the junta has detained more than 30,000 political prisoners, with persistent reports of sexual violence and abuse in detention facilities. In February 2026, 15 women political prisoners were placed in solitary confinement after participating in a peaceful protest, underscoring the continued use of punitive measures to silence women activists. A newly enacted law further expands the junta’s authority to deny passports on broad national security grounds, raising concerns that activists and civil society actors may be prevented from leaving the country. Together, these measures further restrict civic engagement and deter women’s political participation.

The pardoning of more than 4,000 prisoners in April 2026 marks a notable moment amid ongoing repression, although it remains unclear how many women or political detainees were released. Rights groups continue to call for the unconditional liberation of all those held on politically motivated charges. For women—who face heightened risks in detention and greater barriers to justice—the scale and opacity of detentions point to persistent gaps in protection, oversight, and access to legal recourse.

In response to widespread attacks on healthcare infrastructure and restricted access to state-run services, underground and community-based health systems have expanded across Myanmar, training new cohorts of medical professionals to serve displaced populations and conflict-affected communities. With access to basic healthcare—including maternal and essential services—severely disrupted, these networks play a critical role in reaching vulnerable populations, while also reflecting the leadership of health workers, including women, within the Civil Disobedience Movement in sustaining care under conflict conditions.