Interviews with Charm Tong

As you know, Burma is very male-dominated community. People not only suffer from the increased militarization and the political oppression by the Burma army. For many women’s organizations and community-based, we are trying to build this capacity and also at the same time change, you know, the way, the attitude of the men in our community for a better change for the women in empowerment. And also to have equality among people in all the community.

Because what we want and fight for – our vision – is for the social and political change in Burma. So, we still have to work on, for example, when rape, you know, happens to a woman, committed by the Burma military, sometimes women are blamed, you know, of being raped because it is the social stigma. You know, this is also like a second and double punishment against women. And this is due to the long tradition and deep-rooted way of, you know, people’s perception of the women.

So we want to change this attitude and we want to oppose this kind of violence against women at different levels from the community – in the family until, you know, at the national level. At the same time, this is what we are doing at the local community, so that the women will be able to also participate in the decision-making, you know, in the political movement at different levels. So we have to continue to work and bring the struggle, you know, for the gender equality as well as for political change in Burma. And women will be one big force, you know, for changing human rights and democracy in Burma.

Interviewed August 2010

Charm Tong co-founded the Shan Women’s Action Network, when she was only 17. The organization is dedicated to stopping the exploitation of and violence against women and children in 1999.

Three years later, recognizing that their lack of education leaves the Shan young people more vulnerable to being trafficked or lured into other forms of exploitation, Tong founded the School for Shan State Nationalities Youth. The school works to empower and build the capacity of students to become leaders in their communities. It is regarded as a model for human rights education and training of young people from Burma and elsewhere.

Tong has also been instrumental in launching a campaign to bring attention to the systematic use of rape of Shan women by the Burmese military. The campaign, based on a report called “License to Rape,” has received considerable international attention.

Tong has received several international awards, including the Marie Claire Women of the Year Award and the Reebok Human Rights Award. In October 2005, she met at the White House with President George W. Bush.