History of Women in Politics

The active involvement of women in politics in modern day of Burma can be traced back to the 1919 founding of Konmari, the first national women’s organization. Other women’s organizations followed, such as the Burmese Women’s Union, the Burmese Women’s National Council, the Burmese Women’s Association and Dama Thukha Association. At the beginning of 20th century, rooted in nationalism, women’s initial involvement in politics was a display of their patriotism. Backed by Konmari, in 1920, female students participated in university student strikes, political activities, demonstrations and discussions on “Home Rule,” or Burmese semi-autonomy started by the British government before World War II.
After women in Burma were granted suffrage under British colonial rule in 1922, they joined the independence movement alongside male activists. Like their male counterparts who honored themselves with the title Thakhin, these women honored themselves with the title of Thakhinma. Meaning master, the nationalists appropriated this label, the form of address reserved for their British colonial rulers, as an act of open defiance.
Still, women were not allowed to participate in law making.

A women’s group, led by Daw Mya Sein, opposed such gender discrimination.
Women ran for office after Burma gained independence in 1948. Naw Ba Maung Chein of Karen State became the first and only female cabinet minister in Burma. Daw Khin Kyi, mother of pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, became an emissary to India, and was the first and only female ambassador. Sao Nang Hearn Kham, the wife of Burma’s first president, became the chairperson of the Armed Forces of Shan State.
While it was primarily men who were subjugated and killed as the military led by General Ne Win consolidated its power in 1962, women were also in danger. Similar to the current regime, this socialist government used women as hostages. Women were arrested and exploited because their fathers, brothers and husbands engaged in politics.
However, the democracy movement of 1988 saw resurgence in women’s political involvement. Thousands of women joined the people’s uprising, signifying the largest number of women participating in politics since 1962. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi rose to prominence at this time as a leader of the party spearheading the democracy movement, the National League for Democracy, or NLD.
Women from different communities were arrested and tortured during the 1988 uprising. Some female students were reportedly raped.
The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) seized state power on September 18, 1988 and promised to convene a parliament after an election. The SLORC sponsored a multiparty democratic general election in 1990. 2296 candidates ran in the election, 84 of which were women. Fifteen women won their seats.
However, elected Members of Parliament (MPs) were not allowed to join the parliament, and the military junta forced them to resign from their respective parties and resign as Members of Parliament. Many MPs, including women MPs, were detained and imprisoned. Some women MPs have since passed away. They are:
(1) Daw Tin Saw Oo, Mudon constituency, Mon State
(2) Daw San San Win, Ahlon constituency, Rangoon Division
(3) Daw Sein Tin, Shwe Ku constituency, Kachin State
(4) Daw May Phyo, Namatu constituency, Shan State
Not only elected MPs, but also many politically active women from different communities were imprisoned and died – some because they themselves took part in democracy and human rights movement and some because they were accused of supporting their fathers’ or brothers’ political activities.
Imprisonment and torture continued through the 1990s as democracy activists fought the SLORC (renamed the State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC, in 1997) and fought for recognition of the 1990 election.
Many women were put in prison because they took part in the 1988 people’s uprising. Many women are still in prison because of their continuous participation in politics.