Since the 2021 military coup, communities across Myanmar have faced escalating violence, displacement, and political repression. Yet, women, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds, continue to lead community organising and advocacy efforts.

In a context of shrinking civic space, displacement and humanitarian uncertainty, strengthening women’s collective leadership is both protective and transformative.

In late October-early November Union Aid Abroad ran a study tour to the Thai-Myanmar border. This tour contained participants from the Australian union movement who attended to learn about our projects in the region and the struggle for democracy in Myanmar.

With Myanmar’s military junta pushing ahead with a widely condemned “sham election” starting on 28 December, global pressure is mounting to deny the regime any legitimacy.

Myanmar’s military junta is pressing ahead with plans for sham elections in a bid to tighten its grip on power, despite widespread persecution and imprisonment of critics, ongoing armed conflict, and its lack of control over most of the country.