Crisis and Resource Centre

Thai Burma border

Partner: Palaung Women’s Organisation

Funding source: IWDA supporters, Resources for Courses and The Arnold Foundation

Issue: The Palaung people from North Eastern Burma face severe hardship and have limited access to information about their rights or educational resources, and few livelihood options. As a result, women from this region are highly vulnerable to gender-based violence and human trafficking.

Outline: The Crisis and Resource Centre provides emergency accommodation, support and resources to women survivors of trafficking and/or violence. The Centre also operates a mobile library, bringing greater access to information on human rights, health and well-being, and increasing awareness about trafficking, violence against women and international human rights instruments through roundtable discussions and workshops. While the short-term goal of this initiative is to provide direct assistance to women in need, the long-term objective is to prevent and mitigate trafficking and violence against women through education and outreach.

Impact: This year the Centre provided direct assistance to nine women survivors of trafficking and/or violence and supported many families with missing female family members. The Centre documented a further 20 cases of women who had been trafficked or faced violence. The library was used by more than 100 women, and 10 one-day workshops provided some 150 women with increased awareness of trafficking and knowledge about human rights and available support.

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