End Violence Against Women

Thank you for helping to raise funds for regional projects dedicated to ending gender violence by supporting the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The Fund currently supports 78 initiatives in 71 countries and territories, with grants totalling US$56.8 million. Created in 1996, the Fund provides help for effective and sustainable initiatives to prevent, address, reduce, and ultimately eliminate these violations of women’s human rights. We have supported several programmes in Southeast Asia since our founding in 1998.

Our UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women beneficiary was the Karenni National Women’s Organisation. With your help and funds raised through our annual gala event, SNOW (Say Not to the Oppression of Women), we were able to support this project to ensure its completion later this month.

About the Project

The project aims to ensure that women and girls affected by violence receive comprehensive assistance from community-based service partners, allowing survivors of violence to heal quickly and safely. KNWO uses one-on-one therapy, conflict resolution seminars for both men and women, and empowerment initiatives to ultimately end the cycle of violence within the camps. Through our institutional strengthening, KNWO is quickly becoming the lead agency for prevention and response to violence.

Based in a refugee camp on the Thailand/Myanmar border, KNWO uses one-on-one therapy, conflict resolution seminars for both men and women, and empowerment initiatives to allow the 10,000 survivors of gender violence to heal quickly and safely while ending the cycle of violence within the camps.

79300 Karenni people have been displaced from their homes due to violence, mostly women and children. For the past few years, the Singapore Committee for UN Women funded grants under the UN Trust Fund towards the KNWO. KNWO is a Community Based Organization and was founded on March 10, 1993 by concerned women individuals to organize women refugees who fled their homes to seek asylum along the Thai-Burma border in Mae Hong Son, North West of Thailand.

The Outcomes

In 2013 IRC continued to build KNWO’s technical skills for GBV services and coordination. IRC provided training to multi-sectoral actors with KNWO participation as observers. IRC continued to supervise case management staff and service quality and is responsible for day-to- day operations of the three shelters.

In 2014 IRC conducted train-the-trainer sessions for KNWO on training and coordinating with the multi-sectoral actors. IRC and KNWO co-facilitate trainings and coordination/SOP meetings with these actors. IRC and KNWO co-supervise case management staff, service quality, and co-manage the shelters.

In 2015 KNWO are conducting training for and facilitates coordination/SOP meetings with the multi-sectoral actors. IRC provides consultation, observes, and provides feedback to KNWO. With regular consultation with IRC, KNWO leads supervision of case management staff and service quality. KNWO oversees day-to-day operations of the shelters.

Thank You

Speaking at the start of the project, Lu Myar, Women Child Protection Coordinator, Karenni National Women Organisation, Ban Mai Nai Soi Refugee Camp, Thailand.“I also believe that one day KNWO will become a strong, sustainable organization, fully able to fundraise, and advocate, as well as run programming such as oversee GBV case management, operate the WCC/Shelter, and help ensure adherence to GBV’s Operating Standard Procedure and GBV’s core concept trainings.  

With the generous support of donors such as you, programmes like this continue to make incredible impact on women and girls around the world. As this programme is now drawing to a close, we thank you for your support of this particular project, and hope that you will continue to support us through our other campaigns and programmes.

*Lu Myar is a refugee from Karenni State in Myanmar, who has lived in Ban Mai Nai Soi camp for 7 years and has worked with the KNWO for the last 6 years. Lu Myar is the KNWO’s Women and Child Protection Coordinator, working with Karenni refugee women survivors of violence, and overseeing efforts to change community attitudes that allow the violence to continue.