Nan Say Wah

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Starting Point

Since her university days, Ms. Nan Say Wah has actively engaged in youth leadership and volunteer activities. She was a member of Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives) from 2010 to 2015. She also served as the vice-president of the Kayin Region Culture Promotion Association, contributing to regional development. 

When the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) was reorganised, she alternately served as the vice-chairperson of the civilian representative of ethnic armed organisations (EAOs). She ran for the election in 2020 but failed to gain sufficient votes. However, she continued to work for the benefit of Kayin State. After the State Administration Council (SAC) took power in 2021, she re-joined the JMC at the invitation of the Chief Minister of the Kayin State, where she played the role of mediation and mitigation.

Her interest in women's issues developed upon her retirement from the Pyithu Hluttaw. Moreover, since 2015, she has actively participated in addressing her concern about this issue. In her view, all women who speak up for their rights and become leaders are her role models. 

To encourage greater participation of women, she suggested that it is essential for women to organise and unite among themselves. Furthermore, she noted that involving women in peace processes can help reduce violence and empower them to advocate for the rights they deserve. Therefore, it is crucial to urge women's involvement. Regrettably, Women are often forgotten in peace processes, and very little space is allotted to them. For example, the Kayin State Peace-making Committee has only two female members. She expected that it should be more proportionate.

Peace Journey

As she witnessed, the current unstable and insecure situation in parts of the Kayin State led the locals to leave their homes to escape from armed conflict. Regretably, when they returned home, others were occupying their land. Some businesses were involved in unlawful activities. There was no solution to this issue, despite it having been reported to the relevant authority. 

In the absence of authority, the EAOs have taken action to establish rules in society and even detained those engaging in illegal activities. However, according to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), the EAOs do not have the right to detain locals. Those involved in illegal activities can only be tried by the law. Thus, she played a role in releasing those detained by the EAOs.

Success Stories

Her role in peacebuilding has been impressive. During her time with the JMC, she had the opportunity to speak and act to some extent on peace matters. For example, in addressing farmland issues, she made on-site visits to help resolve them. She also organised workshops to build trust between the government and the EAO, which signed the NCA. Aside from that, she pushed for educational activities to reduce civilians' fear. 

Moreover, she actively expands her network. She has visited Sweden, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand concerning women's issues. In 2016, she attended a workshop in the Philippines on conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Additionally, in 2017, she attended a course on democracy in Switzerland. 

In the future, she is hopeful that different views stemming from ethnic conflicts and party politics will be heard, and that discussions between the respective leaders will take place. She aspires for peace to return as soon as possible. In this context, ASEAN should play a role. ASEAN should engage with both sides and mediate in considering their aspirations.