Nan Swe Nwe Win

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Starting Point 

Nan Swe Nwe Win was the secretary of the Shan Literary and Cultural Association. She was proposed and nominated by the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) for being trustworthy and reliable. She also enjoyed support from the local government, EAOs and the civilians. Although she had no intention, she became involved in the peace process. She was invited to a meeting to form a state-level association under the Union Level. That’s how she became involved.  She was involved in the prevention of conflicts and mediation. She assisted in organising Cultural Exhibitions and Competitions on ethnic equality. She assumed that if women were involved in peace processes, there would likely be more chances for peace. To this end, more accommodation is warranted for women. Her role models are former members of parliament, namely, Daw Nan War Nu and Daw Nan Kham Aye.

Peace Journey

First, she suggested we still need to build a culture of trust. We need trust between the government and the ethnic groups and between the government and the public. A needs assessment should be done first. The JMC peace process is for all ethnicities. She worked in line with JMC’s merits and Training of Trainers guidelines. However, after 2020, these processes cannot continue due to political and economic conditions. She went to the Philippines, organised by JMC on peacemaking, and had to return after 3 days because of the conflict there.  In the JMC, there are provisions for protecting women and children. She was successful in the peace process to a certain extent. There were no more problems that JMC could solve between the local government and the EAOs.

Success Stories

Due to a lack of trust among the sensitive conflicting parties, she had to handle it consciously. Being a woman, it is more challenging to deal with them. So, more efforts are necessary to encourage women to participate. Naturally, married women are engaged in many daily activities, including household chores and raising children. This vital role should be recognised and supported. Women empowerment is key to peace process. They should be encouraged not to live in fear by sharing knowledge and experiences. Traditional discrimination against and disbelief in women should be overcome by all means.