May Sabe Phyu

As director of the Gender Equality Network, a coalition of more than 90 organizations collaborating to advocate for women’s rights, May Sabe Phyu is leading efforts to end discrimination against women and ethnic and religious minorities in Burma. May Sabe Phyu co-founded the Kachin Peace Network and Kachin Women Peace Network to prioritize the needs of ethnic minority women in Kachin State, who are disproportionately affected by the longstanding civil conflict between the government and ethnic armed groups in northern Burma. Her efforts to address gender-based violence and promote women’s involvement in the peace process have led to numerous legal charges, as well as harassment and threats from anonymous networks. Yet, May Sabe Phyu’s determination in the face of adversity, political opposition, widely held rigid views about women’s roles, and personal risk has inspired collective action to push for government policy changes and realize women’s rights in Burma.