Koe-Mile village needs Women’s group and Women empowerment Training

March 17, 2015

Women’s rights groups are needed to empower women and help fight endemic prejudice and domestic violence against women in northern Ye Township’s Koe-Mile Village.

“In our village, we would like to have a woman’s group because they will be able to advocate for the rights of women,” expressed Koe-Mile’s village chairman, “Nowadays, we should protect the rights of women and youth, and then the lives of women will be able to improve. In every situation there is a belief that men are better than women. Although men are talking nonsense, women still lack the power to speak. During my term as chairman, we always welcomed the discussion regarding the formation of a women’s group or training related to women’s rights in the village; we always welcomed the plan. If it benefits everyone, we give permission to make it happen. I am willing to take responsibility and I am very interested to give full support and help. I have seen the eyes of our youth opening for a long time now. There is no activity related to women’s rights, which is why we really need to address this women’s issue.”

Koe-Mile’s village youth group was formed ten years ago, but the village does not have any women’s organizations or groups raising awareness regarding violence against women. The village chairman notes there is domestic violence amongst a number of couples in the village.

Drug use is currently rising in the village, bringing along with it a rise in domestic violence.

“There are four people that I have known [and tried to counsel]. When I can’t handle them, I even did beat one of them. Due to this domestic violence, it affects their children. After I solved their cases, things are fine between them again. For the youth there are fewer problems because their group is strong. Those married with two, three or four kids are difficult to handle because they are old,” said the chairman.

The chairman remarked, “I do not see when they use the drug, but I have to solve the problem when they are fighting. During the past two years there has been a lot of domestic violence in the village. People who sell the drugs are mostly from Ye, or other towns. Even though we want to arrest them, we don’t have strong evidence to arrest. The people who are selling the drugs are not Mon, but the people who use the drugs are mostly Mon. I admonish my villagers [who take drugs] or threaten them as much as I can. This year’s [rate of drug use] is better than last year; if we compare it to last year, only 30% of those who used drugs last year are still using.”

Koe-Mile village is located in northern Ye Township. The village is home to 320 households and a population of 2,593, who are largely betel nut and rubber farmers, with a small number of the population having migrated to Thailand.

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