This is the story of how a Muslim woman overcame multiple layers of discrimination to become a leader in women’s rights advocacy in Myanmar. Through education, intersectional thinking, and collaboration, she has worked to uplift the voices of marginalized Muslim women and build inclusive, community-driven change.
Background
My name is Zin Lay. I’ve been working in the NGO sector for over ten years now as a Women’s Right Activist. I started out as a volunteer with the Myanmar Muslim Youth Group, taking part in social work and community engagement.
Since I was young, I’ve been passionate about women’s rights and how it intersects with other identities of marginalization My background is quite complex and not easily categorized as I come from a mixed heritage: My father is Rohingya, whereas my mother is Chinese-Bamar. I was born in 1988, but because of Myanmar’s 1982 Citizenship Law, I was not granted full citizenship. Instead, I received a temporary registration certificate. With this set-up at the state level, I faced many institutional barriers as a Muslim woman. However, in my family, I luckily didn’t experience discrimination for being a girl.
After 2010, with the rise of the 969-nationalism movement in Myanmar, Muslims became frequent targets of discrimination. As a Muslim woman engaged in humanitarian work during that time, I constantly feared for my safety. Traveling for work often came with no guarantees of security, not from my organization, worrying my family. The harsh discrimination made my job extremely difficult and unsafe, hampering the quality of my work and my future professional prospects.
During the 2012 religious conflict between Muslims and Buddhists, I worked with a group called “Helping Hands” to support and assist affected Muslim communities by providing their basic needs such as food and medicines. Later, I took the lead on a Girl Empowerment program under the Colorful Girls organization. Through that experience, I became involved with GIZ’s sustainable aquaculture project and skill for employment project, where I facilitated income-generating activities for displaced women in the conflict-affected area from the Northern Shan State. However, in Myanmar, women have long faced gender-based discrimination in their pursuit of leadership positions.
Because of these challenges, I became determined to further my education and grow as a leader. In 2023, I came across a master’s program in gender studies offered by Gender Lab, which offered to cover the gaps I encountered in my work. After applying, I was quickly accepted and started my journey at the gender lab.
Significant Changes Through Advanced Knowledge
Before going to AIT, I just did the work without knowing if I was doing it right. But after finishing my master’s in gender studies, I gained the confidence to lean into my leadership skills, speak louder and make informed decisions.
Gender Analysis has been one of my favorite subjects and it has been incredibly useful in practice. Before starting any project, I now know how to assess community needs, ensure inclusivity, and design sustainable outcomes that benefit everyone. Another critical takeaway was the importance of integrating intersectionality into all our work. What often gets forgotten is that women are not a homogenous group, experiences and needs vary widely.
This becomes clear in my case: I’m of mixed Rohingya, Chinese, and Bamar descent. I don’t speak the Rohingya language, so I don’t entirely fit into that community. While Rohingya women often face the challenge of statelessness, I did not share such a burden. Still, as a Muslim woman from an urban background, I face other forms of exclusion. With all these different identities, I often felt like I did not quite fit anywhere. That’s why, in any work related to gender, I believe it’s essential to center intersectionality—because identity is never just one thing.
Efforts for Change: Integrating the Unique Experience of Non-Rohingya Muslim Women
When talking about Muslim women in Myanmar, the focus is often on Rohingya women. However, the voices and experiences of other Muslim women are rarely heard. If we truly care about inclusiveness and intersectionality, we need to make space for everyone to be seen and heard. That’s why I wrote a paper called An Analysis of Intersectional Challenges Faced by Non-Rohingya Muslim Women. highlighting the challenges these women face and advocate for changes to Myanmar’s citizenship laws—so that all Muslim citizens are officially recognized as part of the country. Beyond the barriers that limit women’s participation in society legally, we also need to look at obstacles in the social, economic and political sphere.
Toward Sustainable Change: Everyone Needs to be Heard
Real change means listening to people’s needs and making sure no one is left behind. For instance, in our work on gender-based violence (GBV), based on the survivor’s needs and requests, we provide holistic support which includes not only legal advice but also tools for healing and rebuilding. Moreover, we also help survivors with income-generating activities or offering art-based therapy to enhance their resilience.
Furthermore, collaborating with alliances is essential for ensuring project effectiveness. Right now, with armed conflict spreading across many parts of Myanmar, we rely heavily on local groups to reach affected areas in tackling with GBV issues. Our team works through a network, so we partner closely with grassroots organizations.
In gender empowerment work, it is critical to not only decrease barriers for women, but also engage men in challenging patriarchy. There are ongoing debates about how to best approach this, but defining what “men’s engagement” is the first step for a thoughtful, holistic approach.
Evidence of Change: Overcoming Gender Barriers Step by Step
Political and economic instability in Myanmar is contributing to a rise in domestic violence. Due to the worsening conflict and weak rule of law in Myanmar, advancing gender and women’s rights is becoming more difficult.
Despite these barriers, we can’t afford to give up. While institutional change may not yet be visible, small actions, over time, can lead to meaningful progress. In my own community, despite systemic barriers to citizenship, I was able to study abroad and earn a degree. Now, I’m playing a leadership role in women’s rights advocacy. That alone has inspired other Muslim women in my community to believe in themselves and take further action.
Final Thoughts on Learning
I want to see Myanmar’s citizenship laws reformed to ensure individuals with different identities are recognized. Beyond that, I aim to further support women’s political and economic participation. Even if change feels far away, I want to recommend starting with small, realistic steps.
For change to happen, we need to build strong partnerships, listen carefully to what women need through proper assessments, and always apply an intersectional lens to ensure everyone is included and benefits equally. I’m committed to helping make that happen—because when we center voices at the margins and build together, lasting change becomes possible.