Report: Barriers to North Korean women’s leadership and participation in the human rights movement

Our new report draws on the experiences of 178 exiled North Korean women to highlight the barriers that prevent their full participation and leadership in civil society organisations focused on North Korea. This research is intended to provide a range of audiences, including civil society organisations, grant makers and philanthropic entities, and the media, with an understanding of the many limitations that exiled women face, from gender-based and cultural biases to issues concerning representation. This research can provide a platform for developing practical actions to increase exiled women’s involvement in the North Korean human rights movement. Download our English-language report and Korean-language briefing.

This report draws attention to the unique challenges facing exiled women who wish to enter and succeed in civil society organisations focused on North Korea. It presents information on the structural barriers of identity-based and gender-based discrimination that dampen the aspirations and downplay the abilities of exiled women. And the report describes indirect forms of discrimination resulting from lack of access to employment and unfair treatment that create hidden barriers and glass ceilings. While this report delineates the challenges of addressing deeply entrenched social and cultural norms, it also points to attainable targets that can actively engage and incorporate more exiled women in civil society organisations focused on North Korea.

This report finds that gender parity in participation and leadership will be fundamental for an effective, representative, and legitimate civil society that is dedicated to improving human rights for all North Koreans. Enabling women in the diaspora to realise their ambitions and encouraging more young women to reshape civil society and advocate on the human rights concerns they prioritise—including human trafficking and gender-based violence—can lead to richer outcomes and better organisations. In turn, this can grow collective action to address the ongoing commission of mass human rights violations in North Korea.