Formed in 1949, the KWO has a membership of over 49,000 Karen women. KWO is a community-based organization that performs development and relief work chiefly in refugee camps on the Thai border and with IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) and women inside Myanmar. Over the years, the group has expanded its focus from social welfare generally to an effort to encourage awareness of women’s rights and participation in the community decision-making and political processes. KWO actively supports efforts to eliminate violence against women, particularly within seven refugee camps and five districts inside Karen State.