Zin Mar Aung


Zin Mar Aung is a Burmese politician, activist, and former inmate who currently serves as a member of parliament in the House of Representatives for Yankin Township constituency.

Early life and education

Zin Mar Aung was born on 14 June 1976 in Rangoon, Myanmar. She graduated with botany subject from University of Distance Education, Yangon.

Political career and movements

Zin Mar Aung while a university student in the 1990s, became active in the opposition to Burma’s military government. In 1998, she was arrested at a peaceful protest rally for reading a poem and statement calling on the military government to respect the results of elections. She was detained and convicted before a military tribunal, which did not permit her to be represented by an attorney. Zin Mar Aung was sentenced to 28 years in prison. She spent 11 years as a political prisoner, nearly nine years of which was in solitary confinement. In 2009, she was suddenly released from captivity and she resumed her civil society activities, She created a cultural impact studies group to spread the idea that Asian culture and democracy are compatible, as well as a self-help association for female ex-political prisoners and Yangon School of Political Science.
, Zin Mar Aung and Hillary Clinton at the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony
Zin Mar Aung has founded a number of civil society groups dealing with democratic development, women’s empowerment, ethnic tolerance, and providing assistance to former prisoners of conscience. The Rainfall group encourages greater women’s participation in public life and the Yangon School of Political Science educates young Burmese about politics and democracy. In 2012 she leads an organization to raise awareness of issues affecting ethnic minorities in conflict areas. At the time, she was recognized by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as a recipient of the annual “International Women of Courage Award”. As of 2013 she is working with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems on women’s political empowerment under the Global Women's Leadership Fund.
In the 2015 Myanmar general election, she contested the Yankin Township constituency for a seat in the Pyithu Hluttaw MP, the country's lower house.