Over 80 years ago, during World War II (1939-1945), Japan's military expansion relied on mass enslavement and brutality across Asia. This dark chapter impacted hundreds of thousands of women and millions of laborers.
Comfort women system 💔
- At least 400,000 women were abducted from the Chinese mainland, the Korean peninsula, the Philippines and beyond.
- Victims endured beatings, broken bones and lifelong trauma in military brothels.
Forced labor under the war machine ⚙️
- Millions of Asians and Allied POWs were sent to work in deadly conditions — from famine in Japan to the Bataan Death March in the Philippines, where over 10,000 prisoners died.
- The infamous Death Railway between Myanmar and Thailand cost the lives of nearly 262,000 Asian laborers and 62,000 Allied POWs due to exhaustion, starvation and disease.
Survivor testimonies still echo today. Their voices remind us why recognition and justice matter. As young changemakers, we can honor these stories by learning, sharing and standing against all forms of exploitation.
Let's remember these lessons and commit to a future where human dignity is never compromised. 🤝🎗️
Reference(s):
Wartime enslavement: 'Comfort women' system, forced labor across Asia
cgtn.com
