International Women's Day: Rakhine internally displaced women call for health, safety and support

On the International Women's Day (8 March), the internally displaced women of Rakhine State called for health, safety and support to the women.

The women activists and organizations globally celebrate this special day annually with different slogans and themes.

The women in Myanmar including the Rakhine ladies launched diverse campaigns, featuring slogans and dialogues. They aimed at halting gender-based violence, eradicating discrimination against women, fostering gender equality and encouraging increased female participation in the leadership roles.

The internally displaced women stated that they were unable to conduct any movement in Rakhine State due to the ongoing conflicts throughout the region.

As the women and children are encountering troubles  amid the conflicts, the internally displaced women are calling for health, safety and support to them.

An internally displaced woman from Minbya said, "I believe the women face heightened challenges. We reside in a crowded locality facing insecurity. The clean toilets are scarce and we resort to makeshift sanitary pads. Moreover, financial constraints prevent us from purchasing proper sanitary products, which adversely impacts our health. The absence of support complicates our struggles for survival. Therefore, on International Women's Day, we, the IDPs from Rakhine, urge international and social aid organizations not to overlook our safety, health, and livelihood. I appeal to everyone to extend as much support as possible to us."

Another displaced woman from Kyaukphyu expressed, "On this auspicious day, my hope is to receive as much assistance as possible and ensure the security of women amidst the absence of healthcare, livelihood opportunities and education due to the conflict."

An official from an organization assisting IDPs on the ground reported that within the Rakhine IDP community, young women, pregnant women and their children are suffering from various health issues. With the onset of summer, the depletion of water sources and reliance on unclean water will lead to an increased risk of skin diseases.”

"With the arrival of summer, the intense heat exacerbates our hardships, compounded by a shortage of clean water. The women and children are particularly vulnerable. Tragically, we've witnessed pregnant women experiencing miscarriages due to difficulties accessing food and necessary medical care. While the Arakan Army provides medical assistance to the people, they prioritize treating those injured in the conflict and other critical patients, limiting the support available to the general population. With international organizations no longer present, the aid is also scarce here," he added.

The humanitarian and development coordination office (HDCO) of the United League of Arakan (ULA/AA) reveals that the combined number of internally displaced persons in the Rakhine and Paletwa region surpassed 330,000.

According to the ULA/AA,  during the two-month long Rakhine conflicts from 13 November to 13 January,  111 civilians were killed and 357 were injured due to artillery shells, small arms firing, airstrikes, naval bombardments and landmine attacks by the junta forces.

Among the deceased  57 percent were male and 43 percent female.