As conflict deepens across Rakhine State, women displaced by war are bearing the brunt of a humanitarian crisis marked by fear, trauma, and neglect. Daily airstrikes by Myanmar’s military junta and ongoing clashes with ethnic armed groups have destroyed villages and driven more than 600,000 people—mostly women and children—from their homes since late 2024, according to the Humanitarian Development Coordination Office (HDCO).
"There are very few jobs left here,” said one woman currently sheltering in a makeshift camp. “Even if we find work, we’re terrified of bombs falling at any moment. Mental stress is the biggest problem for us now.”
Rights groups report that women in Rakhine are living under immense psychological strain, with little to no access to healthcare or trauma support. Some have lost children, parents, or entire families. Others have seen their communities turned to ash. In overcrowded camps, they now struggle to survive while caring for young children and grappling with the weight of personal loss.
Nang Mo Mo, General Secretary of Women’s Group (Myanmar), urged for immediate and compassionate action: “Each woman carries a different kind of pain. Some saw their parents killed in front of them. Others lost everything in bombings and fires. We must provide not only food and shelter, but long-term psychological care.”
Access to aid remains severely limited. Humanitarian organizations face mounting security risks and government-imposed restrictions that block deliveries of medicine, mental health services, and basic supplies. Local networks, while dedicated, are overwhelmed.
In a joint appeal, Women’s Group (Myanmar) called on all sides—including state and non-state actors—to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians. “No matter who is fighting, the suffering falls on ordinary people,” said Nang Mo Mo.
With international attention fixed elsewhere, rights groups warn that Rakhine’s women risk being forgotten. They stress the need for targeted international funding and political pressure to ensure humanitarian access and justice for those caught in the crossfire.
As the conflict grinds on, women in Rakhine remain trapped in trauma, their futures suspended between rubble and uncertainty—while the world watches in silence.
BOB Post
