Gender-based violence in a complex humanitarian context: Unpacking the human sufferings among stateless Rohingya women

Abstract

Rohingya is one of the ethnic minority groups that has faced profound ethnic violence against them in their home country, Myanmar. Almost a million Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh and are currently living in extremely precarious conditions near the Myanmar–Bangladesh border. Despite the sufferings and oppressions of all Rohingya, women, in particular, have been victims of sexual violence. Using various information sources, this paper analyzes different dimensions of the gender-based violence that has endured in Myanmar for decades. This paper also highlights the health and wellness of Rohingya women, including impacts made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it provides a framework for reducing gender-based violence in the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. Even though this paper focuses on the Rohingya crisis, insights are relevant to other contexts facing similar social, political, and humanitarian crises, particularly in the Global South.

“Of course, you get depression in this situation”: Explanatory Models (EMs) among Afghan refugees in camps in Northern Greece

“…While our findings reflect gender-related cultural aspects of Afghan cultures such as the subordination of women and the emphasis on male strength in a patriarchal structure, practical concerns related to their vulnerable situation inside the camps came to the forefront of the EMs. The vulnerability of refugee women in camp settings has been reflected in international studies highlighting the risk of women becoming victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking [ 72 – 74 ]. As Silove and Ventevogel [ 16 ] argue, women in Afghanistan have lived through significant inequalities that excluded them from education, employment, and other essential aspects of life.…”

Social Mobility of Rohingya Women in a Small Refugee Camp in Chennai, India: A Case Study

“…The specific structure of the camp in this case study in Chennai, which encouraged refugees to move around and leave relatively unsupervised, was found to have an impact on the mobility of many women in the camp. Although the patriarchal value system that is part of Rohingya community life (Priddy et al, 2022) dictates that women stay at home, economic considerations trumped cultural concerns in the camp. Ideally, Rohingya men would like their wives to remain at home.…”

“…Their educational background, as well as previous work experiences, are often lower than their male counterparts, which impacts their prospects in a new country. Similarly, after displacement, women are less likely to work or participate in services and programs intended for (female) development and integration, due to various social and cultural restrictions for women (Priddy et al, 2022). What is worrisome then is when researchers fail to incorporate a gender lens, or include a sense of gender diversity in their exploration of refugee life experiences.…”

“…Local faith leaders (Majhis), who are usually middle-aged men, play an important role in defining gender dynamics in Rohingya communities, which follow a patriarchal structure. The mobility of Rohingya women is generally low, as they are expected to stay close to home and support the family (Priddy et al, 2022;Toma et al, 2018). However, such dynamics might change as a consequence of displacement, especially in a refugee camp that offers some opportunities for accessing knowledge, skills and information (e.g.…”

Lives on Pause?

“…Local faith leaders (Majhis), who are usually middle-aged men, play an important role in defining gender dynamics in Rohingya communities, which follow a patriarchal structure. The mobility of Rohingya women is generally low, as they are expected to stay close to home and support the family (Priddy et al, 2022;Toma et al, 2018). However, such dynamics might change as a consequence of displacement, especially in a refugee camp that offers some opportunities for accessing knowledge, skills and information (e.g.…”