Young women in conflict-affected rural areas of Rakhine State are facing limited job opportunities and are primarily engaged in domestic jobs and insecure casual labour.
In rural Kyauktaw Township villages along the Kaladan River, such as Tinma, Pyinetine, Marlar, Myauktaung, Shwepyi, and Tharsi, there are limited job opportunities. Young women, including university students, are having to work picking Djenkol beans, harvesting bamboo shoots in the forest, and selling bamboo shoots.
Ma Khaing Hnin Wai, a 21-year-old Djenkol bean seller from Tinma village said: “Since there are no jobs, I have to do whatever work I can find. I'm hoping to make at least 5,000 MMK each day. With no opportunities to learn or work, I'll just have to do whatever I can.”
About 50 young women from Pyinetine Village are currently making a living harvesting bamboo shoots during the rainy season, but there are no job opportunities during the dry season.
Ma Hla Htay Phyu from Pyinetine village said: “Initially, I felt shy about doing this work. However, I realised that I had no other choice and necessity forced me to overcome my shyness. I never imagined I would be doing this kind of work, but now I have to. Right now, it's just cooking rice and harvesting bamboo shoots. However, during the dry season, there are no job opportunities for us.”
Previously, these young women would have received technical training and financial support from Rakhine civil society organisations for vocational education. These would have given them skills to help them earn livelihoods, such as sewing, agriculture, and livestock farming.
Similarly, young women from Minbya, Mrauk-U, Myebon, and Rathedaung townships said that due to a scarcity of jobs, they are mainly doing domestic jobs. They said that only being able to find such insecure employment had caused dreams of a brighter future to fade.
Ma Khine Hnin Wai from Khwasone Village in Mrauk-U Township said: “There is no future. Before the fighting, I lived in Sittwe City and was attending an English-speaking class. Now, there are no classes available. Everyone in the village is just sleeping and eating, with nothing else to do."
According to records, Rakhine State is one of the poorest regions in Myanmar, with limited opportunities for the young in terms of education, economic, and social development. As a result, many young people are illegally migrating overseas or joining armed revolutionary groups.
A female activist from Myepone Township said: “During this period, many young women are losing their way. They have nothing to do, no money to spend, and their mental health is deteriorating. The situation is so dire that some young people have attempted suicide. The next government must prioritise mental health programs for young people.”
Young people in conflict-affected areas of Rakhine State and young women from rural and remote areas now have access to fewer opportunities than before the coup, including good employment and technology.
They also face other hardships. Since fighting between the junta and Arakan Army (AA) resumed in Arakan (Rakhine) State on 13 November 2023, the junta has imposed strict restrictions on land and water transport routes. This caused significant price increases and shortages of food and essential goods.
