Female Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Arakan state are unable to buy menstrual pads as the price of pads is rising, according to female IDPs.
In the past, the lowest average price of a pad package was 700-MMK to 1000-MMK. Now the pad price has increased from 1,500-MMK to 1,800-MMK per package.
A female from Taungminkalar IDP camp in Kyauktaw Township said: “Currently, we only receive cash assistance from the World Food Programme (WPF). We are not sufficient as the commodity prices are rising. Females face difficulty buying pads.
Last year, the women had no difficulty buying pads. However, this year, the women face difficulty as they no longer receive assistance. Females have to stay home when menstruation starts,” she continued.
Taungminkalar IDP camp has 80 households and around 400 populations.
The IDPs have to rely only on a monthly cash assistance of MMK-25,000 provided by the WFP. Livelihood is difficult. Female IDPs face difficulty buying pads when they no longer receive aid from other donors, the female IDPs said.
However, some young females are students, so they have to buy pads on credit, they said.
“Cyclone Mocha destroyed all houses and toilets. However, we have built toilets on a self-reliant basis. We can’t build a bathing place. It is inconvenient for women to bathe as we have no bathing place. The IDP camp is in need of a bathing place,” a female from Sinbawkaing IDP camp in MraukU Township said.
“The camp has many young women. When they have to take a shower, they feel unsafe because they have to bathe in the open air,” said a female IDP said.
Sinbawkaing IDP has over 410 households and over 2,500 populations. Sinbawkaing IDP has suspended aid to IDPs in Arakan state since 2022.
The number of the IDPs has exceeded 200,000 during the four-year fighting between the military council troops and the Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan state. Currently, there are more than 60,000 IDPs who cannot return home due to the security situation, according to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
Sent by Narinjara.