More funds needed to help Rohingya women who have fled rape and violence

More than 300,000 women and girls who have fled rape and violence are not getting the protection and help they need because of lack of funds, Oxfam said ahead of a donor conference in Geneva today.

There are now more than 120,000 pregnant women and mothers with new babies who are among those struggling to survive in cramped camps and settlements that are ill-equipped to deal with their needs.

Of the 120,000 women, there are many pregnant teenagers and victims of rape. According to Cox Bazaar Civil Surgeon’s office, 50 infants are born daily into dire conditions in camps starved for water, food, shelter, and protection.

Only a quarter (26 percent) of the UN's $434 million emergency humanitarian appeal has been delivered. With hundreds of thousands more people fleeing over the border, more money to plug this $320m funding gap is vital.

Nazmun Nahar, Oxfam’s Gender Justice Program Manager, said: “The camps are completely overcrowded, and the limited facilities and safety puts women and girls at the risk of further harassment and sexual exploitation. The lack of toilets means women have to use open spaces.

"Women are afraid of cleaning themselves when people are around, so they use toilets or water points during the night or early morning, and there’s no guarantee of their safety. Some women drink less water and stop consuming food to avoid having to use toilets. A lot more needs to be done.”

Oxfam has spoken to many women who have said that they have only washed once since crossing the border in the last two months. There are also reports of women being harassed at humanitarian aid distribution points and being victims of assault and theft.

More than half of the 600,000 Rohingya refugees who’ve arrived in Bangladesh are women, and 60 percent of these are girls under the age of 18. They’ve faced a treacherous journey across the border fleeing violence in Northern Rakhine. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reports of women and girls, as young and five years old, being raped by men in army uniforms as they fled their homes.

The majority of the refugees arrive with only the clothes on their backs, and the 30,000 who arrived on Wednesday remain in no man's land. Once they arrive in the large encampments women and girls often find no segregated, safe, and closed toilets, bathing and washing areas. Lack of toilets and menstrual hygiene is causing urinary and skin infections, and for mothers, it’s a struggle to breastfeed infants given the lack of safe spaces. Women who have survived rape and violence are struggling to cope with the trauma and need counseling and support.

In addition to providing clean water and food, Oxfam is providing dignity kits which include sanitary towels, baskets, torches, and soap for women and girls.

As the violence continues in Northern Rakhine, refugees continue to arrive in increasing numbers, at least 50,000 in three days this week. As the UN reports, military violence in Northern Rakhine has increased over the recent weeks leaving many more Rohingya people at risk and likely to flee across the border. Until there is an end to all violence in Rakhine, the Government provides humanitarian access to people in need and looks to protect the rights of Rohingya people, the crisis is only likely to worsen.