Rohingya women carry not just a story of pain but a plan for change
SHOBHA SHUKLA CNS
Gender equality and right to health must be guaranteed to everyone - where no one is left behind
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"In the Rohingya refugee communities, especially with whom I work, the progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality) has been deeply uneven and fragile - there have been small but significant steps forward," said Noor Fatima, Specialist in Education Policy and Equity, Rohingya Mayafunor Collaborative Network.
"We now see more young people speaking up on awareness sessions, giving us the chance to finally share our lived experiences. But the truth is, this progress is slow and far from equal. It often does not reach the most vulnerable especially young Rohingya women and girls. For many of us, health and wellbeing are not just delayed rights but they are denied rights," added Noor.
"Most refugee girls grow up without any structured knowledge of their bodies, reproductive health or mental wellbeing. Menstruation is still treated as something shameful. Mental health is ignored and our conversation about gender-based violence are almost non-existent. It is not because we do not care, rather it is just because the system around us never cared about us," she said in SHE & Rights (Sexual Health with Equity & Rights) session hosted by Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), Y+ Global (Global network of young people living with HIV), Y-PEER Asia Pacific, Asia Indigenous Youth Platform (AIYP), Youth Lead Voices, International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) 2025, Family Planning News Network (FPNN), International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Womens Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and CNS.
When daily survival is a struggle then wellbeing becomes a distant dream
"Even when healthcare services existed nearby, the fear of being turned away, the lack of documents, or the language barriers deter many from seeking help. Pregnant women often go through their entire pregnancy without ever seeing a doctor. Young people suffer silently from preventable illness, and unpreventable illnesses just keep increasing. When you live in an environment where daily survival is the focus, wellbeing becomes a distant dream. When we talk about SDG-5 (gender equality), we must remember it is not only about having equal opportunities but also protection, education and leadership for women and girls. Yet Rohingya refugee women are still not treated as people worthy of full protection or participation," explains Noor.
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