Women too leaving Arakan State for better economic prospects

06 Jan 2023

DMG Newsroom
6 January 2023, Sittwe

Not only men but also women are leaving Arakan State for foreign countries in search of better economic prospects, according to women’s rights organisations.

Among the factors at play are rising costs of living, travel restrictions that effectively delay business operations and scarcity of local jobs.

Compared with previous years, the number of women leaving Arakan State for overseas jobs has significantly increased due to instability, mental and physical insecurity, and livelihood difficulties, said Daw Nyo Aye, chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Network.

“According to data from the passport office, the number of women leaving Arakan State is higher than men. What’s more, it is just the official figures. There might have been many women illegally leaving Arakan State. Again, most of the women who illegally leave the country are young women and teenagers as young as 14,” said Daw Nyo Aye.

Daw Nyo Aye said she has seen more female applicants than their male counterparts outside the passport office in Sittwe.

“Jobs are scarce, especially for women in Arakan State. The commodity flow is slow due to travel restrictions, so it is not OK to make a living as a small trader. It has, therefore, become difficult for women to earn livelihoods,” she said.

Previously, residents from Arakan State went to Yangon to work in factories and workshops. But many lost their jobs or were made redundant when factories shut down or reduced their workforces in the post-coup political upheaval.

The unemployment rate has increased among women as many lost their jobs at garment factories, where the majority of the workforces are typically females.

“Most of the women are jobless,” said Saw San Nyein Thu, chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Initiative Organization. “Food prices soared in 2022. And things became harder for most households. This is the reason why women have decided to work overseas.”

More than 23,000 passports were issued in Arakan State last year, according to employment agencies. The number of female applicants was higher than male applicants..

Malaysia, Thailand and China are major destinations of job seekers from Arakan State, and the number of job hunters who illegally cross the border is higher than documented workers, according to migrant worker rights organisations.