Burma Human Rights Network’s report: “We also have dreams” Women and Girls’ Issues Gender issues in the camps are an often neglected topic that is also extremely delicate to address. Refugees, including men, frequently described sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls as a major problem inside the camps. The poor overall quality of life and lack of education and employment opportunities were said to be contributing factors. Dangerous arranged marriages, kidnappings, street harassment, and a lack of security and protection were all major concerns for Rohingya women presented to BHRN. On top of this, every single refugee inside the camps has survived a traumatic event, and there almost no adequate mental health services available to refugees. Instead, refugees have been left to languish in uncertainty about when they can return home, unable to support themselves and their families, and without any known prospects for their future. The culture of violence has worsened in the camps, and in many cases become a source of revenue. These factors combined lead to situations where women and girls become more vulnerable and more frequently targeted. A 25-year-old woman told BHRN, “It’s not safe for us at all when the security forces are threatening to take us to Bachan Char Island and Baador Booñn. As a result of that women are feeling insecure, even inside the shelter. This is the first concern we have. Another thing is that there is no safety or security for women when they go to latrines or bathrooms at night. As a result of that, a lot of violence is being committed against women in the camps.” She elaborated on other types of violence against women and girls in the camps, “There is domestic violence happening between husbands and wives. During the lockdown of COVID-19, many people had lost their jobs and work. People can’t go outside of the camp to work since the implementation of barbed-wire fencing. As they cannot do any work, they don’t have income. As they keep sitting inside shelters for twenty-four hours a day, many arguments and quarrels occur between them and their wives. As there is no security, and there are no latrines for women and girls only, many acts of violence occur when women go to use them at night. These two [types of] violence are most common in the camp.” www.bhrn.org.uk 30