Many children under the age of 10 years displaced by fighting and sheltering throughout Arakan (Rakhine) State are suffering from malnutrition leading to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and frequent illnesses.
An aid worker from Gwa Town in southern Arakan State said to DMG: “War-displaced children don’t get enough to eat, which weakens their immune systems. Some become so sick that they end up bedridden.”
Displaced people (IDPs) in Arakan State are facing a livelihood crisis due to a combination of dwindling aid, lack of income-earning job opportunities and soaring commodity prices. This means that many cannot supply their children with enough protein and other food, leading to malnutrition amongst the children.
An IDP woman sheltering in Ponnagyun Township, Arakan State said: “I can only give the children rice without any fish. I can't even afford to buy them snacks. I have no job, and with prices so high I struggle every day just to cover the basic necessities.”
Since fighting started in Rakhine State in November 2023 following the collapse of a ceasefire between the junta and the Arakan Army (AA) the junta has enforced travel restrictions and imposed strict blockades throughout the state to prevent international humanitarian aid from reaching people in need. This has made life even harder for IDPs in Arakan State.
Ko Naing Naing Zaw, a member of the Laywadi Patriot Youth Philanthropic Organisation said: “The hardships faced by war-displaced people are immense. Parents can’t provide their children with proper nutritional supplements, leaving many malnourished and vulnerable to serious health issues. In the camps, it’s rare to find children who are of a healthy weight.”
There are now about 600,000 IDPs sheltering in Arakan State, the majority of those are women and children.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child mandates that children have the right to live in a safe environment with adequate nutrition, freedom, and mental and physical security. However, many IDP children in Arakan State are deprived of these fundamental rights.
