Myanmar Regime Expands Ban On Menstrual Products Amid Claims Of Misuse By Rebels: Report

Myanmar's military government has expanded restrictions on sanitary pads and related hygiene products in several conflict areas. According to The Guardian's report, the local officials told aid groups the items are being confiscated because "rebels use them for first aid". The move is cutting off access to basic menstrual supplies for women and girls already facing issues amid economy crisis following the 2021 military coup.

"The [military is] saying menstrual products are used by the People's Defence Force for medical reasons and as support for their feet and boots to absorb sweat and blood," Thinzar Shunlei Yi, a director at Sisters2Sisters, a women's rights group, said as quoted in the report.

Not just menstruation products, similar claims have been made about restrictions on medicine, bandages and disinfectant.

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The blockade reportedly began in August in certain areas controlled by the opposition forces.

However, the official announcement by the military on this is not available.

The report mentioned that carrying sanitary pads across the bridge that connects Sagaing with Mandalay has been prohibited completely.

"A sanitary pad wouldn't stay in place, wouldn't soak enough blood and wouldn't keep the area [clean]," Meredith Bunn, founder of the medical aid charity Skills for Humanity (SFH), said as quoted in the report.

As Bunn highlights that a sanitary pad can't be used to treat gunshot wounds or lacerations, she slammed the officials for putting a ban on it, calling them "completely uneducated, misogynistic fools within the military".

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Henriette Ceyrac, founder of the period education organisation, Pan Ka Lay, alleged that the ban appears to be intentional. "It makes sense, actually, that [the military] wants to restrict women's movement even more. It's basically gender-based violence," Ceyrac said.

Bunn also claimed that the ban is a military tactic aimed at targeting female fighters, further adding that even reusable pads re useless without any access to washing water.

"A lack of menstrual equipment and areas to wash them properly can cause infections, irritation, UTIs and worse, which is why, until it became absolutely necessary, disposable [menstrual products] were preferable," Bunn added.