Rohingya women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in Bangladesh face severe restrictions, violence, and threats from both state and non-state actors. Despite the essential role they play in advocating for their communities, they are systematically repressed by Bangladeshi authorities, criminal and militant groups like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), and conservative social norms that seek to silence them. WHRDs who speak out about human rights abuses, seek justice, or engage in civil society work face intimidation, surveillance, and targeted attacks. In the words of one Rohingya woman interviewed by BHRN: “Everywhere women are being restricted, and we are not allowed to do activities like men.”
The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority from Myanmar, have faced decades of persecution and genocide. In 2017, the Myanmar military launched a genocidal campaign, forcing more than 730,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Today, nearly one million Rohingya refugees remain confined to overcrowded camps, where they face movement restrictions, limited access to education and employment, and an escalating crackdown on civil society. Rohingya women are particularly marginalized, excluded from leadership structures, and denied opportunities to advocate for their rights.
Since 2019, Bangladeshi authorities have intensified efforts to suppress Rohingya activism, shutting down organizations, preventing protests, and arresting activists. WHRDs face additional barriers due to their gender, with authorities preventing them from participating in meetings, advocacy, or engagement with international delegations. Women attempting to work with justice mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), have been interrogated, harassed, and threatened by Bangladeshi security forces and Rohingya armed groups.
In addition to state repression, armed groups operate with impunity in the camps, targeting WHRDs through harassment, abductions, and physical violence. Women advocating for rights have been forced to sign pledges under duress, promising to stop their activism. Widows and unmarried women are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment and coercion.
Gender-based violence remains pervasive in the camps, with WHRDs reporting widespread sexual harassment, intimidation, and physical violence. Women who work outside their homes or speak out about rights violations are especially at risk. Despite Bangladesh’s obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Rohingya women remain unprotected from violence and have no safe avenues to report abuses or seek justice. Many WHRDs report severe psychological distress, including suicidal thoughts, due to ongoing harassment and isolation.
Online gender-based violence further restricts WHRDs’ ability to advocate. More than half of those interviewed by BHRN reported experiencing online abuse, including cyberstalking, doxing, and threats. Rohingya armed groups like ARSA actively target women online, fabricating or leaking private photos to discredit and humiliate them. Many WHRDs have resorted to self-censorship, using pseudonyms or avoiding social media to protect themselves from further harm.
Despite hopes for change under Bangladesh’s interim government, which took power in August 2024, WHRDs report that conditions remain unchanged. Authorities continue to suppress civil society, while militant groups operate with impunity. The failure to protect Rohingya women from violence—whether from security forces, armed groups, or within their own communities—has left them in an increasingly vulnerable position. Yet, despite these risks, Rohingya WHRDs remain resolute in their fight for justice, equality, and the rights of their people. Without urgent intervention, they will continue to face extreme risks for simply exercising their fundamental rights.
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