Urgent call for sexual awareness education to curb child rape cases in Arakan State

By Admin 01 May 2026

DMG Newsroom

1 May 2026, Ponnagyun

Child rights activists and civil society organizations are calling for urgent expansion of sexual awareness education to address the rising number of child rape cases in areas controlled by the Arakan Army in Arakan State.

Most reported cases involve perpetrators who are known to the victims, including relatives, neighbors, or acquaintances.

Activists say these incidents are often linked to limited parental supervision, children lacking self-protection knowledge, and widespread gaps in sexual health education.

To reduce such crimes, experts recommend introducing age-appropriate sexual education for communities, including parents, youth, and children.

“Children must be taught about body safety and understand that no one has the right to touch certain parts of their bodies. This is essential for self-protection. To achieve this, awareness training must be conducted for parents, elders, youth, and children across communities,” said a woman working on child rights issues.

Due to limited access to such education, many parents reportedly feel unable or unwilling to report sexual violence occurring within families. Women’s rights activists warn that this results in double victimization, where survivors suffer both the abuse and the denial of justice.

“Programs like PSEA and GBV awareness should be introduced even to very young children in ways appropriate for their age. Children need to understand when to report inappropriate behavior. Without this knowledge, they may not speak up,” said a women’s rights activist.

Although some civil society groups are providing sexual awareness training in certain areas, their reach remains limited due to various challenges.

Social workers emphasize that stronger cooperation between authorities and community organizations would improve the effectiveness of such programs.

Observers also highlight the heightened risks in camps for internally displaced persons, where large and diverse populations live together under difficult conditions.

“The situation is less secure than before. People from many different backgrounds are living together, and there is a lack of proper sanitation. Children sometimes go alone to the forest, which increases the risk of abuse,” said Ko Pyae Phyo Naing, chairman of the Ponnagyun Youths Association.

Between January and April this year, five cases of child rape were reported in areas under Arakan Army control. Activists stress that strong legal enforcement is necessary to deter future crimes.

Currently, the Department of Law Enforcement and Public Security under the United League of Arakan states that under Section 376 subsection 3 of the Penal Code, rape of a girl under 12 is punishable by life imprisonment or a prison term of up to 20 years, along with fines.