Digital Divide Deepens for Rohingya Women in Refugee Camps

For Rohingya women living in the crowded refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, digital access remains out of reach. Their daily struggle involves more than finding a phone signal. It is a fight for basic connectivity and personal safety in a confined environment. International aid agencies report that cultural norms and security fears often prevent women from using shared camp internet centers. These spaces are typically dominated by men. Furthermore, families frequently restrict unmarried women from owning mobile phones to control social contact. This lack of access has serious consequences. It limits vital information on health services, aid distributions, and weather warnings. It also cuts off pathways to remote education and contact with family members outside the camps. Some non-governmental organizations are introducing secure, women-only digital spaces and training programs. However, these initiatives remain small in scale. For most Rohingya women, the digital world—and the opportunities within it—is a distant ideal.