No Refuge In Sight

What does life after displacement mean for Rohingya women in India

- Samanwita Paul

A typical day in Amina’s life begins at 4 am. She and her two daughters then lug buckets to the field outside where they relieve themselves and then clean for the day. Thereafter, it’s time to prepare for the morning azaan, cook breakfast and get her kids ready for school.

The lack of toilets in the Rohingya camp in Delhi’s Kalindi Kunj—which houses almost 50 families—have made things exceptionally difficult. In the absence of toilets, women and young girls can only relieve themselves at night or early morning in the dark.

“We have to measure and drink water. There are no toilets at all. If someone needs to relieve themselves during daytime they have to go to the chawk (500 meters away from the camp) where there are public toilets,” says Amina.