Desperate Choices: The Untold Stories of Myanmar's Educated Women in the Face of Crisis

Thu Oct 23 2025 05:23:21 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As Myanmar's civil conflict exacerbates economic hardships, educated professionals like doctors and nurses are being driven into the underbelly of society.

The protracted civil war and economic collapse in Myanmar have forced educated women, including doctors and nurses, to resort to sex work as a means of survival. This article examines the plight of these women, highlighting the grave impact of conflict on their lives and careers.

In the aftermath of Myanmar’s military coup in February 2021, the nation has spiraled into a severe economic crisis that has significantly altered daily life for its citizens. Amidst the turmoil, professionals like 26-year-old May, a newly graduated doctor, have found themselves trading their ambitions for survival. After an exhaustive seven years of medical training, her dream career was swiftly overshadowed by rampant inflation, a plummeting currency, and a staggering economy that saw nearly half of the population plunged into poverty.

As inflation rates surged to 26% this year, essential living costs soared, and May's monthly salary of $415 became insufficient to support her family. With her father suffering from a chronic kidney condition and their financial situation worsening, desperation set in. May’s encounter with women known as “date girls,” who were earning double her income, posed a stark contrast to her own struggles. A choice was made—one that has left her feeling conflicted yet resolved to provide for her family at any cost.

"I never imagined that my years of sacrifice would lead me to this path," May expressed, masking her identity for fear of repercussions from her family, who remain oblivious to her circumstances. Her narrative is not singular; a growing number of women, once educators, healthcare professionals, and skilled workers, find themselves in similar predicaments as the conflict pushes them into prostitution. The scourge of war has become an unrelenting force, dismantling livelihoods and steering women into the shadows.

Myanmar's socioeconomic collapse, exacerbated by political violence and natural disasters, has devastated industries, leading to widespread unemployment and instability. With factories unable to operate and farms crippled by unpredictable weather, many have turned to whatever means necessary for survival, laying bare the choices forced upon them by their failing society.

The pervasive impacts of the civil war demand global attention to the stories of women like May, whose resilience in the face of adversity highlights not only the personal sacrifices being made but also the urgent need for awareness and action to restore effective governance and economic stability in Myanmar.