How menstruation is being weaponised in war

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · May 15, 2026 · 784 words · By Shireen Daft

Human rights violations Gender-based violence International Humanitarian Law

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What to know about Human rights violations

The article reports on the Myanmar military government's alleged restriction of menstrual products as part of a strategy to weaken resistance forces. It discusses the broader implications of period poverty during conflict, citing examples from Myanmar and Gaza, and argues that international humanitarian law often overlooks menstrual health.

Propaganda risk 40%

Claims checked 11

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left17%

Center83%

Right0%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

The Tatmawdaw – the military government in Myanmar – has reportedly expanded a ban on menstrual products from being transported in the country across key routes, as part of the ongoing civil war in the country.

Why it matters

This targeting of sanitary pads appears to be an extension of the military’s so-called “Four Cuts” strategy, which seeks to sever resistance forces from food, funds, intelligence and recruits.

Common ground

Menstrual products, it seems, have been added to that logic – and in the process stealing women’s dignity and basic human rights.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Pity: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Human rights violations story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that in late 2024 it was estimated there was approximately one toilet for 486 people at best [in Gaza]?
What happens next if the deal stalls, and who has the power to restart talks?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/how-menstruation-is-being-weaponised-in-war-281894

analyticsAnalysis

40%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 90%

Moderate concerns. Notable use of persuasive or loaded language.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 95% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Pity 85% confidence

Evoking sympathy to win support rather than using logical arguments.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to pity helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

verified Verified By Reference 3

info Single Source 3

check_circle Corroborated 3

schedule Pending 1

verified Verified 1

verified

Claim 1: “in late 2024 it was estimated there was approximately one toilet for 486 people at best [in Gaza]”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided Wikipedia results discuss the 2008-2009 Gaza War and general info about Israel, but do not mention the 2024 toilet-to-person ratio.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gaza War, also known as the First Gaza War, Operation Cast Lead, or the Gaza Massacre, and referred to as the Battle of al-Furqan by Hamas, was a three-week armed conflict between Gaza Strip Pales…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_War_(2008–2009)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the so…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel

info

Claim 2: “soldiers on the ground have indicated the crackdown is out of the belief that the products are being used “by the People’s Defence Force for medical reasons and as support for their feet and boots to absorb sweat and blood””

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific detail about soldiers believing pads are used for medical reasons and boot inserts is mentioned in one web search result citing a spokesperson for 'Sisters2Sisters'. Other results discuss the ban generally but not this specific justification.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — People's Defence Force (Kalay) (Burmese: ပြည်သူ့ကာကွယ်ရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့ (ကလေး) abbreviated PDF Kalay) is a local defence force operating in Kalaymyo, Sagain. It was formed by Myanmar youths under the Nation…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Defence_Force_(Kalay)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The People's Defence Force is the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG) in Myanmar. The armed wing was formed by the NUG from youths and pro-democracy activists on 5 May 2021 in response t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Defence_Force_(Myanma…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The People's Liberation Army (abbr. PLA; Burmese: ပြည်သူ့လွတ်မြောက်ရေးတပ်မတော်) is a communist rebel group in Myanmar. It is the armed wing of the underground Communist Party of Burma, whose cadres re…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Liberation_Army_(Myan…

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 3: “An estimated two billion people globally menstruate”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided web search results for this claim are irrelevant (shoe stores) and do not provide any data on the global number of people who menstruate.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Discover a wide selection of Nike shoes, sneakers, and cleats for all activities at Nike.com.
https://www.nike.com/w/shoes-y7ok/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Click Shoes kenkäliike - suomalainen kenkäkauppa netissä Click Shoes on suomalainen kenkäkauppaketju, joka on perustettu vuonna 2001. Sen valikoimasta löydät oman 2Moons-merkkimme lisäksi kenkämuodin …
https://www.clickshoes.fi/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Discover the edit of women's shoes at ASOS. Browse the full range of shoes for women including flats, designer, chunky and classic black shoes. Shop now!
https://www.asos.com/women/shoes/cat/?cid=4172

schedule

Claim 4: “women are deemed objects of “special respect” under international humanitarian law”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 5: “Period poverty — defined as a lack of access to menstrual products, education, waste management and hygiene facilities — affects more than 500 million people worldwide”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence consists of dictionary definitions of the word 'more' and lists of S&P 500 companies or footballers; there is no evidence regarding period poverty statistics.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The S&P 500 is a stock market index maintained by S&P Dow Jones Indices. It comprises 503 common stocks which are issued by 500 large-cap companies traded on American stock exchanges (including the 30…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_S&P_500_companies

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since the Premier League's formation at the start of the 1992–93 season, 13 players have accrued 500 or more appearances in the Premier League. The first player to reach the milestone was midfielder G…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_footballers_with_500_o…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In top-level association football competitions, 26 players have scored 500 or more goals in both club and international football, according to research by the IFFHS, first published in 2007. Taking in…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_footballers_with_500_o…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 6: “a UN Women’s Report from September 2024 found urinary tract infections affected more than 68% of the women in Gaza they interviewed”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided Wikipedia results discuss casualties and the nature of the Gaza war, but do not mention a September 2024 UN Women's report on urinary tract infections.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — As of 3 May 2026, at least 75,811 people (73,770+ Palestinians and 2,039+ Israelis) have been reported killed in the Gaza war according to the Gaza Health Ministry (GHM) and Israeli Ministry of Foreig…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Gaza_war

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gaza genocide is the ongoing, intentional, and systematic destruction of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip carried out by Israel during the Gaza war. It encompasses mass killings, deliberat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_genocide

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel, fought as part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflicts. The war began on 7 October 2023, when the Palestinian mi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_war

check_circle

Claim 7: “the military’s so-called “Four Cuts” strategy, which seeks to sever resistance forces from food, funds, intelligence and recruits”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Al Jazeera, ReliefWeb, and another news source) describe the 'Four Cuts' strategy as aiming to sever resistance forces from food, funds, intelligence, and recruits.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — But while the four cuts strategy may seek to turn the public against armed resistance or weaken resolve, Naw Htoo Htoo of the Karen Human Rights Group says the approach is likely to backfire.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/5/the-people-hate-them…

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web search NEUTRAL — GENEVA (3 March 2023) – Myanmar’s military has created a perpetual human rights crisis through the continuous use of violence, including the killing, arbitrary arrest, torture and enforced disappearan…
https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/militarys-four-cuts-doc…

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web search NEUTRAL — The policy aims to cut access to food, finances, intelligence and recruits by terrorising civilians with air strikes and artillery shelling, destroying villages, causing mass displacement and preventi…
https://apheda.org.au/scorched-earth-civilians-bear-the-brun…

info

Claim 8: “Women in Myanmar are turning to rags, leaves and newspaper, as the costs of a pack of pads on the black market well exceeds the daily minimum wage”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results discuss women in Nigeria and India using rags/leaves, and minimum wage in the Philippines, but do not provide evidence for this specific situation in Myanmar.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In many rural communities across Nigeria, women and girls cannot afford the luxury of sanitary pads. Without access to affordable menstrual products, clean water, or safe sanitation, they turn to rags…
https://leadership.ng/unbelievable-rural-nigerian-women-use-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Most common menstrual hygiene product in India is sanitary napkin which is disposable and they can have an adverse impact on the environment due to the huge amounts of plastics they contain. Dr. Surbh…
https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/menstrual-hygiene-day-facts-26-…

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web search NEUTRAL — 7, minimum wage earners in Mimaropa (Region 4-B) will get a P40 wage increase, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on.Establishments with 10 workers and above will get a new minimu…
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1864233/mimaropa-minimum-wage-…

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Claim 9: “An estimated 700,000 people with menstrual cycles are living through the conflict [in Gaza]”

CORROBORATED

Both NPR and CBC News report UN estimates (UNFPA) that approximately 690,000 to 700,000 women and girls in Gaza are experiencing menstrual cycles during the conflict.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 10: “The Tatmawdaw – the military government in Myanmar – has reportedly expanded a ban on menstrual products from being transported in the country across key routes”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web search results confirm that the Myanmar military government has expanded restrictions on the transport and sale of menstrual products in conflict zones.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Myanmar's military government has expanded restrictions on sanitary pads and related hygiene products in several conflict areas. According to The Guardian's report, the local officials told aid groups…
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/myanmar-regime-expands-ban-o…

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web search NEUTRAL — Myanmar has recently expanded restrictions on the sale, transport, and distribution of menstrual hygiene products, particularly sanitary pads, in the conflict zones, citing misuse by rebel groups.
https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/myanmar-ban-menstrual-produ…

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web search NEUTRAL — Quora is a place to gain and share knowledge. It's a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers. This empowers people to learn from each other…
https://www.quora.com/

verified

Claim 11: “the targeting of medical supplies during conflict is expressly prohibited under international law”

VERIFIED

Web search results confirm that the protection of medical facilities and supplies is a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, specifically the Geneva Conventions.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza, was placed under siege by Israel in mid-November 2023 during the Gaza war, after saying it had contained a Hamas command and control center bene…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shifa_Hospital_siege

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web search NEUTRAL — International humanitarian law classifies a non-state armed group based on two factors: how organized the group is and how intense its violence becomes.
https://legalclarity.org/what-are-non-state-armed-groups-und…

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web search NEUTRAL — The protection of hospitals and medical facilities is a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, especially within the framework of the Geneva Conventions. Ensuring their safety is crucial for s…
https://rectimark.com/protection-of-hospitals-and-medical-fa…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.