The coup and political unrest in the country triggered mass exodus to neighboring and distant countries for better lives. Among them, most are young people groups. Thousands of youth went to United Arab Emirates (UAE) with hopes and dreams to get a job there and support the suffering families in Myanmar, through the help of different job seeking agencies.

However, live is not always as smooth as their expectations. Recently, there are several reports that hundreds of Myanmar youth are in a difficulty situation getting no job, no money to buy food and no proper place to stay. Out of desperation, some of them are compelled to beg in Mosques, on the streets and sleep in deserted parks and places.

Ma Nway is a 25 years old lady who came to UAE on 15 May to work as a housekeeper. She was constantly abused by the host and job seeking agent/broker that she has to run away from the house she is working. She said, “My passport is confiscated by the broker upon my arrival at the UAE airport. I was locked in a room with a little food and water until they found a host for me.” Some younger women were sexually abused by the host family. They reported the case to their respective broker but they take no actions against the host or receive any legal compensations.

The young women who came to UAE usually pay between 400,000 to 1,000,000 Myanmar Kyats to a broker in Yangon. Many young people who reached to UAE reported that the promise told by their broker in Yangon and the real situation in UAE is very different.