Myanmar's military regime is set to expand its ban on the distribution of sanitary napkins, asserting that these products are being used to aid injured resistance fighters amid the ongoing civil war that began in 2021 following the military coup. Thinzar Shunlei Yi, a director at the women’s rights collective Sisters2Sisters, reported that transporting sanitary pads is now prohibited across the bridge connecting Sagaing and Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. Medical aid charity founder Meredith Bunn criticized the military's claims, stating that sanitary pads are not effective for treating gunshot wounds or lacerations. The ban has led to soaring prices in hidden markets, with a pack of pads increasing from 3,000 kyat (£1) to 9,000 kyat, while the minimum daily wage in Myanmar is 7,800 kyat. Organizations are attempting to provide reusable pads, but the lack of access to clean water raises concerns about health risks such as infections and urinary tract infections. Henriette Ceyrac from the period education organization Pan Ka Lay emphasized that the military's actions reflect a broader agenda to restrict women's movement, characterizing it as a form of gender-based violence.