Photo : Messenger
On March 13th, I was invited to the United Nations Office in Geneva by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to speak at the launching of the Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis.
This initiative represents a collaborative effort among all stakeholders, including 10 UN agencies, 35 International NGOs, 58 Bangladeshi NGOs, and 14 other organizations, aimed at finding long-term sustainable solutions to this crisis and mobilizing further resources. The honorable Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr. Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah, and the Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Masud Bin Momen, were present at this event in Switzerland to provide valuable input and guidance.
The Rohingya crisis is now entering its seventh year. Due to increased violence and unrest in Myanmar, it has become evident that the possibility of immediate repatriation of this community has become more complex. The recent (as of autumn 2023) and ongoing high intensity of fighting and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Rakhine have resulted in an increase in attempted border crossings by displaced civilians. Meanwhile, UNHCR reported that nearly 4,500 Rohingya refugees embarked on deadly sea journeys in 2023, including close to two-thirds being women and children. Many of those attempting these perilous journeys do so because they perceive them as an option to escape the deteriorating and restrictive conditions in the Bangladesh camps, which may offer more hope for a future.
So, until the day comes when the Rohingya in Bangladesh can safely and willingly return to their homeland, we all need to continue supporting these 1.1 million displaced people in Bangladesh.
However, the global scenario is rapidly changing, with war and unrest increasing in places like Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and many other countries. The displaced Rohingya community has been living at a bare minimum, but the continuing reduction in funding is exacerbating the situation.
The joint response received $161.3 million less funding in 2023 than in 2022. Monthly food assistance fell from USD 12 to USD 10 per person in March 2023, then further decreased to USD 8 from June to December. Insufficient food immediately raised acute malnutrition from 13.8% to 15.1%, marking the worst situation since the influx. Although the World Food Programme (WFP) increased the ration to USD 10 in January 2024, restoring the complete USD12.50 ration is urgently needed.
The lack of funding will rapidly increase malnutrition and pose more significant protection risks, including gender-based violence (GBV), child labor, child marriage, and human trafficking.
In Cox’s bazar, we see profound disruption to the lives and livelihoods of the generous host community, as they struggle to share their limited resources with a million displaced people. Sustainable development support is required to improve the lives of people living close to the camps. Promoting social cohesion between both communities is paramount for fostering harmony and mutual understanding.
The Rohingya community residing in the camps, remain vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters - like landslides, cyclones, and fires. Disaster risk management and climate change adaptation remain crucial for bolstering the response in the camps and the surrounding host communities.
It is a significant achievement that Bangladesh has allocated an island, Bhasan Char, where 32,000 Rohingya have been relocated. Now resilience activities should be expanded there to help them develop portable skills and benefit from livelihood opportunities. Efforts should continue to enhance long-term sustainability on the island through comprehensive livelihood opportunities, infrastructure maintenance, and strengthening of protection services.
The international community now needs to increase its support for the Bangladesh government to expand programs to increase the refugees’ resilience, including, but not limited to, establishing a dedicated fund focused on building climate-resilient livelihoods and ensuring food security for Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh; increasing opportunities for Rohingya volunteers; and advocate for policy changes to enable Rohingya to engage in small businesses in the camps. International financial institutions and the private sector need to allocate grants aimed at improving services and providing market-linked income-generating opportunities for Rohingya and host communities.
Although the Bangladesh Government has taken several steps to improve security , the Rohingya communities remain unsafe .Vulnerable individuals, including women, girls, and people with disabilities, are especially at risk. The severe ration cuts and food insecurity have made Rohingya refugees even more vulnerable, and we worry that this impending crisis will give these groups even more opportunities to exploit refugees, further exposing them to protection risks .Protection measures need to be increased for the Rohingya community in the camps through enhanced community engagement, providing funding for scaling up protection services and, engaging more closely with security actors to ensure age, gender, and disability-inclusive responses to security and protection cases, and helping to make the justice system more accessible for all.
Critical health services remain a significant challenge in the response. The Rohingya community are not only facing regular health challenges but also malnutrition, trauma, mental health issues, non communicable diseases, putting them in critical condition.
Education is another challenge that we need to address more extensively. Rohingya children, youth, and their families greatest wish is to have access to quality, regular education, which provides hope and equips them with the knowledge and skills to contribute positively to their community. In Bangladesh, the rollout of the Myanmar Curriculum has been a success, and its expansion is critical for the Rohingya community. All Rohingya children and youth should be able to access comprehensive, quality, accredited, safe, and inclusive education, regardless of their status. Special efforts should be made to ensure access to education for girls and children with disabilities, particularly at the secondary level, as well as increased opportunities for non-formal skills training. Locally led solutions should be prioritized to ensure effectiveness and relevance in the response efforts.
Let us not forget that the Rohingya displaced community are not mere statistics; they are human beings who have endured unimaginable suffering and trauma. They lost their home, their families, they are living in extremely vulnerable landscapes, without knowing what tomorrow will bring to them.
The Rohingya people want to go home when it is safe. Until that day arrives, they deserve a dignified life, a small moment of comfort. Empowering them through education and skills development is crucial for agency of their own life and their future.The approaches must be inclusive to support the diverse need of the communities including women, children, people withdisabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Efforts must continue to create conditions for their safe and voluntary return while establishing complementary pathways in collaboration with the Regional and international Actors.
On the ground, the government of Bangladesh, UN agencies, partner organizations, and NGOs all work tirelessly to ensure some happiness and comfort for these unfortunate people.
Last month, I visited one of the health posts in Camp 25, where I met Saleha, a young pregnant mother. She should be happy as a mother-to-be awaiting the birth of her first child. . Instead of anticipation and joy, her. face was pale, and her eyes were filled with deep sorrow. She whispered, “Apa, what will happen to my child?” I could not reassure her confidently.Because we do not know if funding is significantly reduced, how long can we ensure Saleha’s food, let alone for her child?
But we are all together, counting on our generous donors and the international community. I firmly believe they will not let us down to Saleha and her child, who will be born in June.
When Saleha, or any other girl like Saleha, asks me, ‘Apa, what will happen to my child?’ I want to reassure her that the global community is with her.
We all together hold her hand.
The author has been working for Rohingya refugees since 2017 influx. Currently, she is the Country Director of the International Rescue Committee in Bangladesh.
Messenger/Fameema
