ReliefWeb

Executive Summary

The Government and people of Bangladesh, with the support of many civil society groups, have generously welcomed hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees fleeing extreme violence and human rights violations in Myanmar. However, local authorities, communities and available support systems are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and the level of urgent humanitarian needs. There also continues to be a lack of adequate formal legal and normative frameworks for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, and the ad-hoc administrative arrangements that are currently in place, makes the implementation of protection and assistance programmes very challenging.

The scale and magnitude of the crisis, complicates the process of ensuring effective protection, assistance, and solutions for affected persons. This paper examines the extent to which a ‘whole of society approach’ is applied in the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh and looks at how the current approach impacts refugee protection outcomes, interfaces with existing coordination mechanisms, intersects with ongoing localisation efforts, and ensures meaningful refugee participation and leadership.

1.1 Rohingya Refugee Response in Bangladesh: Key Gaps and Challenges

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are living in difficult conditions in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar with no freedom of movement outside the camps, and restricted access to rights including education and livelihoods. Their lack of legal status as refugees has given rise to insecurity and exclusion with regard to their access to rights and services. The Government-led disaster management structure is responsible for Rohingya refugees. Hybrid humanitarian coordination structures that are currently in place, are not fully aligned with international humanitarian coordination models, nor are they flexible enough to adapt to ever changing field coordination needs. The host communities of Cox’s Bazar are also affected by the large Rohingya presence in terms of rising prices, decreasing wages, environmental degradation as well as growing pressure on existing public services.

Since August 2019, a series of measures taken by the Government of Bangladesh towards Rohingya refugees has resulted in progressive deterioration of the protection environment in the camps and increased humanitarian access barriers. This has created an environment of fear and uncertainty in the refugee camps, compromising refugees’ ability to live a life of dignity and respect and to meaningfully participate in key decisions involving their community.

Operational and access restrictions in the context of COVID-19 have exacerbated existing protection risks by isolating refugee communities from accessing timely information and assistance, increasing aid dependence, reducing self-reliance and community resilience, and increasing hopelessness and insecurity.

Rohingya language audio: Introduction to the Report