Protected relief and recovery operation (PRRO) 200142 will assist Rohingya refugees living in Kutupalong and Nayapara camps in Cox's Bazar District, Bangladesh. The majority of refugees came to Bangladesh in 1991 following violence in Myanmar. The refugees are dependent on humanitarian assistance for their survival due to restrictions on income-earning activities by the Government of Bangladesh. Under this new phase of the PRRO, WFP will continue to carry out general food distribution, supplementary feeding and school feeding.
A Joint Assessment Mission conducted in June 2010 by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and WFP made recommendations for improvement across all sectors of the operation. A July 2010 nutrition survey showed that although the global acute malnutrition rate has improved, the current level of 14.9 percent remains cause for concern. WFP will strengthen its food and nutrition support based on the recommendations of these two key assessments.
WFP's assistance to Myanmar refugees is conducted at the request of the Government and is consistent with WFP Strategic Plan (2008-2013). It fulfils Strategic Objective 1 (Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies) and Strategic Objective 3 (Restore and rebuild lives and livelihoods in post-conflict, post-disaster or transition situations). The PRRO supports the achievement of the following Millennium Development Goals: MDG1 - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; MDG2 - Achieve universal primary education; MDG4 - Reduce child mortality; and MDG5 - Improve maternal health.
The phasing out of WFP assistance is subject to the refugees attaining self-reliance, which is dependent on Government policy. WFP continues to consider that a concrete exit strategy is premature until an agreement is reached between UNHCR, the Government of Bangladesh and the Government of the Union of Myanmar on the refugees' future. International humanitarian support continues to be required because the Government, local communities and non-governmental organizations lack the means to substitute the inputs now provided by WFP.