Attachments
I. KEY HIGHLIGHTS
The Refugee-Influx Emergency Vulnerability Assessment (REVA) has been a crucial evidencegeneration process, informing critical decision-making for the World Food Programme (WFP) and other emergency response stakeholders, including the Government of Bangladesh. Conducted annually since 2017, the 2023 iteration marks the seventh round of the assessment. REVA aims to monitor the food security situation and vulnerability levels of the Rohingya population living in the camps in the Ukhiya and Teknaf sub-districts (upazilas) of Cox’s Bazar district, as well as the adjacent Bangladeshi communities potentially affected. Since 2022, the survey has expanded to include the island of Bhasan Char, where approximately 32,574 Rohingyas had been relocated by December 2022.
The 2023 REVA was conducted in December and constitutes a panel survey since 2019, covering a total of 4,016 households in Cox’s Bazar, including both Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities, through face-to-face household interviews. The sample was representative of three population strata: Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar (2,634), Rohingya on Bhasan Char (415), and Bangladeshi communities (967) residing adjacent to the camps in the Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas.
All food security and vulnerability indicators were significantly impacted by ration cuts in the camps from March 2023 due to a funding crisis, compounded by uncontrolled inflation, foreign reserve crises, and the war in Ukraine. The situation changed drastically, and the findings of the 2023 assessment were alarming. For the first time since 2017, 10 percent of Rohingya households were classified as having poor diets, and 70 percent were in poor to borderline conditions. Additionally, 24 percent of Rohingya households could not afford the minimum food basket, remaining below the food Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) despite current humanitarian assistance levels. There was significant dissatisfaction among Rohingya households regarding the ration cuts, as revealed through a qualitative assessment for cross-verification. However, simulations indicated that if assistance were removed entirely, 83 percent of Rohingya households would fall below the food MEB line, highlighting their significant dependence on humanitarian aid for survival.
Economic vulnerability among Rohingya households in Cox’s Bazar increased by 3 percent compared to 2022. The assessment also considered Bangladeshi communities, as the influx has severe spillover effects on the entire socio-economic situation. Over the course of seven assessments, Bangladeshi households reported a gradual decline in all indicators, with highly vulnerable households increasing to 30 percent from 13 percent in 2017. The Rohingya communities on Bhasan Char were comparatively in a better position, as rations remained consistent throughout the year, and they had some livelihood opportunities.
Both Rohingya and Bangladeshi households are struggling to secure sufficient food and are frequently resorting to negative coping strategies to meet their food needs. About two-thirds of households in the camps (67 percent) and half of the households in the Bangladeshi community (50 percent) relied on less preferred or less expensive food as their most frequently used coping strategy.
The selling of food assistance by Rohingya households remained consistent from 2022 to 2023. Among households that sold food, 77 percent in Cox’s Bazar and 81 percent in Bhasan Char sold food to purchase other food items, with many also resorting to less preferred or less expensive food. Food remains the top priority for both Rohingya and Bangladeshi communities; 80 percent of Rohingya households and 57 percent of Bangladeshi households cited the need for greater access to fresh food and the continuation of food assistance. Within the Bangladeshi community, shelter and livelihoods were the next most important needs after food. The overall situation underscores the importance of continued consistent assistance and a more durable, long-term solution to address the underlying fragility of the Rohingya community in Bangladesh.
The second survey on Bhasan Char under REVA 7 in 2023 revealed that the Rohingya on the island were better off than those in the Cox’s Bazar camps, with significantly improved safety and security, which was satisfying to most households.