Attachments
KEY UPDATES
● 2024 JOINT RESPONSE PLAN (JRP): As of 31 May, the 2024 JRP was 30% funded, with USD 254.2 million received against an appeal of USD 852.4 million. The 2024 JRP requests continued support for one million Rohingya refugees, who are dependent on humanitarian assistance, and includes more than 400,000 host community members. As the conflict in Myanmar continues to escalate, international solidarity with Bangladesh and refugee protection is urgently needed. In 2023, the JRP was 65.8% funded with USD 576 million received against an overall appeal of USD 876 million. Read more.
● CYCLONE REMAL: On 26 May, Cyclone Remal, the year’s first cyclonic storm brought heavy rainfall and winds to 19 districts across Bangladesh, affecting 3.75 million people. This was Bangladesh's most devastating storm in recent years – damaging 150,000 homes. In the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar and on Bhasan Char, no loss of life nor severe damage was reported — a testament to robust and well-coordinated early warning and emergency preparedness efforts, with strong government support. More than 3,600 Rohingya volunteers tied down almost 3,800 shelters, undertook door-to-door visits to raise awareness, hoisted cyclone signal flags, and relocated families living in risky areas. Across 33 camps, 2,000 temporary shelters, 250 WASH structures and 17 community centres suffered storm damage and must be repaired from dwindling shelter stocks. Read more.
● PROTECTION OF REFUGEE VOLUNTEERS: Increasing security incidents in the camps, including reports of forced recruitments of Rohingya men and boys, have heightened risks for refugee volunteers, affecting delivery of critical services in the refugee camps. The Protection Sector, led by UNHCR, is working with key protection partners to develop guidelines for volunteers to help keep them safe in such circumstances. In addition, a risk mapping exercise, led by the Protection Sector, is being conducted to identify the numbers of volunteers and services impacted by the growing insecurity.
● NEW REGISTRATION PROCEDURES: New standard operating procedures (SOPs) on continuous registration were approved by the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) in May. The new SOPs include provisions to ensure timely registration of newborn refugee children, and others aimed at further enhancing the quality, efficiency and integrity of the Joint Government of Bangladesh-UNHCR population database — which comprises an essential, reliable and up-to-date source of statistics and documentation for the Rohingya Response. Effective from June, the SOPs will help ensure complete and accurate records of all Rohingya individuals and families residing in the camps through timely recording of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, departures, etc.
● ROHINGYA YOUTH EDUCATION: A certificate ceremony was organized for 224 Rohingya youth graduating from the Language, Images and Analytical Thinking (LIT) programme in the Cox’s Bazar camps, a joint venture of BRAC University’s Centre for Peace and Justice and Bard College. Guest speakers including the RRRC emphasized the great importance of education programmes like LIT to build refugee youth’s capacity in English and computer skills — which are critical to forging youth leadership.