UNHCR, partners call for sustained funding, support for Rohingyas

PBC News:  As the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh is well advanced in its 5th year, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and partners are calling once more on the global community to provide sustained support for the Rohingyas and the Bangladeshi communities hosting them.

The 2022 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis was launched  on Tuesday, reports UNB.

To support approximately 1.4 million people, including over 918,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, and around 540,000 Bangladeshis in neighbouring communities, this year’s JRP will be seeking funds of over US$881 million.

Under the leadership of the Bangladeshi authorities, the JRP’s response for 2022 brings together the activities of 136 partners, of which 74 are Bangladeshi organizations. It also recognizes the significant contributions of the refugees themselves to the response.

The Government of Bangladesh, supported by the international community, has generously hosted Rohingya refugees for decades. At a time when global displacement continues to rise, UNHCR and partners are emphasizing the need to ensure that the Rohingya situation does not become a forgotten crisis.

It is therefore vital to ensure continued funding and support to meet the needs of refugees and surrounding host communities.

Given their location and geography, the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar are especially vulnerable to natural disasters. This year’s JRP accordingly highlights the need for enhanced efforts towards disaster risk management and climate change mitigation, including through reforestation and energy interventions.

The solutions to this humanitarian situation ultimately lie within Myanmar. Many Rohingya refugees continue to express their desire to return home when conditions allow. UNHCR and partners continue to maintain a presence in Rakhine State to support Myanmar to create the conditions that would be conducive for such returns. The steadfast support from the international community has been, and will be, crucial in delivering lifesaving protection and assistance services for Rohingya refugees, until they are able to return voluntarily, safely, and with dignity.

While they are in Bangladesh, it is important that Rohingya refugees are able to live safe and dignified lives, and that they can develop the skills and capacities that could support their sustainable return in the future.

For the first time, the JRP also includes humanitarian activities on Bhasan Char, where over 24,000 Rohingya refugees have been relocated to date by the Government of Bangladesh. It is critical to continue to scale up essential humanitarian services on the island, including in the areas of health, protection, nutrition, education, and livelihoods and skills building.