Facts
A total of
930
people in need received our assistance in 2018.
Humanitarian overview
Members of the Rohingya ethnic group are often referred to as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. An estimated 905,000 Rohingya refugees currently reside in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, over 700,000 of whom fled extreme violence in Myanmar in late 2017. Considered stateless, the Rohingya now make their homes in one of the most congested refugee camps in the world, living in bamboo shelters perched precariously on land that is prone to flooding and landslides. Access to basic services, including adequate sanitation, healthcare, livelihoods and education, is limited.
NRC’s operation
We carried out our first activities in northern Bangladesh in 2016 through a partnership with local NGO RDRS. We have since scaled up our presence, obtaining legal registration in November 2018, which will allow us to better respond to the Rohingya influx. Alongside our local partners, we provide assistance to refugees and local communities through education and ICLA activities. Once our country office is well established, we plan to expand our operations and are considering activities around shelter and climate displacement.
Education
Alongside our partners, we are working with the Rohingya people and the host communities to provide children and youth with quality education through:
- teacher training in psychosocial support, health and hygiene, and disaster risk management to support the wellbeing and safety of children
- life skills sessions that help youth and adolescents avoid threats and reduce their protection risks
- technical training to develop skills that will empower youth to generate income for themselves and their families in a future that is extremely uncertain
Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)
Alongside our partners, we work to provide information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA) by:
- researching the impacts of the refugee crisis on the Rohingya and the communities hosting them
- facilitating training for local and international actors on collaborative dispute resolution mechanisms
- Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA)
- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
- European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
