Community nutrition workers, known as “Pushti Apa” help Rohingya children and their mothers fight malnutrition in the camps. UNICEF/ Bashir Ahmed Sujan
Rohingya Joint Response Plan (JRP)
Current People in Need
1.6 million
Current People Targeted
1.4 million
Current Requirements (US$)
$852.4 million
People in Need at launch (Dec. 2023)
1.6 million
People Targeted at launch (Dec. 2023)
1.3 million
Requirements (US$) at launch (Dec. 2023)
$872.7 million
Type of appeal
Joint Response Plan
Countries covered
Bangladesh
Refugees targeted
1.0 million
Host communities (directly and indirectly) targeted:
300,000
Analysis of context, crisis and needs
For several decades, Bangladesh has been providing safety to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. This was particularly notable in the aftermath of the events of August 2017, when thousands of Rohingya were forced to flee their homes due to armed attacks, massive scale violence, targeted persecution, and serious human rights violations. While the local host communities, particularly in Cox’s Bazar have responded generously to the influx of Rohingya refugees, existing socio-economic challenges, high levels of inflation and the pressures on public services and infrastructure from the large refugee presence has exacerbated their needs.
Bangladesh is among the countries most at risk to weather-related hazards, and the Rohingya refugee camps on the coast of the Bay of Bengal are extremely vulnerable to flooding, landslides, fire outbreaks, cyclones, and the adverse impacts of climate change. These hazards have a devastating impact on the congested camps, which are made of fragile materials and have impacted thousands of refugees and Bangladeshis in the past years.
Bangladesh
Fire affected area in C21 refugee site.
UNHCR/Amos Halder
As of 31 October 2023, there were over 960,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, residing in thirty-three camps formally designated by the Government of Bangladesh in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas in the Cox’s Bazar District, as well as on the island of Bhasan Char. In addition, approximately 540,000 Bangladeshis reside in the two Upazilas where the refugee camps are located.
A dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar remains the primary solution to the crisis. Until refugees can safely and voluntarily do so, the need for consistent and predictable support in Bangladesh remains key to prevent a broader humanitarian crisis. The Refugee Influx Emergency Vulnerability Assessment (REVA-6)1 indicates that 95 per cent of all Rohingya households are moderately to highly vulnerable and remain entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance. Results of the Joint Multi-Sector Needs Assessments, Bhasan Char Needs Assessment, and sector-specific assessments over the past years show that the most reported needs for Rohingya refugees are access to food, shelter, protection, access to energy, skills and capacity building activities, and accessible quality health care, and education. Women, girls, and boys, who make up more than 78 per cent of the refugee population, are particularly vulnerable to risks of abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence, made worse by an increase in security-related incidents in the camps in 2023, including killings and violence by criminal groups involved in illegal activities. In Bhasan Char, along with the needs highlighted above, the remoteness and isolation of the island reinforce the need for integrated mental health and psychosocial support services in primary healthcare facilities and at community level.
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
Rohingya adolescent girls enjoy English language lessons in a girls-only session at a UNICEF-supported learning centre.
UNICEF/ Shafiqul Alam Kiron
Strategic objectives and sectoral priorities 2024
Under the leadership of the Government of Bangladesh, the humanitarian community has been supporting Rohingya refugees and the vulnerable Bangladeshi host communities around the refugee camps over several years. In 2023, continued registration efforts have ensured that refugees have access to assistance and protection. This has allowed the identification of refugees with specific needs and their referral to appropriate services and support, including specialized services targeting women, girls, and boys as well as persons with disabilities. Shelter and camp coordination and camp management services have sought to sustain dignified living conditions in the camps and support the community in preparing and responding to disasters. Access to food and efforts to manage malnutrition rates continued to be prioritized, as well as the delivery of a minimum package of essential health services. Maintenance and expansion of WASH facilities remained a critical intervention.
In parallel, focus increased on education through the Myanmar Curriculum as well as the provision of skills development following the Government’s endorsement of the Skills Development Framework in 2022. This Framework aims to roll-out a coherent and inclusive programme building skills and capacity for Rohingya commensurate with opportunities available in Myanmar to prepare for voluntary and sustainable repatriation and reintegration in Myanmar. The Government also endorsed the Guidance on the Engagement of Volunteers, reinforcing the key role that Rohingya and Bangladeshi host community volunteers play in the response.
Until the conditions allow for their return to Myanmar in a safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable manner, the needs of refugees in Bangladesh remain significant and urgent, and the Government of Bangladesh and the humanitarian community require robust and sustained international support to provide lifesaving protection and assistance. The 2024 JRP seeks US$872.7 million to support one million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, and 300,000 vulnerable host communities living in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas.2
Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
A refugee man benefits from community gardens supported by a UNHCR livelihood project.
UNHCR/Fahima Tajrian
In continuation of the 2023 objectives of the JRP, five strategic objectives will guide the response in 2024:
Work towards the sustainable and voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, focusing on developing refugees’ capacities through the Myanmar Curriculum, building skills that will support their reintegration upon return, and strengthening community-based efforts.
Strengthen the protection of Rohingya refugee women, men, girls, and boys, placing affected individuals and communities at the centre of the response and strengthening support systems.
Deliver life-saving assistance to populations in need, including access to critical services such as food, water, health, and safe and dignified camp living conditions.
Foster the well-being of host communities to promote peaceful coexistence, including through facilitating access to quality services, strengthening of public service infrastructure, and supporting livelihoods activities.
Strengthen disaster risk management by improving preparedness for multi-hazard crises and addressing the impacts of climate change within refugee camps and host communities.
In 2024, a distinct focus will be placed on rationalization and streamlining of the humanitarian response, based on minimum quality metrics and standardization, with a view to ensuring equitable and predictable assistance to refugees across all camps in a protracted context. Cross-cutting issues will be reinforced across programmes, including but not limited to gender, diversity and disability inclusion, accountability to affected populations, protection of sexual exploitation and abuse, and environment and climate change.
Rohingya Regional
Food ration cut in the Rohingya refugee camps: What does this look like in the kitchen
Bangladesh
Since March 2023, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have faced a 33% cut in food aid.
References
Refugee Influx Emergency Vulnerability Assessment (REVA-6) Report, June 2023, available here.
Note: Financial requirements, people in need and people targeted for the 2024 JRP are preliminary and pending finalization and approval by partners and the host country.