Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar: Continuing the fight for human dignity
Locations and populations of camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Source: UNHCR.
It has been seven years since the escalation of violence and persecution against Rohingya living in Myanmar, which drove hundreds of thousands out of Rakhine State. Today, almost one million Rohingya are living in camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – an arrangement that was meant to be temporary.
There are 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar that host displaced Rohingya families and individuals, and all are highly congested. Populations of each camp range from approximately 8,000 people in the smallest camp to 57,600 people in the largest camp. The camp facilities in Cox’s Bazar are stretched to their limits.
Life in the camps
The mental health and well-being of Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar is a serious concern. Millions have experienced intensely traumatic situations, and are now living in cramped and unstable conditions with declining hope of returning home to Myanmar,
There are numerous issues in the crowded camps. Women, adolescent girls, and persons with disabilities are particularly at risk, and high levels of sexual exploitation and gender-based violence (GBV) are experienced within the camps.
On 24 May 2024, a serious fire destroyed Caritas Bangladesh’s warehouse in Camp 13, which held shelter supplies for over 9,000 families. The fire has made approximately 1,300 people homeless after 221 shelters were destroyed. 72 WASH facilities in Camp 13 were also destroyed in the blaze. No fatalities occurred, and humanitarian organisations in the camp have worked together to ensure appropriate medical treatment for those injured.
Unfortunately, this incident comes at an already difficult time when Caritas Bangladesh is struggling to maintain its provision of essential life-saving services in communities that have come to rely on Caritas.
The BareFoot Counsellors Programme
In the face of these challenges, we are proud to partner with Caritas Bangladesh and Catholic Relief Services in Bangladesh to support the 9,000 Rohingya living in Camp 4 Extension in Cox’s Bazar.
The work that our partners do focuses on rebuilding dignity, safety, and agency for the people living in the camp. We have been working with Caritas Bangladesh and Catholic Relief Services for seven years, and the generosity of our supporters and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has allowed us to continue supporting this important work.
A significant part of this work is coordinating the Barefoot Counsellors (BFC) programme. It is a community-based protection programme that focuses on capacity building of the Rohingya community. Rooted in inclusivity, the project places a strong emphasis on the protection and safeguarding of all, particularly focusing on trauma support and community awareness raising around key issues such as GBV, child marriage, domestic violence and trafficking. Of particular importance within the project is ensuring the dignity of women, adolescent girls and persons with disabilities. The project is led by the community, centred around a network of trained Rohingya volunteers who serve as protection agents for the people in their camp.
Community-Based Protection Committee training on counselling and referral systems. Photo credit: Caritas Bangladesh.
Through this network of BFC volunteers, nine Community-Based Protection Committees have been formed, along with two Women’s Forums, as ways of further empowering and supporting people in the camps to speak up for their rights. A total of 135 Rohingya volunteers make up these committees.
The committees have been instrumental in promoting the rights and voices of all groups in the camp, ensuring that meaningful participation and representation is available for everyone.
Forty of the BFC volunteers within these committees are specifically trained to visit the households of individuals and families living in Camp 4 Extension and assess their needs for support. These visits are important for ensuring that Rohingya in the camps are each given the care and support they need, and are recognised as valuable members of their community, despite the often chaotic and traumatic situation in which they live. In 2023, the BFC project reached 1,950 families.
Rumana in Camp 4 Extension. Photo credit: Joseph Priti Kanti Tripura, Caritas Bangladesh.
Rumana’s story
Rumana, a 40-year-old Rohingya woman who lives in the Camp 4 Extension at Cox’s Bazar, works as a Barefoot Counsellor volunteer and has become a protection ambassador.
Acquiring various protection, GBV, and psychosocial support skills through training made a significant difference in her personal and family life.
The experience of working as a BFC volunteer also opened more professional opportunities in her life. She received offers from other organisations working in the camp to coordinate community support, as she is a well-known face and a leading voice for ensuring the rights of her community.
Overall, Rumana’s transformation into a protection ambassador for her community is an inspiring success story for the BFC project. Her experience demonstrates how the project amplifies women's voices in the Rohingya camps and positively impacts their lives.
The BFC project is a true demonstration of the importance of participation, solidarity, and subsidiarity. The ongoing crisis that the Rohingya are facing is something that much of the world has turned away from in light of recent crises elsewhere. However, Caritas Bangladesh and Catholic Relief Services have recognised how essential having accessible and responsive mental health and psychosocial support services is for displaced Rohingya communities to reclaim their dignity and voice.
The positive growth that Caritas Bangladesh and Catholic Relief Services have been able to facilitate for Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar cannot be overstated. These stories of empowerment and hope inspire us to continue pushing for human dignity for all.