DHAKA, Sept 25, 2017 (BSS) – United Nations (UN) today warned of growing humanitarian needs amongst the Rohingya refugees, who fled violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar, seeking urgent funding to meet their life-saving needs.
“One month on since the start of the Rohingya refugee crisis, there is an urgent need to continue scaling up humanitarian operations to meet the growing needs of the refugees,” said a statement issued by the UN Resident Coordinator office here today.
“In just one month more than 436,000 Rohingyas have fled across land and water to seek refuge in Bangladesh. All available land is now in the process of being built on as the refugees have put up shelters that can offer them some protection,” the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Robert Watkins said.
“The UN and its NGO partners are working to support the government to provide the refugees with life-saving assistance. The scale of the needs is immense, and we urgently need funding to rapidly increase the support we are providing,” he added.
The refugees, who fled to Bangladesh since August 25, are settling in severely overcrowded camps and makeshift settlements where there is very limited access to basic services such as food, clean water and shelters, the statement said.
The majority of the refugees are women and children, with one in five households estimated to be headed by women, it said, adding that growing numbers of separated and unaccompanied children are being reported and support-services for gender-based violence has been identified as a critical need.
Humanitarian actors are also providing access to temporary learning spaces and safe spaces for children, psychosocial support and mental health care services and specialised support for survivors of violence.
Watkins said, “As we mark one month since this crisis started, I take this opportunity to thank the national authorities and the people of Bangladesh for their generosity and to commend the tireless work of the aid workers, teachers, volunteers and the host communities for their support to the refugees.”
According to the release, a preliminary Response Plan for $77 million was launched in August.
However, with the number of refugees having increased dramatically, this is currently being revised and a new Plan and funding target will be launched at the beginning of October to support the refugees and the host communities for six months, it added.