Staff Reporter:
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the United Kingdom (UK) will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those displaced by violence in Myanmar have the support, protection, dignity and opportunities they deserve.
The UK will provide food, shelter, clean water and other life-saving services to half a million Rohingya refugees displaced from Myanmar by conflict and persecution, the Foreign Secretary announced recently.
It will also provide sexual and reproductive health services to 175,000 women and girls and support survivors of sexual, physical and mental harm.
The £27 million aid package will be delivered through established partners on the ground, ensuring that it reaches those who need it most.
“This new UK aid will deliver essential food, shelter, clean water, and other life-saving services to half a million Rohingya people in Bangladesh and also help support Bangladeshi host communities,” said the British Foreign Secretary.
The UK is working with the Bangladesh authorities to promote stability and hope for the Rohingya community, said the British government.
The UK’s ‘historic partnership’ with Bangladesh is a highly valued relationship, cemented by the diaspora, cultural, Commonwealth, climate, development, trade and economic links.
This renewed commitment to Rohingya refugees underscores the UK’s leadership in global humanitarian response and its focus on building global security and economic recovery – in line with the government’s Plan for Change to respond to global challenges with purpose, said the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
The UK continues to call for sustained international coordination to address the root causes of displacement and vulnerability.
That includes supporting full, unhindered humanitarian access so crucial supplies can reach those living in the increasingly desperate humanitarian situation in Rakhine State in Myanmar.
It also continues to help create a sustainable future for the Rohingya people, including by working with key actors on both sides of the border.
The UK is a leading long-term contributor to the Rohingya response in Bangladesh.
With this additional funding, it has now provided over £447 million since 2017, and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those displaced by violence receive the protection, dignity, and opportunities they deserve, according to the British government.
This £27m new funding includes: £6m provided through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to deliver camp management support to over 510,500 refugees, among other activities.
£6m provided through the World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver food assistance to over 174,700 Rohingya refugees for three months.
£3.2m provided through UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, as part of a larger contribution to support documentation for 43,000 refugees and deliver legal assistance to over 31,600 refugees, among other activities.
£4.2m provided through the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to deliver improved sanitation and hygiene services for 150,000 refugees, safe drinking water for 75,000 refugees, and healthcare to 61,843 refugees, among other activities.
£1.5m provided through the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) to deliver lifesaving sexual and reproductive health integrated services to 175,000 women and girls, survivors of sexual, physical and mental harm and outreach services to over 61,300 community members, among other activities.
£2.24m provided through Norwegian Refugee Council, Danish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, and Humanity and Inclusion. This will reach 138,200 Rohingya refugees and 46,060 vulnerable host communities with essential services such as education, healthcare, and individualised assistance to persons with disabilities.
£4m provided through a range of UN and NGO partners to provide skills training to over 47,000 households and engage 65,600 households in climate-resilient agriculture.
