Enhancing Gender-Responsive Humanitarian Action: UNHCR and the Rohingya Refugee Crisis

March 2019 - Following the outbreak of violence in Northern Rakhine State in August 2017 more than 735 000 Rohingya crossed from Myanmar into Bangladesh over a period of several months. These refugees joined an estimated 200 000 to 300 000 Rohingya refugees already in Bangladesh following earlier waves of displacement. The majority of the refugees are women and children. The protection and assistance needs are high and many groups with increased vulnerabilities including women and girls face significant challenges in accessing assistance services and information. Through humanitarian partners providing assistance the project aims to mainstream gender equality in the delivery of humanitarian action and empower women and girls in the context of the humanitarian response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Cox’s Bazar Bangladesh. The project also seeks to promote changes in attitudes and behaviours to support Rohingya women and girls. With the support of GAC and in coordination with the United Nations Gender Hub in Cox’s Bazar the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is working to enhance the capacity of implementing partners in the Rohingya Refugee Response on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. UNHCR is also promoting changes in attitudes and behaviour to support women and girls amongst implementing partners and within the local refugee community. Project activities include: (1) training on gender equality and gender mainstreaming in a refugee crisis response for humanitarian implementing partners; (2) training sessions for community-based groups and camp committees on gender equality; (3) mentorship programs for camp committee leaders; and (4) gender equality and empowerment awareness activities for implementing partners and for refugee community volunteers including for men and boys.

The expected outcomes for this project include: 1) strengthened gender mainstreaming in humanitarian interventions for refugees; 2) increased engagement of women in programs including in livelihoods and skills training programs; 3) increased participation by women in decision making in camp governance structures; and 4) improved attitudes and behaviours amongst refugees and humanitarian workers towards gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.