Staff Reporter :
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), alongside the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and other partners, has called on the international community to increase support for Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh amid escalating insecurity in Myanmar and continued forced displacement.
Ongoing conflict in Myanmar, dwindling financial resources, and competing global crises have intensified the need for greater international assistance for the Rohingya, who remain in a vulnerable situation, entirely reliant on humanitarian aid.
The Joint Response Plan (JRP) 2025-26 for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis, which unites 113 partner organisations, is being launched by IOM and UNHCR under the leadership of the Bangladesh Government.
This inaugural multi-year funding appeal aims to raise $934.5 million in its first year to assist approximately 1.48 million people, including Rohingya refugees and members of the host communities.
The JRP is being presented to donors in Geneva by Amy Pope, Director General of IOM; Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees; and Khalilur Rahman, High Representative to the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh on Rohingya Issues and Priority Affairs.
Now in its eighth year, the Rohingya humanitarian crisis remains largely absent from the global spotlight, despite the continued urgency of needs within the camps.
Over 50 per cent of the camp population are women and girls, who face heightened risks of gender-based violence and exploitation.
Additionally, one in three Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh is aged between 10 and 24. Without access to formal education, skills training, and opportunities for self-reliance, their futures remain uncertain.
Any shortfall in funding for essential services-such as food assistance, cooking fuel, and basic shelter-could have severe consequences for this vulnerable community.
It may also drive many to resort to desperate measures, including undertaking dangerous boat journeys in search of safety.
Until conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State are safe and conducive to voluntary returns, the international community must continue to provide life-saving support to refugees. This includes protection, shelter, and basic necessities, while also fostering opportunities for self-reliance and sustainable living.
