Bangladesh NGO asks UN chief Guterres to take action on Rohingya crisis during visit

ActionAid Bangladesh has called on the visiting United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take emergency action to help mitigate the Rohingya crisis, especially issues relating to women and children.

“The Rohingya people cannot afford to be forgotten. As the UN secretary-general focuses global attention on this crisis, we call for swift and compassionate action to protect the lives and dignity of over one million refugees, particularly women and girls,” a statement by the organisation read on Thursday.

“Long-term solutions, including sustainable repatriation and resettlement plans, must also be developed to address the root causes of the crisis,” it added.

On Friday, the UN World Food Programme, or WFP, warned of a “critical funding shortfall” for its emergency response operations in Bangladesh, jeopardising food assistance for Rohingya refugees.

The WFP said monthly rations must be halved to $6 per person, down from $12.50, without urgent new funding, putting over a million people at risk of starvation.

The WFP’s decision to slash food assistance, effective from Apr 1, will have “catastrophic consequences”, on women and adolescent girls in particular, ActionAid warned.

“Women and girls are disproportionately affected by this drastic cut in food assistance. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, adolescent girls, and children are already at risk of severe malnutrition, which can lead to long-term health issues and increased mortality,” the statement read.

“The stress of food shortages also heightens the risk of gender-based violence (GBV), including domestic violence and exploitation.

“Compounding these challenges is the lack of adequate sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, leaving women and girls without essential healthcare,” it added.

In 2023, severe funding constraints forced WFP to reduce rations from $12 to $8 per person each month, leading to a sharp decline in food consumption and the worst levels of malnutrition among children since 2017 – reaching over 15 percent – above the emergency threshold, according to the WFP.