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UNICEF supporting children affected by violence in Rakhine, Myanmar

2017-09-18

On 5 September 2017 in Bangladesh, newly arrived Rohingya families prepare to build a shelter at the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox's Bazar.

Statement by Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director: “More than 125,000 Rohingya refugees have fled across the border from Rakhine State, Myanmar, into Bangladesh since 25 August. As many as 80 per cent of them are women and children. Many more children in need of support and protection remain in the areas of northern Rakhine State that have been wracked by violence.

“In Bangladesh, UNICEF is scaling up its response to provide refugee children with protection, nutrition, health, water and sanitation support.

“In Myanmar, UNICEF does not at present have access to the affected areas in northern Rakhine State. We are unable to reach the 28,000 children to whom we were previously providing psychosocial care or the more than 4,000 children who were treated for malnutrition in Buthidaung and Maungdaw. Our clean water and sanitation work has been suspended, as have school repairs that were under way.

“Children on both sides of the border need urgent help and protection.”

On 5 September 2017 in Bangladesh, Mohammed Yasin, 8, is amongst the newly arrived Rohingya families living in shelters at the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox's Bazar. As of 31 August 2017 in Bangladesh, UNICEF is working in Cox’s Bazar to address the needs of Rohingya children and their families as well as host communities. UNICEF has already built eight functioning Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) for Rohingya children and adolescents, providing children with psychosocial and recreational support. UNICEF has initiated the screening of children for malnutrition, and the vaccination of children aged 9-59 months against Measles and Rubella - in the makeshift settlements and hard-to-reach host communities. More than 15,200 people now have access to safe drinking water and 9,700 people are provided with improved sanitation facilities in host communities. With the recent influx of Rohingyas – more than 80% of them are children and women - the demand has increased and UNICEF is working to mobilize more support and strengthen its existing activities. For recreational and psychosocial support to the newly arrived Rohingya children, 33 mobile CFSs are now operational with 100 recreational kits, Education in Emergency (EiE) kits and trained teachers. These mobile child friendly spaces have already provided psychosocial support to 226 newly arrived Rohingya children. Separated and unaccompanied children are also being identified through Child Friendly Spaces and community outreach. Over 100 adolescent clubs are operational in host and makeshift settlements to provide life-skills education through outreach activities.

80 per cent of those affected are children and women.

Response in Bangladesh

UNICEF has already built eight functioning Child Friendly Spaces for Rohingya children and adolescents, providing children with psychosocial and recreational support. UNICEF has initiated the screening of children for malnutrition, and the vaccination of children aged 9-59 months against Measles and Rubella – in the makeshift settlements and hard-to-reach host communities. More than 15,200 people now have access to safe drinking water and 9,700 people are provided with improved sanitation facilities in host communities.

On 5 September 2017 in Bangladesh, newly arrived Rohingya families ride in a truck to the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox's Bazar. As of 31 August 2017 in Bangladesh, UNICEF is working in Cox’s Bazar to address the needs of Rohingya children and their families as well as host communities. UNICEF has already built eight functioning Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) for Rohingya children and adolescents, providing children with psychosocial and recreational support. UNICEF has initiated the screening of children for malnutrition, and the vaccination of children aged 9-59 months against Measles and Rubella - in the makeshift settlements and hard-to-reach host communities. More than 15,200 people now have access to safe drinking water and 9,700 people are provided with improved sanitation facilities in host communities. With the recent influx of Rohingyas – more than 80% of them are children and women - the demand has increased and UNICEF is working to mobilize more support and strengthen its existing activities. For recreational and psychosocial support to the newly arrived Rohingya children, 33 mobile CFSs are now operational with 100 recreational kits, Education in Emergency (EiE) kits and trained teachers. These mobile child friendly spaces have already provided psychosocial support to 226 newly arrived Rohingya children. Separated and unaccompanied children are also being identified through Child Friendly Spaces and community outreach. Over 100 adolescent clubs are operational in host and makeshift settlements to provide life-skills education through outreach activities.

Newly arrived Rohingya families ride in a truck to the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

With the recent influx of Rohingyas –more than 80% of them are children and women- the demand has increased and UNICEF is working to mobilize more support and strengthen its existing activities. For recreational and psychosocial support to the newly arrived Rohingya children, 33 mobile CFSs are now operational with 100 recreational kits, Education in Emergency (EiE) kits and trained teachers. These mobile child friendly spaces have already provided psychosocial support to 226 newly arrived Rohingya children. Separated and unaccompanied children are also being identified through Child Friendly Spaces and community outreach. UNICEF is also ready to distribute hygiene kits and water purification tablets.

On 5 September 2017 in Bangladesh, newly arrived Rohingya families prepare to build a shelter at the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox's Bazar. As of 31 August 2017 in Bangladesh, UNICEF is working in Cox’s Bazar to address the needs of Rohingya children and their families as well as host communities. UNICEF has already built eight functioning Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) for Rohingya children and adolescents, providing children with psychosocial and recreational support. UNICEF has initiated the screening of children for malnutrition, and the vaccination of children aged 9-59 months against Measles and Rubella - in the makeshift settlements and hard-to-reach host communities. More than 15,200 people now have access to safe drinking water and 9,700 people are provided with improved sanitation facilities in host communities. With the recent influx of Rohingyas – more than 80% of them are children and women - the demand has increased and UNICEF is working to mobilize more support and strengthen its existing activities. For recreational and psychosocial support to the newly arrived Rohingya children, 33 mobile CFSs are now operational with 100 recreational kits, Education in Emergency (EiE) kits and trained teachers. These mobile child friendly spaces have already provided psychosocial support to 226 newly arrived Rohingya children. Separated and unaccompanied children are also being identified through Child Friendly Spaces and community outreach. Over 100 adolescent clubs are operational in host and makeshift settlements to provide life-skills education through outreach activities.

In the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

On 5 September 2017 in Bangladesh, newly arrived Rohingya families carry plastic sheeting to build a shelter at the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox's Bazar. As of 31 August 2017 in Bangladesh, UNICEF is working in Cox’s Bazar to address the needs of Rohingya children and their families as well as host communities. UNICEF has already built eight functioning Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs) for Rohingya children and adolescents, providing children with psychosocial and recreational support. UNICEF has initiated the screening of children for malnutrition, and the vaccination of children aged 9-59 months against Measles and Rubella - in the makeshift settlements and hard-to-reach host communities. More than 15,200 people now have access to safe drinking water and 9,700 people are provided with improved sanitation facilities in host communities. With the recent influx of Rohingyas – more than 80% of them are children and women - the demand has increased and UNICEF is working to mobilize more support and strengthen its existing activities. For recreational and psychosocial support to the newly arrived Rohingya children, 33 mobile CFSs are now operational with 100 recreational kits, Education in Emergency (EiE) kits and trained teachers. These mobile child friendly spaces have already provided psychosocial support to 226 newly arrived Rohingya children. Separated and unaccompanied children are also being identified through Child Friendly Spaces and community outreach. Over 100 adolescent clubs are operational in host and makeshift settlements to provide life-skills education through outreach activities.

Newly arrived Rohingya families carry plastic sheeting to build a shelter at the Kutupalang makeshift camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

UNICEF is calling for an additional HK$39 million (US$5 million) funding in Bangladesh to support to the needs of the recent Rohingya influx in Cox’s Bazar.

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