Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Answer of 8 December 2017 to Question 117071, on Bangladesh: Rohingya, what assessment he has made of whether rationing by household creates an incentive for child marriage and child sexual exploitation in refugee camps.

The Rohingya Emergency Vulnerability Assessment was conducted in December 2017 by the World Food Programme (WFP). This found households receiving food rationing are much less likely to apply negative coping strategies, including child marriage or sexual exploitation, than those who are not. DFID has no evidence to suggest this assessment is incorrect.

To reduce the risk of child marriage, sexual exploitation and abuse taking place, DFID is supporting awareness-raising, increased outreach, feedback channels, and complaints-handling procedures. Through UNFPA, Oxfam and UNICEF the UK is scaling-up women and child friendly spaces within the camps, where women and children can access support from case workers who can help them access humanitarian aid.