Bangladesh: Migrant Camps

(asked on 12th June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the scale of gender-based violence (GBV) in Cox’s Bazar (a) before and (b) during the covid-19 pandemic; and with reference to International Rescue Committee research indicating at least one in four women and girls that organisation screens have experienced GBV, what plans her Department has to help maintain and expand provision of GBV services.


Answered by
Nigel Adams Portrait
Nigel Adams
This question was answered on 17th June 2020

Gender-based violence (GBV) continues to be a constant threat in refugee camps, especially to women and girls. The scale of GBV in the Rohingya camps is too high, though still not fully known. As GBV is generally underreported due to stigma and fear, the recorded cases are likely to represent only a small fraction of the overall number. However, an information management system is ensuring vital data is collected and analysed from recorded cases.

We agree with the International Rescue Committee that we need to expand GBV programming to address unmet needs, including prevention activities; and that these needs are likely to be exacerbated by COVID-19. The UK is the second largest donor to the Rohingya response, contributing £256 million to-date, and we play a leadership role in ensuring anti-GBV efforts are prioritised.

DFID has continuously supported efforts to reduce GBV in Rohingya camps and also in host communities. UK aid-supported GBV activities are being implemented across 34 camps, in 35 women friendly spaces/integrated women centres, and have helped more than 12,000 individuals receive GBV case management support since 2017.

The UK has provided £11 million to support COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts in the Rohingya camps and surrounding host communities. Part of this funding is focused on ensuring critical gender-based violence and child protection services keep operating for all those who need them. For example, the UK has provided an additional £400,000 to UNFPA for GBV services, including disseminating anti-GBV messaging and anti-GBV activities with adolescent boys and girls during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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