on the ground


Tell us why you are in Bangladesh.


I am leading UNHCR’s emergency response in Bangladesh for Rohingya refugees. Within days after violence erupted in late August of 2017, we witnessed some 15,000 refugees crossing


the Myanmar-Bangladesh


border each day. Over 600,000 refugees, more than half of whom are children, have arrived in the Cox’s Bazar region of Bangladesh, most having experienced or witnessed horrific acts of violence.


So many refugees look deeply traumatized. They are searching for surviving family members. Children have been separated from their parents,


and some people


wonder whether their father, siblings or children are alive and have had a chance to safely reach Bangladesh.


What are you doing there?


I’m leading about 200 UNHCR colleagues originating from multiple countries,


including a talented


team of Bangladeshi UNHCR staff. We have specialists ensuring that appropriate emergency services are made available to all refugees upon arrival,


facilities, medical psycho-social


and


including shelter, sanitation assistance


and support, critical immediate


medical help, tracing of missing family members,


on what options are available and


information for


settling in Bangladesh. We do this in collaboration with several UN agencies


organizations. It’s a privilege to have


this opportunity to help and be part of such a talented and dedicated UNHCR team in an international effort to keep Rohingya refugees safe.


non-governmental


© UNHCR/Roger Arnold Louise Aubin, UNHCR Deputy Director in


the Division of International Protection, at UNHCR office in Cox's Bazar.


What is it like? still


The conditions here are taxing: the climate,


the terrain, and the


emotional strain of interacting with people who’ve suffered so much horror. One can easily feel overwhelmed


and powerless to


address the needs of hundreds of thousands of people. But the Rohingya are incredibly resilient.


In


fact, a massive settlement was built within weeks by the very refugees who now inhabit


the area, despite


having arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs.


Canadians have given generously to the crisis. What is the impact of the donations received so far?


Donations have allowed UNHCR to fly in 15 humanitarian airlifts carrying 1,500 metric tonnes of emergency life-saving relief items and shelter materials. So far, more than 20 schools Nyapara


in settlements


both Kutupalong have


been


reopened and are running, helping thousands of


refugee children to resume a semblance of normal life. UNHCR.CA @UNHCRCANADA


With malnutrition levels higher than emergency thresholds, UNHCR has established nine nutrition centres and


two centres for


in-patient the


management


treatment of


acute malnutrition. With our partner agencies, we have been providing high-energy biscuits and hot meals to the newly arriving refugee families, and are also working with refugee volunteers to set up community kitchens to meet the growing needs.


The lives of hundreds of thousands


of refugees have been saved and this response was made possible because of


real


the people of Bangladesh—the front-line


responders in emergency. However, without


this the


help of our partners and donors, the staggering needs cannot be met.


UNHCR requires more than and


$80 million USD to fund acute humanitarian needs in Bangladesh. Together, we can bring much needed help


and protection refugees. «


For more information, please visit unhcr.ca/bangladesh


UNHCR CANADA UNHCR CANADA / 9 to Rohingya


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28