Concerned about Rohingya children growing up as angry young people: Yunus to Unicef chief Russell
This anger could erupt in unpredictable ways, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus tells Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has described cuts in donor funding for Rohingyas as a serious challenge, saying that it has already caused school closures and the loss of thousands of jobs for Rohingya teachers.
"This is a disaster. Education in the camps provided a glimmer of hope for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children. Our concern is for these children, who are growing up as angry young people, and that anger could erupt in unpredictable ways," Yunus told Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell.
She met with the chief adviser yesterday (29 September) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at a hotel in New York.
Their discussion focused on the Rohingya crisis, particularly the severe funding shortfall affecting humanitarian operations for the over one million refugees currently sheltered in Bangladesh. A key concern was the impact of these funding cuts on education services for Rohingya children in the camps, said Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Azad Majumder today.
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Unicef Executive Director Russell painted a grim picture of the global funding climate, noting that even traditionally generous European nations are reducing their humanitarian contributions to agencies such as Unicef.
She urged the Bangladeshi government to introduce skills training for Rohingya youth so they can eventually apply those skills upon returning to their homeland.
Unicef Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, who also attended the meeting, emphasised the positive impact that education has already had in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. "The level of education among Rohingya children has increased significantly," he noted.
The meeting also addressed the upcoming high-level Rohingya conference at the UN headquarters today. Yunus urged Unicef to use the occasion to advocate strongly for the continuation and expansion of education initiatives in the camps.
