Is the next generation of Rohingyas becoming a global burden?
From living as refugees to becoming victims of human trafficking, the next generation of Rohingya children face daily problems, including deaths. They are losing their education and optimism, creating a perpetual crisis
Welcome to Cox's Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh, the world's largest refugee camp, where around a million Rohingyas have been deported from their own motherland. Imagine waking up every day in a labyrinthine sprawl of tents and makeshift huts, where every face tells a story of loss and survival.
Here, against a canvas of squalor and hopelessness, resilient threads of humanity shine. Children play in puddles, their laughter defying the surrounding despair, while women, especially young girls, the pillars of their families, line up for hours for rations, ensuring their family don't go to bed hungry.
Yet, beyond the visible struggles, the intangibles weigh heavily. The threat of diseases is ever-present, and when monsoons hit, the vulnerable terrains become cauldrons of potential disasters. And the most tragic sufferers of this crisis are the children and the young generation of Rohingya refugees.
There are more than 9,63,000 Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh, most in camps in Cox's Bazar, a southeastern coastal area bordering Myanmar—now the largest refugee settlement in the world. According to UNICEF, more than half of the Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh are children.
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At first, Rohingya children did not even get the opportunity to go to school or any form of formal education. This resulted in a large portion of Rohingyas dropping out of school who couldn't be returned to school. Thus, the international community started labelling the Rohingyas as a 'lost generation'.
Although the Bangladesh government, along with the support of other international communities and NGOs, has been trying to educate them, can allow them to study up to 10th grade, whereas the higher secondary school is up to 12th grade. Additionally, there is no way to study more in college or university. This has hindered their opportunity to get a higher education, set them as an example of global citizens, and work to make the Rohingya community better.
This raises the question: Would we get the next generation of young leaders from the Rohingya community? Are we destroying their potential and losing them?
Due to the financial crisis and not being able to attend higher education, along with being dropped out of school earlier, a large portion of the young Rohingyas are facing detrimental and significant personal and social problems—turning it into a national and eventually a major global issue, which includes unemployment, drug addiction, frustration, etc.
Along with having problems with the young generation, healthcare, especially hygiene for females and children, and the food and nutrition system are two major issues in the largest refugee camps in the world. A diphtheria outbreak was announced after the largest flow of refugees came to Bangladesh in 2017.
Although some partners provide the minimum initial service package for sexual reproductive health (SRH), access to essential reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services remains a significant concern. By the end of January 2018, 4,350 facility-based births by skilled birth attendants had been reported, but it is suspected that home deliveries continued to be high, occurring daily. Fresh drinking water is also a primary concern here.
In 2017, there were an estimated 4,03,889 people among Rohingya refugees and host communities in need of emergency nutrition intervention, which increased day by day. The lack of funding made the scenario even worse. The Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh camps rely almost entirely on food aid, as they are not allowed to leave the camps or formally work.
Since March this year, the World Food Programme's assistance to a million refugees has been cut by a third to just $8 per month due to a funding shortfall, which has complicated the Rohingyas' daily lives. It has also raised a question about the future of the Rohingya community and the responsibility of the international community to save them.
Above all the crises they are facing in the camps, they are also victims of human trafficking, which directly violates human rights. From living as refugees in the Rohingya camps to becoming victims of human trafficking, they face daily problems, including deaths. This rate is high among the younger generation, which directly indicates that the next generation of Rohingyas is losing their education for a better life, optimism toward their future, and reliability toward the international community.
As a lost generation, their expectations are decreasing day by day. Their daily activities and struggles truly indicate that if this situation continues, they are going to be a lost generation and a burden to the world. We must work to solve this crucial problem.
To effectively tackle this challenge, we must take an innovative approach. International assistance, along with monetary aid, should be expanded and better organised to ensure the constant supply of fundamental necessities like food, water, and healthcare.
Education programs must expand beyond primary and secondary schools to include vocational training and further study opportunities. This will help young Rohingyas become empowered and contribute constructively to their own community.
Furthermore, serious steps must be implemented to prevent human trafficking and safeguard the camp's most vulnerable people. Bangladesh's government is trying its best, but international co-operation is a must to completely eradicate this serious human rights violation.
This cooperation can come in many forms, including establishing secure reporting mechanisms, increasing surveillance, and providing legal support to victims. Along with all the assistance, mental health services should also be included in support networks to assist refugees in dealing with trauma and rebuilding their lives.
Finally, the global community must take collective responsibility for the Rohingya crisis. This means not only providing immediate humanitarian assistance but also working towards long-term solutions, including political pressure on Myanmar to ensure the safe and dignified return of the Rohingya refugees to their homeland, Myanmar, with guarantees of citizenship and protection of their rights.
The situation of the Rohingyas is more than a regional problem; it is a result of our irresponsibility and the failure of our collective humanity. By addressing the root causes and providing comprehensive support, we can save the next generation of Rohingyas from becoming a global burden and instead help them become a dynamic, positive, and contributing force for good in the world.
Naimul Islam is a sophomore at Northwestern University in the USA, studying Economics and International relations.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
