01 Apr 2023
Mixed movements research through social media listening in t…
Deployees of the DRC Standby Roster do a crucial job in Bangladesh, both supporting United Nations OCHA’s coordination of emergency preparedness and response, and supporting the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, with their durable solutions programme to support Rohingya refugees with urgent protection needs.
This mission was a combined trip to monitor deployments from both the Humanitarian Response Roster in Dhaka and the Resettlement Roster in Cox’s Bazar. DRC were also joined by International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) and RefugePoint, to learn how the Resettlement deployment scheme contributes to the UNHCR Operation in Cox’s Bazar.
Worthy spotlight on Bangladesh
Bangladesh was considered a significant country to monitor. It is among the top five priority countries of OCHA in the region, and in the last three decades, Bangladesh has been hit by more than 200 natural disasters. The flash floods of June 2022, which affected more than 7 million people, still require a coordinated response and stress the need for anticipatory action to better prepare for natural disasters. And the million Rohingya refugees who have been displaced for years are in great need of durable solutions.
The objective of the mission was to assess the impact and performance of the deployees in Bangladesh and to discuss future collaboration between DRC Standby Roster and UN Partners. As part of the joint mission, the DRC Standby Roster were able to share and learn best practices amongst deployment agencies and gain insight into the role deployments can play in future scenarios when UNHCR is establishing a new Resettlement programme.
A rewarding visit
The monitoring mission was truly rewarding in highlighting the importance of the current and future role and relevancy of the DRC Standby Roster in these efforts. Among the key takeaways from the mission were:
- In the search for durable solutions for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, we are hopeful about the recent announcements of some states to increase the number of resettlement places for Rohingya refugees.
- Deployments to the Resident Coordinator’s office support our ambition to strengthen the humanitarian coordination, which is key to an effective response.
- The massive fire in the refugee camp on 6 March 2023 that happened only two weeks after our visit, which left some 16,000 Rohingya refugees homeless for a second time, is a horrific reminder of risks refugees face every day and the critical need of humanitarian assistance for their survival.
The DRC Standby Roster are pleased to continue capacity building in Bangladesh, deploying experts to support UN partners’ staffing gaps. Hereby striving to provide protection and durable solutions for refugees and IDPs, through the Standby Roster mechanism.