August 25 marks three years since hundreds of thousands of Rohingya men, women, boys and girls sought safety in Cox’s Bazar after they were forcibly displaced from Rakhine state of Myanmar due to violence and fear of persecution. 

Since then, the Rohingya refugees have been at the centre of the response, until sustainable solutions for safe, dignified, and voluntary return and reintegration in Myanmar can be achieved, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a press release. 

Rohingya refugees have demonstrated their fortitude and capacity to cope by participating in camp activities and their participation anchors the humanitarian response’s accountability to the crisis-affected populations.

Bangladesh has been leading the humanitarian response, enabling a diverse range of humanitarian and development partners to strengthen protection and solutions for the Rohingyas that deliver food, water and sanitation, health and other forms of multi-sectoral assistance, IOM said.  

Fostering safe and healthy camp conditions and delivering quality, life-saving multi-sectoral assistance to the Rohingyas and host community in need require continued collaboration by various stakeholders, human and material resources, and funding from the international community.

Yet, there has been a lack of progress in Myanmar for the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return of the Rohingyas.

The stymied quality of life and aid-dependency in the camp settlements present daily barriers that the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals must overcome to survive.

The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 is also affecting the delivery of humanitarian services, which have been modified to encourage physical distance and other hygienic practices.   

Throughout the last three years, the IOM and other stakeholders have reflected on lessons learned and improved humanitarian operations to better meet the life-saving needs of the Rohingyas and the host community.