AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF GENDER AMONGST ROHINGYA REFUGEES AND HOST COMMUNITIES IN COX’S BAZAR

The Rohingya ethnic minority population in Myanmar have been persecuted over generations and are denied of their fundamental human rights. Violence, discrimination and persecution in Myanmar have eventually led the stateless Rohingya people to flee
to Bangladesh from Rakhine State in successive waves over the last four decades. Since August 2017, an estimated 745,000 Rohingya refugees arrived in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, reaching the total number of 914,998 people and constituting the largest refugee camp
in the world. The rapid and sizable influx of Rohingya refugees now outnumbers locals nearly three to one in the two sub-districts, Ukhiya and Teknaf, where refugees and the subsequent humanitarian response have had an impact on the host community.
This inter-agency research is commissioned by ActionAid in collaboration with UNHCR and CARE Bangladesh to investigate how age, gender and diversity issues are addressed in the humanitarian response amongst Rohingya refugees and the host communities. The
quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 03 December 2019 to 07 January 2020. This transdisciplinary research aims to fill a significant gap by providing a critical analysis of the present status of gender relations addressed in humanitarian response, taking into consideration the intersectionality among specific needs based on age, gender and other diversity factors contributing to a person or group’s vulnerability.
This study was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the change in context, it has now become even more imperative to adapt existing mechanisms within the ongoing response, especially the need for increased Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) analysis and monitoring of vulnerabilities. While COVID-19 was not a factor in this report, the recommendations of this report need to be addressed and implemented with the changing context in mind.