Browsing by Author "Olney, Jessica"

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Community perspectives on access to civil justice after cross-border displacement: the needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
(Brac University, 2021-02) Pereira, Faustina; Olney, Jessica; Hoque, Azizul
Navigating at the margins: family, mobility and livelihoods amongst Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
(Brac University and The Asia Foundation, 2020-08) Olney, Jessica; Mercy, Rezaun Nahid; Ahamed, Kawsher; Badiuzzaman, Muhammad
Decades of persecution of the Rohingya community in Myanmar have culminated in several large waves of forced displacement, and a total of nearly one million now live as refugees in the camps of Cox’s Bazar across the Bangladesh border. Many others have sought refuge in Malaysia and other countries across the region. Widespread irregular migration has reshaped Rohingya society, with a vast number of families splintered across multiple borders. Although international justice mechanisms are engaged, a durable political remedy for the crisis is not yet visible on the horizon. Since 2017, the humanitarian response has focused on short-term needs such as food, shelter, and basic healthcare. As the displacement crisis enters its fourth year, a shift in approach is due. This study, Navigating at the Margins, carried out by The Asia Foundation and the Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University, utilizes qualitative and quantitative methods to document how Rohingya families in the camps of Cox’s Bazar cope with hardship, with a focus on family separation and economic challenges. Most separated family members possess no travel documents and have little prospect of reuniting. For some of those living in the camps, having relatives abroad can be a helpful way to cope with the challenges of refugee life. Remittances help fill the gap between the sustenance they receive as aid and the higher actual cost of living. But these are only available to a minority of households. Furthermore, displacement and separation tend to erode family ties that are critical to enabling repatriation in the future. Already, camp residents are more likely to have a relative living in a third country than in Myanmar, and a new generation of Rohingya are growing up in Bangladesh who do not speak the Myanmar language. The refugees’ sense of reprieve after fleeing immediate danger has given way to the realization that they will likely stay in the camps a long time. Therefore, their priorities have expanded to include longer-term necessities such as education for their children. Camp households are also pressed to find ways to come up with money for the assorted living costs not covered by aid, such as communication expenses, a more diverse diet, or healthcare for conditions not treated by camp facilities. However, access to Cash for Work programs or NGO jobs remains limited, and just under half of camp households report having no income at all to supplement aid. As a result, some families sell a portion of their rations or engage in riskier activities to make ends meet. The majority of refugee households also accrue unsustainable amounts of debt. Facing a bleak future in an environment offering no hope of upward social mobility, some opt to place their lives into the hands of traffickers and risk perilous travel to other countries. Medium-term livelihood solutions are needed to prevent harmful coping patterns and allow refugees, most of whom lost all their assets in the exodus, to rebuild their lives until they eventually leave the camps.
Social Cohesion, resilience and peace building between host population and Rohingya Refugee Community in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
(Brac University, 2019-06) Olney, Jessica; Badiuzzaman, Muhammad; Hoque, Mohammad Azizul
In August 2017 Myanmar authorities unleashed systematic violence on the Rohingya community of Northern Rakhine State. Hundred of thousands of Rohingya were affected and an unknown number were killed, resulting in nearly a million people fleeing their homeland and taking shelter in the neighboring country of Bangladesh. Hosting such a large number of refugees has had significant impacts on the host population of Cox’s Bazar. These impacts have led to a lack of social cohesion and negatively affected the potential for inter-communal harmony between the two communities. A study was undertaken by BRAC University Centre for Peace and Justice (CPJ) between January to April 2019 to identify factors affecting social cohesion, resilience and peace building between the host and Rohingya refugee communities. The study consisted of a series of consultations conducted in order to compile the perspectives of different groups of host community stakeholders. Participant included local villagers (men, women and youth) living adjacent to the camps; local government representatives; community elders; religious and ethnic minority leaders; and representatives from NGOs, educational institutions, and civil society organizations (CSOs). The consultations included thirteen focus group discussions (FGDs), five key informant interviews (KIIs), one validation session of findings, and one dissemination workshop. The dissemination workshop was organized to share key findings with stakeholders who are potential catalysts in promoting stability in the region. The aim was to draw out their recommendations on ways to strengthen social cohesion and resilience in the region.