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Dutch signs $7.5m accord with IOM to support Rohingyas, hosts in Cox’s Bazar

Published : Tuesday, 29 November, 2022 at 12:00 AM  Count : 284

The Netherlands and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have signed an US$7.5 million agreement on Monday to support the Rohingya refugees and the host communities in the coastal district of Cox's Bazar.
IOM will use the fund to implement the project titled 'Restoring the Environment and Strengthening Resilience of Rohingya Refugees and Host Communities in Cox's Bazar' to provide multi-sectoral assistance to the prescribed community, a IMO release said on Monday.
"An Exchange of Notes was signed by Chargé d'Affaires Thijs Woudstra, Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh, and Fathima Nusrath Ghazzali, Officer in Charge of IOM Bangladesh,"IOM Office in Dhaka said on Monday.
Refugees and host communities are vulnerable to landslides and floods, particularly during cyclones which can occur annually in Cox's Bazar. For this reason, the project seeks to integrate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities, it said.
Cox's Bazar district, currently hosting nearly one million Rohingya refugees since 2017, is prone to natural disasters and climate change impacts.
It is envisioned that 196,463 people from refugee and host communities will benefit from the project. 18,000 beneficiaries will receive lay counselling by trained community volunteers.
"This integrated approach adopted by the Netherlands and IOM aims to build resilient communities and reduce negative mental health and psychosocial outcomes and increase the community's capacity in DRR prevention and preparedness as well as their resilience to hazardous events," it reads.
At least 200 volunteers will be trained in Psychological First Aid (PFA), lay counselling, stress management and other MHPSS-related and residence-oriented topics. At least 18 community support groups will be established, involving 180 community members.
The project will also benefit at least 30,000 refugee families (approximately 150,000 people) living in the Balukhali landslide and flood-prone areas (inside the camps) and 3,000 families from the Bangladeshi host communities (approximately 16,410 people) living in the area outside the refugee camps.
"The Rohingya live in congested camps with limited opportunities and complex challenges. Host communities also face issues that increase their vulnerability, including strained resources, limited market access, limited employment opportunities, insufficient infrastructure, and recurring environmental shocks," said Ghazzali.
Chargé d'Affaires Thijs Woudstra said increasing community resilience and preparing the community to adequately respond to disasters is key to ensuring a sustainable reduction of disaster risks for refugees and host communities in Cox's Bazar.










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