Save the Children welcomes the interim report on the Rohingya crisis published by The Honourable Bob Rae, Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar. As an aid agency responding to the needs of refugees on the ground in Bangladesh, Save the Children echoes Mr Rae’s particular concern for the well-being and recovery of women and girls, many of whom have survived horrific sexual violence and require dedicated assistance to support their recovery.
Having documented testimonies from children and families of grave violations of their rights, Save the Children supports Mr Rae’s call to systematically document the substantial evidence of legal and human rights breaches, allowing for independent verification and assessment.
Save the Children’s recent report ‘Horrors I Will Never Forget’ documents the grave violations against vulnerable and traumatized children, who have experienced unimaginable violence and abuse, as well as denial of humanitarian assistance while inside Myanmar’s northern Rakhine State.
“We are seeing thousands of traumatized children arriving in the camps, many of them having travelled for days, by foot, with no food. The levels of violence, including sexual violence, in this conflict are alarming. While speaking with refugees and our frontline teams in Bangladesh, I heard chilling stories of children being burnt alive, abused, beaten, women and girls as young as 12 being raped” said Bill Chambers, President and CEO of Save the Children, who recently returned from Cox’s Bazar, where over 650,000 people have taken refuge from violence in Myanmar.
Save the Children welcomes the call for Canada to continue to support international NGOs working on the ground in Bangladesh, responding to the needs of Rohingya people, and highlights particular needs in the face of dropping temperatures and rising disease.
“We are now seeing an increase in the diseases children are facing in the camps, and there is a growing need for adequate shelter and warm clothing to help keep children protected from the winter elements. Our focus is to reach the most vulnerable children, families with pregnant women, infants, and those with chronic illnesses, or female-headed households”.
“In the longer term we need to help children rebuild their lives and regain a sense of normalcy. Most of these children were going to school in Myanmar, and Rohingya children tell us they want to go back to school. Not only is school important for children’s learning and emotional wellbeing, it’s a safe space where they are protected from the risk of exploitation and abuse. Refugee children have had so much of their childhoods taken from them, we cannot allow for these children to be robbed of their futures as well,” added Chambers.
ENDS
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Notes to editors
DISTRIBUTIONS: Save the Children has so far distributed food to 86,665 households, reaching 433,491 beneficiaries of whom 240,984 are children. Shelter kits have been distributed to 26,833 households, reaching 134,165 beneficiaries of whom 75,132 are children. Hygiene kits have been distributed to 25,160 households, reaching 125,100 beneficiaries of whom 70,448 are children. Kitchen kits have been distributed to 27,492 households, reaching 137,460 beneficiaries of whom 76,978 are children
CHILD PROTECTION: More than 33,938 children have been supported through Save the Children’s protection activities; and 29,802 children have been supported through the agency’s Child Friendly Spaces. 1,734 children have also been supported through early childhood care and development.
HEALTH: Save the Children operates seven community health posts staffed by experienced doctors and nurses. They have supported more than 14,209 people including 6,632 children. We are in the process of opening two further health posts and are also screening for diphtheria and referring suspected cases.
EDUCATION: Nineteen temporary learning centers have been opened, supporting 2,950 children. We have also distributed student kits, teaching supplies and trained teachers in literacy, numeracy, and positive discipline in the classroom.
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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Canada and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.