UN Women to get $1.5 million Japanese aid for Rohingyas

UN Women to get $1.5 million Japanese aid for Rohingyas

Dhaka, Feb 26 - The government of Japan has decided to provide the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) with USD 1.5 million in assistance for strengthening the resilience and disaster preparedness skills for the Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar district and Bhasan Char.

An exchange of notes was signed by Iwama Kiminori, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, and Gitanjali Singh, Country Representative, UN Women Bangladesh.

The project will reach more than 1,000 Rohingya refugee women and women of host communities in Cox’s Bazar district and Bhasan Char, building the longer-term economic resilience, strengthening the leadership, enhancing disaster resilience of women, and strengthening capacities of government agencies and officials to respond to the needs of women and girls impacted by disasters. 

Ambassador Iwama expressed his hope that the support from the government of Japan would improve the living conditions of Rohingya women and women of host communities.

He said Japan is committed to improving the living conditions of women and girls in the camps and host communities. 

Japan will continue to work towards sustainable solutions including the support of the repatriation of refugees to Myanmar and will cooperate with international organizations such as UN Women. 

"I hope these funds will contribute to improving the safety and resilience of both Rohingya women and women of host communities. Our Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko recently established the Taskforce on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) across the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). I hope this assistance will also contribute to promoting the WPS," said Ambassador Iwama.

“UN Women is deeply grateful for the continued support from the Government of Japan to address the unfinished agenda of women’s empowerment in the protracted Rohingya crisis response," said Gitanjali Singh, Country Representative of UN Women Bangladesh.

"The multipurpose women centres provide a holistic and comprehensive model to strengthen the resilience, self-reliance and protection of vulnerable women and girls. Rohingya and host community women in disaster prone areas will enhance their skills to assume leadership roles as first responders in crises and emergencies," said the Country Representative of UN Women Bangladesh.

Since the beginning of the emergency in August 2017, Japan has been a steady supporter of the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh, contributing over USD $220 million to IOM and other UN agencies as well as NGOs in Bangladesh, including through this new funding.-UNB