The United Nations (UN) plans to slash food aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, blaming a funding shortfall for cuts that agencies warned on Friday would deepen food insecurity and malnutrition in the world's largest refugee settlement.
Nearly six years into the Rohingya refugee crisis, for the first time, the World Food Program (WFP) will cut back its lifesaving assistance for all Rohingya living in the camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
Starting next month, WFP will reduce its general food assistance voucher value from US$12 to US$10 per person per month, due to a US$125 million funding shortfall.
Donor budgets have been stretched by the pandemic, economic downturn and crises across the globe.
“This is a devastating blow to the Rohingya and an equally devastating blow to the humanitarian community,” said Domenico Scalpelli, WFP country director in Bangladesh.
“With other critical services already dwindling, the repercussions of the ration cut – even if just two dollars – will be dire,” he said.
Unlike other vulnerable groups, the Rohingya have limited employment opportunities in the camps, relying almost entirely on humanitarian assistance to meet their food and other essential needs, reads a press release.
With the support of donors and partners, WFP has been providing food, nutrition and other critical assistance to Rohingya men, women and children since their exodus from Myanmar in 2017.
Nearly 1 million Rohingyas receive food assistance via vouchers currently valued at US$12 per person per month.
Families can choose from over 40 dry and fresh food items at WFP outlets throughout the camps.
Despite concerted humanitarian efforts, 45% of Rohingya families are not eating a sufficient diet and malnutrition has been widespread in the camps.
The global acute malnutrition rate for children stands at 12% – just below the 15% WHO “Emergency” threshold but still categorized as “Serious”.
Some 40% of children have stunted growth and 40% of pregnant and breastfeeding women are anaemic - all this is before the ration cut.
“With each ration cut, malnutrition will certainly rise. With each ration cut, families will increasingly resort to dangerous strategies to cope. Sadly, women, adolescent girls and children will be the worst affected. We must do everything possible to keep the vital humanitarian assistance they depend on intact,” said Scalpelli.
"That the international donor community is now turning its back on half a million Rohingya children and their families really shows the limits of its commitment to some of the most vulnerable people in the world," Onno Van Manen, Save the Children's country director in Bangladesh, said in a statement.
Two UN special rapporteurs, Michael Fakhri and Thomas Andrews, warned of the "devastating consequence" of the funding shortfall, saying it was "unconscionable" to cut rations just before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the UN human rights agency said in a statement.
Cuts could cause more Rohingya to take desperate measures to seek work, said Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh's refugee relief and repatriation commissioner, who is based in Cox's Bazar, the border district where the refugees live.
An increasing number of Rohingyas are fleeing for countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia via perilous and often fatal boat journeys, as violent crime adds to longstanding troubles like a lack of educational and work opportunities and bleak prospects of returning to military-ruled Myanmar.
A boat carrying 69 Rohingya landed in Indonesia's Aceh province on Thursday, the UN refugee agency said.
"In few places I've worked have camp-based populations had the meagre options of the type that the Rohingya have today," John Aylieff, WFP regional director for Asia and the Pacific, told Reuters.
"It's unthinkable that that population, with all they've been through and with so few other possibilities and options, would on top of everything face a ration cut."
