‘Rising Together’ for a Better Tomorrow: UNFPA and Swiss Embassy Join Forces for Women & Youth in Rohingya Refugee Camps and Host Areas
The Rohingya refugee crisis has reached a breaking point as Myanmar’s ongoing violence and dwindling humanitarian aid strain vulnerable communities in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char. To address these challenges, the UNFPA and Switzerland have launched the “Rising Together” initiative, a groundbreaking $2.2 million program aimed at empowering women and youth while fostering resilience and inclusion.
Women and girls make up 51% of the refugee population, while adolescents and youth account for 34%. Both groups face unique challenges, including gender-based violence (GBV), child marriage, adolescent pregnancy, trafficking risks, and forced recruitment. Among Rohingya refugees, one in ten girls marries before 18, compared to one in three in host communities. These harsh realities underline the critical need for transformative interventions.
The “Rising Together” initiative seeks to directly address these SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) issues. It prioritises preventing and responding to GBV, enhancing access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, and equipping women and youth with leadership skills. The program also provides mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to combat the trauma associated with displacement and violence.
Masaki Watabe, Representative a.i. of UNFPA Bangladesh, highlighted the significance of this approach: “Empowering women and youth is not just a humanitarian imperative; it supports their resilience, dignity, and hope for the future.”
Through life-skills training, informal education, and youth development programs, the initiative targets nearly 100,000 individuals, including 64,000 women and girls and 33,100 adolescents and youth. These efforts aim to improve access to integrated SRH services and equip participants to lead and innovate within their communities.
Switzerland’s Chargée d’affaires a.i, Ms. Corinne Henchoz Pignani, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing gender equality: “This partnership underscores the Swiss commitment to empowering women and adolescents for brighter futures.”
The program’s transformative approach addresses not only immediate relief needs but also the structural issues driving vulnerabilities. By promoting inclusion and resilience, “Rising Together” aims to create lasting change for both refugee and host communities in Bangladesh.
As the crisis deepens, this collaboration between UNFPA and Switzerland is a beacon of hope, proving that targeted investments in SRHR can build stronger, more inclusive societies.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
