Well-being of the Rohingya Children in Refugee Camps in Bangladesh: Strategies, Coping Mechanism and Challenges of the Support Systems

Abstract

The Rohingyas are an ethnic minority community of Myanmar. Despite their long history in Rakhine State, Myanmar, they were made stateless by the government of Myanmar in 1982 enacting the Burma Citizenship Act of 1982 . They have endured communal violence, resulting in death, forced displacement and migration, experiencing ongoing traumatic events, particularly among women and children. They have become victims of torture and persecution, with females enduring rape and many witnessing their loved ones brutally killed before their eyes. These life events have a profound impact on their physical and mentalwell-being, even now while they are living as refugees in camps in neighbouring Bangladesh. Due to numerous associated issues, recent history has witnessed a complex emergency involving internal and external displacements of individuals from this ethnic minority group, rendering them refugees in various countries, including Bangladesh. This study is focusing on the Rohingya children's physical and mental well-being, who are almost 52% of the total Rohingya refugee population living in the camps in Bangladesh. This study, drawing on secondary data, presents evidence of the well-being of the Rohingya children in Bangladeshi refugee camps and investigates the challenges they face and their coping mechanisms in these situations. This article sheds light on current conditions and outlines future directions for support and research.

Keywords

• bangladesh
• complex emergency
• refugee camps
• rohingya children
• mental health
• traumatic memories