METASYNTHESIS DEC ROHINGYA REFUGEE LESSONS LEARNED REPORT CRISIS RESPONSE JUNE 2020 Charlotte Heward Michael Carrier GROUPE URD Founded in 1993, Groupe URD is an independent think tank that specialises in analysing practices and developing policies for the humanitarian sector. Our multi-disciplinary expertise, based on continual fieldvisits to crisis and post-crisis contexts, provides us with insight into the functioning of the sector as a whole. We believe in sharing knowledge and collective learning, and we help aid actors to improve the quality oftheir programmes through evaluation, strategic and organisational support, methodological development,research and training. AUTHORS Charlotte Heward is the author of the Bangladesh country case study in the 2018 edition of the State of the Humanitarian System published by ALNAP. She visited Cox’s Bazar area in January 2018 to assess the performance of the humanitarian sector in this massive refugee crisis. She has 15 years’ experience in the development and humanitarian sector. She joined Groupe URD in 2014, where she works as a Researcher, Evaluator and Partnership and Programme Manager. She has a good understanding of the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, and previously worked in Myanmar, in the Rakhine area, and thus is familiar with the political and humanitarian situation in both countries. Michael Carrier is the author of the Quality & Accountability COMPASS Handbook which aims to help implement the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) in the field. He has 19 years’ experience in the humanitarian and development sector, and has been a Researcher, Evaluator and Trainer at Groupe URD since 2017. As Quality Advisor for Groupe URD, he works on the practical application of the CHS quality criteria through training sessions, evaluation and organisational support. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The consultants would like to thank all those involved in the survey and interviews for their contributions. DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Disasters Emergency Committee. This report is a lessons-learned document, not an evaluation, it does not offer an external and objective view of a situation, but rather tries to highlight the opinions, views and recommendations that have emerged from the various stakeholders’ experience in the response to the Rohingya refugee crisis. Limitation: This is a desk-based review only, no field visits were organised during this review. The voices of the refugees themselves were not heard during this exercise, nor the national authorities of Bangladesh, only through secondary data collected from other sources. Note: The quotes in the text, when not linked to a reference or author, are either drawn from the interviews with key informants, from the survey online, or from DEC Member Charities reporting documents review. Graphic designer : Caroll Richon I Metasynthesis DEC Rohingya Refugee Crisis Response I 3 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................... 04 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................. 08 THE ROHINGYA REFUGEE CRISIS RESPONSE ................... 10 The DEC appeal ..................................................................................... 12 What the DEC funded .......................................................................... 13 LESSONS LEARNED ........................................................ 16 Effects ........................................................................................................17 Stakeholders ..........................................................................................23 Implementation .....................................................................................28 CONCLUSION ................................................................. 32 Summary - CHS health check ...........................................................33 Recommendations ...............................................................................36 Three years later, what is the situation of the Rohingyas? ....... 42 List of acronyms ............................................................................44 Appendix 1: Analysis matrix ..........................................................45 Appendix 2: Strengths and challenges / weaknesses .............. 47 Appendix 3: Recommendations ...................................................56 Appendix 4: References ................................................................62 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I Metasynthesis DEC Rohingya Refugee Crisis Response I 05 ON 4TH OCTOBER 2017, the DEC launched an appeal for funds that proved to be successful, with over £30 million raised and life-saving assistance provided to at least 351,000 people during the first phase, while during the second phase it reached at least 309,000 people. This Muslim community, considered to be one of the most persecuted in the world, has settled in southern Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar region. There are now about 860,243 refugees according to the UNHCR and the Government of Bangladesh, while an estimated 600,000 Rohingya remain in Myanmar. The living conditions of approximately 444,000 people from host communities in the Cox’s Bazar region have subsequently deteriorated and also require assistance. With the collected funds, the DEC funds were also used to effective innovations were put in DEC response in Bangladesh provide protection services to place during this crisis, notably was implemented by 13 UK vulnerable women, children and in WASH, infrastructure work organisations during two older people, notably via the and livelihood activities. years, in two phases, the first provision of safe spaces where phase lasting six months, they had access to a range of However, the scale of the and the second lasting 18 services. refugee response was so months. Despite a very overwhelming and the rapid mobilisation from the Initial services did not meet constraints so challenging humanitarian sector, the international quality standards that important gaps remain, challenge was unprecedented in humanitarian aid, notably especially in providing services for the different stakeholders in WASH where the distance allowing the Rohingyas to involved, DEC Member Charities between latrines and water consider building a future for included. points was frequently too themselves and their families. short, and where the number Crucial gaps in recognising DURING THE FIRST PHASE, of latrines was not sufficient and treating trauma have been the needs were huge in terms of for the population according mentioned. Mental health and basic services, such as shelter, to SPHERE standards. The psychosocial services remain a food and drinking water. The majority of refugees were significant gap in the response. Government of Bangladesh also dependent on food assistance. Several DEC Member Charities needed a great deal of support The need for more diverse reported not being able to get in developing infrastructure produce in food baskets was approval for implementing to create new sites that could mentioned, general rations were mental health and psychosocial safely accommodate refugees. not large enough for some large services. With time, more of The focus was on supplying food households and the frequency these activities were authorised and providing clean drinking of distributions was not regular but not up to a sufficient scale water, installing sanitation enough. when compared to the needs of facilities and improving living the refugees. conditions by providing During the second phase, materials to build or improve DEC funded organisations A STRONG IMPACT on shelters and also distributing were able to adopt integrative host communities. Local basic household goods, as well approaches. These still inhabitants of Cox’s Bazar as making sure health services aimed to save lives, but also district, in Teknaf and Ukhia were available through the integrated other aspects such area were welcoming to the implementation of clinics and a as protection, preparedness and Rohingya refugees when they field hospital. environmental considerations. fled Myanmar. Progressively It should be noted that some tensions raised between the 06 I Executive summary I newly arrived refugees and GOVERNMENT RESPONDED many other protection issues the host communities, as the RAPIDLY upon the arrival of the had to be dealt with during pressure on land for cultivation Rohingya refugees, allocating this response. DEC Member and on natural resources has land in the Cox’s Bazar area Charities, along with the other grown which creates concern and providing assistance via stakeholders, contributed about deforestation. In addition, several different government to reducing the insecurity local market prices have departments. The Ministry of of individuals, groups and increased while salaries and Disaster Management and communities at risk. In 2018, wages have decreased as the Relief and its Office of the activities started focusing more refugee population agrees to Refugee Relief and Repatriation on protection and multi-sector work for lower prices than the Commissioner were assigned to preparedness and response Bangladeshi communities. oversee the refugee response. for the monsoon and cyclone DEC Member Charities have However, the Government of season. The Rohingya refugees included host communities in Bangladesh doesn’t consider received support through their programming in an effort a future for the refugees in the transitional