May 22, 2019 - Dhaka, Bangladesh - Global Affairs Canada
As a key partner in the international response to the Rohingya crisis, Canada is committed to continue working with domestic, regional and international partners to deliver life-saving and gender-responsive support to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the Rohingya crisis.
On behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Kamal Khera, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, today announced close to $100 million in humanitarian and development initiatives to help the most vulnerable people affected by the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh.
This includes $32.15 million in humanitarian assistance to mitigate the impact of the monsoon and cyclone seasons, improve living conditions in refugee camps, support sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response initiatives, and increase access to health facilities and sexual and reproductive health services.
It also includes $67.7 million in development assistance to expand health and basic education services, address gender-based violence, and provide skills training and resources to increase women's opportunities for income generation.
Parliamentary Secretary Khera announced these initiatives as she concluded a three-day visit to the country, during which she met with government officials and humanitarian and development partners, as well as refugee and host communities in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
"I was deeply moved to see the incredible difference our partners are making in the lives of some of the most vulnerable in Cox's Bazar, especially women and children. The host communities have been severely affected by the influx of Rohingya. The Rohingya themselves have lost everything. In collaboration with our partners and the international community, Canada's humanitarian and development assistance is providing life-saving relief and assistance to build a more prosperous future for everyone."
- Kamal Khera, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Quick facts
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All of the humanitarian initiatives and $65.7 million of the development initiatives announced today fall under the $300-million commitment for the Rohingya crisis that was announced by the Prime Minister in May of 2018 as part of Canada's strategy to respond to the crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
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The strategy aims to:
- alleviate the humanitarian crisis;
- encourage positive political developments;
- ensure accountability for the crimes committed; and
- enhance international cooperation.
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Since early 2017, Canada has provided more than $109 million in humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh and Myanmar to help meet the needs of refugees, displaced people and the communities that are hosting them.
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Since launching its strategy in 2018, Canada has also allocated more than $142 million to new development initiatives to respond to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
