Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh is home to almost a million refugees and is the world’s largest and densely populated refugee camp. The Asian University for Women (AUW) supported by IDRC’s Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar Initiative held a 2 day event at Cox’s Bazar on the Education, Environment and Health Situation of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals Camps from 6 to 7 March, 2024.
Led by AUW’s Center for Climate Change and Environmental Health (3CEH), the symposium was a platform for researchers to present their findings and solutions and a space to discuss the multifaceted challenges faced by the Rohingya community in the camp. The discussions were followed by a field trip to the camp enabling a deeper understanding of the issues.
Dr Sayed Mohammad Nazim, Founding Director of 3CEH highlighted the importance of knowledge exchange in bridging the gap between academic research and practical application.
EDUCATION
Among the research presented was from Ms Mosaddika Mounin who studied the education landscape for the refugees, with data from teachers, parents and students at primary and secondary levels. She delved into the education environment, caliber of educators, trajectory of education and higher education possibilities within the camp.
ENERGY
Ms Nazifa Rafa looked at disparities in energy access, financing and representation for displaced populations, stressing the importance of empowering refugees to shape sustainable energy solutions in humanitarian efforts. Her interviews revealed how food security, health, education, access to clean water and gender inequalities impede progress towards SDGs.
FIRES
Fires at the camps are a constant hazard. Ms Parmin Fatema’s research shed light on the causes and repercussions. Many interviewees believe the massive fires were deliberate acts of arson while smaller fires stem from overcrowding and carelessness with the camp. The impact goes beyond physical damage as respondents expressed heightened psychological trauma and pervasive fear of recurring disasters.
POLLUTION
Ms Taslima Razzak delved into the health effects of indoor pollution using structured questionnaires and advanced monitoring technology like the Laser Egg and indoor air quality monitors. Her study found levels of humidity, particles and air quality surpassing WHO guidelines and a worrying correlation between these factors and respiratory ailments such as coughing, breathing difficulties, asthma and tuberculosis as well as skin conditions.
HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT
Human needs for camp construction came at the price of mass deforestation, which has led to escalation of human-elephant conflict. Ms Nafisa Islam looked at the effectiveness of current mitigation measures such as the Elephant Response Teams and Watchtowers. Her data showed that while the mitigation efforts are effective, there has been a significant increase in conflicts since 2015.
MATERNAL HEALTH
Maternal mortality rates are alarming worldwide with even further challenges in conflict-affected regions. Ms Omar Salma’s research on maternal healthcare focused on the place of delivery and factors influencing their decisions. The determining factors ranged from socioeconomic status and education levels to the accessibility and trust in healthcare providers. Her research showed a substantial majority opted for home deliveries.
CHILD MARRIAGE
Despite global efforts to eradicate child marriage and teenage pregnancy, progress is slow in conflict regions. Ms Tofrida Rahaman looked into the reasons contributing to this trend. Some of which include fear of insecurity, poverty, illiteracy, compounded by cultural and social norms, family honor and limited legal protection. At the camp, her work showed that despite a high awareness of legal marriage age and family planning, a significant majority of teenagers had already experienced pregnancy before turning 18.
In addition to research presented, several books were also launched at the event including Coup, Covid and Climate Change. Two authors, Ms Zar Chi Oo and Mr Aryuwat Raruen from Chiang Mai University were at the symposium to present the book. The 3CEH Centre also launched a book of abstracts comprising 12 research abstracts from education to indoor air pollution, human-elephant conflicts, energy, water and sanitation challenges and the impact of COVID-19.
Nyi Nyi Kyaw, IDRC’s research chair on forced displacement in Southeast Asia stressed the importance of education and research for enhancing the well-being of Rohingya individuals. For example, better education and research could enable hundreds of thousands of Rohingya youths to lead their communities now and in the future. Furthermore, while it is optimal for research on displaced communities to be conducted by the communities themselves, the situations may not always enable this. Thus, non-Rohingya individuals and entities can offer support.
Aside from the researchers, invited guests at the symposium included:
- Dr David Taylor – Interim Pro-Vice Chancellor of AUW
- Her Excellency Lilly Nicholls – The High Commissioner for Canada in Bangladesh
- Dr Edgard Rodriguez – Senior Program Specialist at IDRC
- Mohammed Mizanur Rahman – Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner
- Dr Monira Ahsan – Research at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
- Mr Khan Md Ferdous – Senior Manager for Education in emergencies in Save the Children, Cox’s Bazar
- Dr Mukesh Kumar Gupta – Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences at AUW
- Mr Paul Mc Callion, Senior Energy Officer at the Energy and Environmental Unit at UNHCR.
- Muhammad Talut, Deputy Secretary at the Office of the RRRC
- Dr Nazmul Alam, Associate Professor of Public Health at AUW
This article was summarized from the Voices of Resilience, a special edition newsletter published by 3CEH. To read the full newsletter, please download the PDF here.
About the Center for Climate Change and Environmental Health (3CEH)
The Centre was established in 2021 to look into issues of environmental degradation and threats of climate change within Asia especially in low and middle-income countries. The Centre places a high emphasis on empowering female researchers and boasts a diverse team of skilled researchers from various disciplines from community education on sustainable practices to child protection from environmental risks. [https://asian-university.org/academic-programs/ccceh/]