Rohingya Crisis

All-women committees formed in camps

All-women committees have been formed in Rohingya camps to ensure the refugee women's access to information and referrals for service. The committees have come up formed with support from the International Organisation of Migration (IOM). A total of 110 women, including 10 with disabilities, are now active in those committees, according to a press release by IOM. Megan Denise Smith, who heads IOM's gender-based violence (GBV) unit in Cox’s Bazar, said that women referred tp four key barriers preventing them from being represented in community decision-making: access to information, participation in camp activities, safety and membership of institutions.

“Most public spaces like mosques, where decisions are made, remain closed to women,” she added. She also said that the women’s committees were formed to give them a space of their own. Designed to include women in local decision-making, each of these committee contain ‘specialists’ in some given areas like  health, GBV, water, sanitation or combating human trafficking. The specialists are trained in their given areas and will liaise with humanitarian organisations.

Despite their growing traction with women, Rohingya men have given mixed reactions to these committees. According to Morium Khatun, leader of a committee, said some male leaders were openly hostile to their groups. Rumpa Dey, an IOM GBV coordinator, recalled a recent incident.

 

Rohingya Crisis

All-women committees formed in camps

All-women committees have been formed in Rohingya camps to ensure the refugee womens access to information and referrals for service. The committees have come up formed with support from the International Organisation of Migration (IOM). A total of 110 women, including 10 with disabilities, are now active in those committees, according to a press release by IOM. Megan Denise Smith, who heads IOMs gender-based violence (GBV) unit in Coxs Bazar, said that women referred tp four key barriers preventing them from being represented in community decision-making: access to information, participation in camp activities, safety and membership of institutions. Most public spaces like mosques, where decisions are made, remain closed to women, she added. She also said that the womens committees were formed to give them a space of their own. Designed to include women in local decision-making, each of these committee contain specialists in some given areas like health, GBV, water, sanitation or combating human trafficking. The specialists are trained in their given areas and will liaise with humanitarian organisations. Despite their growing traction with women, Rohingya men have given mixed reactions to these committees. According to Morium Khatun, leader of a committee, said some male leaders were openly hostile to their groups. Rumpa Dey, an IOM GBV coordinator, recalled a recent incident.