UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H Fore speaking at a press conference on political solution to the Rohingya crisis at Hotel Intercontinental in the city on Wednesday — Focus Bangla The UN body for children, UNICEF, has made an appeal for US $ 152 million (15.2 crore) in 2019 to provide 685,000 Rohingya refugees and the host community residents with critical support.
The UN organisation also called upon national and international communities, including private sector, to come forward with the necessary funding to meet the humanitarian needs of Rohingya people.
"Shortage in fund is always a struggle … difficult to find enough humanitarian funding for crisis," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said while briefing journalists at a city hotel on Wednesday after a two-day visit to Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar.
UN Secretary General's Humanitarian Envoy Ahmed Al Meraikhi accompanied her.
Henrietta Fore said there were about 300 emergencies taking place every year against which the funding requirement goes up.
For sustaining the humanitarian assistance and emergency needs, she said generosity of public as well as businesses and other foundations was needed to continue the support.
Ms Fore said as of February, 29 per cent of the UUNICEF appeal for the Rohingya crisis was funded.
The UNICEF was working as a team with other government agencies, other national and international non-profitable organisations, including Save the Children and BRAC to reach out to the desired group of children including girls, she added.
The UN chief's humanitarian envoy also called upon the private sector to play their crucial role in providing solution to the Rohingya-related humanitarian crisis.
The UNICEF executive director and the UN chief's humanitarian envoy visited Cox's Bazar during February 25-26 to see for themselves the plights of the Rohingya people.
Henrietta Fore, who took office in January 2018 as 7th Executive Director (ED) of UNICEF for her role for more than four decades of private and public sector leadership, said half a million Rohingya children turned stateless refugees in Cox's Bazar.
Regarding delay in repatriation, the envoy said for it a political solution was important.
The UNICEF completed a survey in December 2018 on 180,000 Rohingya children aged below 4-14 years enrolled in 'learning centres' across Cox's Bazar.
More than 90 per cent were found to have learning competencies at the pre-primary to grades 1-2 level. The figure was just 4.0 per cent at grades 3-5 and 3.0 per cent at grades 6-8, the survey shows.
By the end of 2018, just 3.0 per cent of Rohingya aged between 15 and 24 years were getting education or vocational skills.
The briefing was informed that during the last 18 months' refugee crisis, 800 learning centres were set up covering 155,000 children. The UNICEF has a target to reach out to 200,000 children by the end of the year by setting up 2,000 centres.
© 2025 - All Rights with The Financial Express
