Switzerland has partnered with UNFPA with a contribution of over US $2.2 million to deliver crucial support to adolescents, youth, girls and women in the Rohingya refugee camps and the marginalised host communities in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char island.
The initiative, named 'Rising Together', seeks to build resilient and inclusive communities by equipping youth and women with the tools to thrive, innovate, and lead.
During the launch of the partnership between the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Switzerland, Masaki Watabe, UNFPA representative, Bangladesh, said the initiative is expected to create a positive impact on more than 130,000 people in the refugee and the host communities.
"This is critical, as both the Rohingya refugees and the host communities cope with this protracted protection crisis," she added.
Corinne Henchoz Pignani, chargé d'affaires of Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, said through life-skills training, educational sessions, and integrated sexual and reproductive health services, this initiative will empower women and adolescents to build a brighter future.
The 'Rising Together' initiative aims to tackle challenges like preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV), expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services, fostering positive youth development and leadership, and providing mental health and psychosocial support.
Targeting nearly 100,000 individuals, the initiative focuses on 64,000 women and adolescent girls, both in the refugee and the host communities in order to provide GBV prevention and response services, referrals, and life-skills training.
Additionally, 33,100 adolescents and youth will benefit from informal education, leadership programmes, and positive youth development initiatives.
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