Six years on, the plight of Rohingya refugees persists, with approximately 965,467            individuals now residing in Ukhiya-Teknaf Upazilas across 33 camps and on Bhasan Char in Bangladesh. A staggering 52 percent of this population comprises children, as reported by UNHCR in September 2023. The government of Bangladesh is actively seeking cooperation from both national and international stakeholders to expedite the repatriation of the Rohingya people. Since the unprecedented Rohingya influx in August 2017, the strain on host communities has been substantial, affecting them economically and environmentally.

According to the Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) in 2023, the demographic profile of both host communities and refugees reveals that 1.52 million individuals, including children, adolescents, and adults, need assistance (ISCG, 2023). The challenging conditions and limited services in Rohingya camps are exacerbating needs in crucial areas such as food security, health, protection, water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), education, and nutrition. UNICEF’s 2023 report underscores the urgency, noting that 115,519 Rohingya refugee and host community children require immunization services, 655,025 need access to education, and 1,143,529 lack access to safe water. Furthermore, a widespread lack of knowledge about health and hygiene persists among    Rohingya individuals, including children and adolescents. Recognizing the critical importance of education and protection, as outlined by the UN convention and donors, various forms of support are being extended to the community, particularly in education, protection, and the occupational skill development of children and adolescents to facilitate their eventual repatriation. CODEC, through several projects, is actively addressing these challenges by providing education, child protection, skill development, psychosocial support, and knowledge on sanitation and hygiene to children and adolescents forcibly displaced from Myanmar. Additionally, CODEC is implementing a food and nutrition project in Rohingya camps, aiming to enhance food security and improve the nutritional status of the Rohingya population. Presently, CODEC is executing five projects, namely the UNICEF Education Project, UNICEF Child Protection Project, EPRC Project, School Feeding Program, and General Food Assistance Program, covering all registered and makeshift camps in Ukhiya, Teknaf, and Bhasan Char, as well as host communities in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas. Under these ongoing projects, CODEC has already provided various forms of support, including education, protection, food, and nutrition, to a substantial number of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals, totaling 735,890, along with host communities. CODEC stands ready to offer full cooperation to the Government of Bangladesh in the repatriation phase. If UN agencies and the government engage CODEC to facilitate the repatriation process, the organization is prepared to formulate a comprehensive strategy for orderly and effective repatriation.