DHAKA, July 2, 2020 (BSS) – The European Union (EU) has announced around Taka 304 crore (32 million euro) funding for livelihood improvement along with COVID-19 pandemic response of both forcibly displaced Rohingyas and Bangladeshi host communities in Cox’s Bazar.
The allocation came in support to the generous efforts deployed by Bangladesh by hosting around one million Rohingyas, an EU press release said here today.
Of the funding, Taka 114 crore will be dedicated to COVID-19 responses and Taka 190 crore to address need of both host communities and Rohingyas through an integrated approach on improved access to basic services in education, food security and nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and enhance their resilience and protection.
“The € 32 million funding is an important contribution to Bangladesh’s continuous generosity and humanity in hosting Rohingya that fled neighbouring Myanmar”, said the release quoting EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink.
It is part of the Team Europe global response to COVID-19 in the country with a specific component to support the needs of both Bangladeshi host communities of Cox’s Bazar and Rohingyas in the camps to address the crisis worsened by the pandemic, she added.
All EU-funded activities will address important cross-cutting issues such as protection of girls and women, sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), and psychosocial support.
The funding contributes to the 2030 Agenda’s call to ‘leave no one behind’, in line with the Strategic Objectives of the UN Joint Response Plan 2020 including the current COVID-19 challenges.
It promotes a comprehensive, development-led response to forced displacement, in line with EU policy and the Team Europe global response to COVID-19.
The actions will be implemented by UNHCR, UNICEF and UNOPS, the release added.