With Gang Violence And Child Marriage, Childhood Is Short In Rohingya Refugee Camps

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Over one million Rohingya live in squalid and sprawling camps in Bangladesh. Prospects are more than bleak for these refugees from Myanmar. Gang violence is rife in the camps and the number of child marriages is growing.

This content was published on December 18, 2024 - 09:00 8 minutes

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German Departme

Deutsch de Bandengewalt und Kinderehen: In den Rohingya-Flüchtlingslagern ist die Kindheit kurz Original Read more: Bandengewalt und Kinderehen: In den Rohingya-Flüchtlingslagern ist die Kindheit kur
Français fr Violence des gangs et mariages arrangés: l'enfance est courte pour les Rohingyas Read more: Violence des gangs et mariages arrangés: l'enfance est courte pour les Rohingya
Italiano it Criminalità organizzata e matrimoni precoci: l'infanzia è breve nel campo profughi dei Rohingya Read more: Criminalità organizzata e matrimoni precoci: l'infanzia è breve nel campo profughi dei Rohingy

In Camp 3, in the Ukhia region near the border with Myanmar, crowds of girls and boys are watching a play. On the stage, a man strikes a woman. Shouts ring out – both from the actors and, even louder, from the young audience. Domestic violence is the theme of today's performance, which is being put on by a group of volunteers who themselves live in the camp.

Plays like this one are a key part of ongoing efforts to educate and raise awareness among the residents of refugee camps in Bangladesh. They are intended especially for minors, who now make up half of the camps' population. Many of them have known nothing other than the life of a refugee. There is no formal schooling for them in the 33 Rohingya refugee camps, which are scattered around the border region south of the tourist town of Cox's Bazar.

Using theatre to impart knowledge is a tried-and-tested method, especially in refugee camps where there is no formal education. Giannis Mavris / SWI swissinfo

Why we are writing about this

Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh as an independent state after it seceded from Pakistan in 1971 in a war that resulted in enormous losses. Since then, both the Swiss development agency SDC and numerous NGOs have been active in the country.

The theatre described above is run by volunteers from the local organisation ProttyashiExternal link , which is the implementing partner of the Swiss organisation HelvetasExternal link . The projects with the locals are also implemented by Prottyashi.

During the week of December 16-20, the fundraising organisation Swiss SolidarityExternal link is organising a Solidarity Week. The donations collected will be used to fund projects to protect children from violence and abuse, including the projects described here.

Swiss Solidarity is the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, SWI swissinfo's parent company.

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