FROM PAGE 12

support from the international community, notably Finland, means the appeal has reached 60 percent of its funding target.

As the Rohingya response enters a fragile phase -- marked by declining funding, worsening camp conditions, rising protection risks and continued instability in Myanmar --Finland’s stepped-up commitment shows great generosity, said Ivo Freijsen, the UNHCR representative in Bangladesh.

“It reaffirms our collective responsibility to protect Rohingya families and help them thrive, until conditions in Myanmar allow for voluntary, dignified and safe return to their homeland,” he added.

Finland stands in solidarity with Bangladesh and with the Rohingya people, and almost a decade into displacement, the Rohingya people still await a chance to rebuild their lives, said Mari Ahmed, Chargée d’Affaires of the Finnish embassy in New Delhi.

“In addition to basic assistance, we must invest in a better future for the Rohingya -- including support for skills and resilience-building, inclusion of those most vulnerable and ensuring that their plight does not fade from global attention,” Ahmed added.

The UNHCR announced a EUR 2 million contribution from the Finnish government to sustain life-saving assistance and protection for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

With this increased contribution, Finland has enabled the UNHCR to fill critical gaps, including in underfunded areas such as skills development and resilience programming.

Nearly a decade after fleeing targeted violence and persecution in Myanmar, 13 lakh stateless Rohingya continue to reside in Bangladesh.

With limited livelihood opportunities, the Rohingya in Bangladesh remain largely dependent on aid.

In 2025, only 23 percent of refugee households earned income through cash-for-work, the only formal livelihood activity permitted, while 42 percent had access to temporary and unstable income sources.

As many as 35 percent had no income source at all and relied fully on assistance.

As funding falls, the most vulnerable bear the brunt: women and girls, persons with disabilities, older people, and some 150,000 new arrivals since early 2024, who are still without shelters due to lack of space in the already very congested camps.