Canada announces $100m grant for those affected by Rohingya crisis

Canada on Wednesday announced around $100 million in humanitarian and development initiatives to help those seriously affected by Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh.

This includes $32.15 million in humanitarian assistance to mitigate the impact of the monsoon and cyclone seasons, improve the living conditions in Rohingya camps, support sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response initiatives, and increase access to health facilities and sexual and reproductive health services, reports UNB.

It also includes $67.7 million in development assistance to expand health and basic education services, address gender-based violence, and provide skills training and resources to increase women's opportunities for income generation.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development Kamal Khera, on behalf of Canadian Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality Maryam Monsef, announced these initiatives as she concluded a three-day visit to Bangladesh.

She met government officials and humanitarian and development partners, as well as Rohingyas and host communities in Cox's Bazar district.

As a key partner in the international response to the Rohingya crisis, Canada is committed to continuing working with domestic, regional and international partners to deliver life-saving and gender-responsive support to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the Rohingya crisis, said the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka.

Kamal Khera said she was deeply moved to see the incredible difference their partners are making in the lives of some of the most vulnerable in Cox's Bazar, especially women and children.

She said the host communities have been severely affected by the influx of Rohingyas. "The Rohingyas themselves have lost everything. In collaboration with our partners and the international community, Canada's humanitarian and development assistance is providing lifesaving relief and assistance to build a more prosperous future for everyone."

Since early 2017, Canada has provided more than $109 million in humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh and Myanmar to help meet the needs of Rohingyas, displaced people and the communities that are hosting them.

Since launching its strategy in 2018, Canada has also allocated more than $142 million to new development initiatives to respond to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh and Myanmar.