AHP to increase resilience and self-reliance of Rohingya and host populations in Bangladesh
News-iag, Project | July 9, 2024
The Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) is a partnership between the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and six Australian non-government organisations (NGOs). The AHP delivers high-quality targeted humanitarian programs that complement Australia’s funding to other United Nations (UN) and specialist agencies. AHP partners have been programming in Bangladesh for many years, and all have been involved in the recent upscale of operations to support Rohingya refugees and Host Communities in Cox’s Bazar in the program AHP Bangladesh Consortium.
Background
In 2017, the Australian Government directed AU $6 million of its humanitarian assistance package to the Rohingya crisis through the AHP. The initial phase focused on the provision of clean water, improved sanitation and hygiene, health, protecting those vulnerable to abuse or not receiving required services, and the provision of education and basic survival items. The initial AHP response reached over 280,000 people.
In 2019, Australia provided AU $9.9 million as part of a second phase of support to the Rohingya crisis, bringing the total AHP response to almost $16 million. Partners focused on WASH, the protection and inclusion of women, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups; education; adolescent reproductive health and support for host communities, with the goal of reaching close to 200,000 people across 18 camps and host communities.
In 2020, the six NGOs (CARE Bangladesh, EKOTA (CAN DO), Oxfam, Plan International, Save the Children, World Vision International) and their Consortium partners, one of which is CBM, came together as a single consortium to further continue Australia’s support to the Rohingya in Bangladesh through a multi-year response until June 2023. CBM Global’s Inclusion Advisory Group (IAG) and partner organisation Centre for Disability in Development (CDD), provide technical (advisory) support to the NGOs.
This third phase, three-year AHP Bangladesh Consortium program, was supported by an additional AU $44 million in funding from the Australian Government. A further 2.5-year phase of funding is currently being designed.
About the program
The AHP Bangladesh Consortium program continued to contribute to international efforts to meet the humanitarian needs of Rohingya and host populations in Bangladesh in partnership with the Australian Government (DFAT) and the six NGOs, responding to crises in a range of geographic locations. Through the AHP, the program helps to save lives and alleviate suffering by supporting partner countries, local organisations, and communities to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and other humanitarian crises. The AHP meets these objectives by focusing efforts on disaster response and disaster preparedness and resilience.
More information
- The report ‘AHP III Bangladesh: A disability inclusion journey in the Rohingya crisis’
- The report ‘AHP Phase III Bangladesh Impact Report: An honest account’
- Learning trip ‘AHP Bangladesh Consortium making disability inclusion a reality’
- Website of Australian Humanitarian Partnership
- Website of the AHP Bangladesh Consortium
- ‘Humanitarian policy and partnerships’ on website DFAT
- AHP Bangladesh Consortium videos on YouTube
https://cbm-global.org/news-iag/ahp-increase-resilience-self-reliance-rohingya-host-populations-bangladesh