The proposal aims to improve access to WASH services and meet the needs of the Undocumented Myanmar Nationals (UMN's) & other under served host communities in Shamplapur and Leda area of Teknaf Upazila in Cox's Bazar. A need assessment on Shamlapur identified poor access to water and sanitation together with poor hygiene practices as one of the key concerns affecting the health of the population.

IOM will address the basic humanitarian needs of undocumented Myanmar nationals (UMN) and host communities in the Cox's Bazar district, specifically in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas (and surrounding areas with heavy UMN presence) by providing increased access to health and WASH services, building service delivery capacity of local Non-Governmental Organizations, managing INGO service delivery, and supporting overall coordination to identify need, track service delivery across all sectors, and analyze gaps.

In 25 August, the armed conflict in the Rakhine state resulted in severe unrest affecting a large number of minorities in the state. The extent and implications of the attack remain uncertain however the large number of Rohingyas have started crossing the border to Bangladesh. To date, 270,000 people have crossed the border into Bangladesh.

IOM will work with women and men survivors of trafficking by providing them with psychosocial counselling, skills training and entrepreneurial engagement in small-scale service oriented businesses. Young women and men who have been duped by traffickers with promises of better future abroad will be supported by this pilot project to gain a steady source of income facilitating their economic reintegration into society.

The overarching goal of this programme is to “Strengthen the resilience of women and children among UMNs and host communities through improved health, support to victims of GBV, enhanced child protection mechanisms and education outcomes”. The programme will employ a mix of integrated and sectoral-based strategies in pursuit of the overall goal through long-term development-oriented interventions focusing on strengthening systems, and complemented as necessary with humanitarian assistance interventions.

Since 25 August 2017, an estimated 655,500 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh fleeing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, increasing the total Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar to 868,000. IOM will work with key UN agencies, including FAO, and the Government of Bangladesh, to better respond to the needs of the affected communities in the following key areas: 1. Improvement and maintenance of makeshift settlements and surrounding areas 2. Healthcare services provision and strengthening 3. Preservation of forest 4. Sustainable use of energy 5.

Cox’s Bazar District hosts an approximate population of 300,000-500,000 undocumented Myanmar nationals (UMNs) in small communities, many of whom live amongst the host population. Both UMNs and the host population suffer from below average access to basic health, water and sanitation services. IOM will address the basic humanitarian needs of UMNs and host communities in the Cox's Bazar district, specifically in Ukhia and Teknaf Upazilas (and surrounding areas with a heavy UMN presence).