Avoiding a crisis within a crisis is a risk assessment report produced by the secretariat of the Asia Dialogue on Forced Migration and released by the Centre For Policy Development.
It assesses the risk of human trafficking, migrant smuggling and related exploitation arising from the Rohingya displacement in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.
Avoiding a Crisis within a Crisis highlights the presence of risk factors for trafficking, smuggling and exploitation in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
It was prepared by the Secretariat of the Asia Dialogue on Forced Migration and released by the Centre for Policy Development.
Avoiding a crisis within a crisis finds that the conditions for high levels of trafficking, smuggling and related exploitation are present and will only intensify with time, affecting both the Rohingya and Bangladeshi populations.
The assessment recognises that Bangladesh and its international partners have delivered a generous and effective humanitarian response so far, but more needs to be done to support actors on the ground, particularly in addressing protection concerns.
The assessment highlights the presence of risk factors for trafficking, smuggling and exploitation in Cox’s Bazar. To address these risk factors, the assessment makes recommendations within four policy directions, namely:
Movements of people are already increasing, including by boat, and these are affecting the whole region. Active involvement and coordination of regional actors – such as ASEAN and the Bali Process – in tackling this challenge will make a significant difference to the response on the ground.
The report finds that a durable solution to this crisis lies in the safe, dignified, voluntary and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingya to Rakhine State in Myanmar, and that the Government of Myanmar must continue to work towards this goal.
The risk assessment was first proposed at the sixth meeting of the Asia Dialogue on Forced Migration in March 2018.
The Secretariat outlined emerging findings of the assessment and further plans to senior officials at the Bali Process Ministerial Conference and Senior Officials Meeting in August 2018, and a preliminary version of the assessment was presented for feedback at the seventh ADFM meeting in November 2018.
The ADFM is grateful for the support of the Bali Process Regional Support Office, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration, and for the cooperation of the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs throughout the assessment.
