During a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch cautioned that significant cuts to humanitarian and development funding are jeopardizing vital services for one of the globe’s largest refugee groups.
“The substantial assistance from Bangladesh and the global community has been essential in addressing their fundamental needs and ensuring their protection,” he informed reporters. The most considerable surge of Rohingya refugees occurred in August 2017, when approximately 750,000 individuals fled the violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, crossing into Bangladesh. According to UNHCR, support from Bangladesh and its donors has been crucial in fulfilling basic needs and providing necessary protection ever since.
Funding Challenges Ahead
This appeal from the agency comes at a time of rising global instability and competing humanitarian emergencies that have strained aid budgets around the world. Last month, the United Nations, in collaboration with partners and the Government of Bangladesh, announced a call for $710.5 million to address the immediate needs of Rohingya refugees and local communities in 2026. However, despite the escalating demands, the appeal is 26 percent lower than the previous year’s funding request, a situation that aid agencies characterize as a “hyper-prioritized” response focused solely on the most urgent needs.
Since 2017, humanitarian funding has been instrumental in providing food assistance, healthcare, education, and protection services. Nevertheless, UNHCR has issued a warning that substantial needs persist, and conditions may deteriorate without ongoing support. Rohingya refugees continue to depend largely on aid, facing limited opportunities for income generation. Vulnerable demographics—such as women, girls, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities—are particularly affected by the funding deficiencies. The situation has also worsened for around 150,000 new arrivals fleeing renewed violence in Rakhine state since early 2024. Restricted humanitarian access and funding deficits have left these communities without adequate food, clean water, and healthcare services.
Diminishing Prospects for Return
UNHCR indicated that ongoing conflict, persecution, and instability within Myanmar continue to obstruct the safe return of refugees. As the chances for repatriation decline, an increasing number of Rohingya are undertaking perilous sea journeys in search of better opportunities elsewhere in the region. The agency reported that 2025 has become the deadliest year on record for such crossings, with nearly 900 Rohingya refugees either dead or missing in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.
UNHCR emphasized that maintaining only minimal levels of humanitarian aid could result in more severe and costly repercussions in the future. “Until the conflict and violence cease, the international community must continue to show solidarity with refugees from Myanmar, including Rohingya refugees, and their host communities,” Mr. Baloch stated, reiterating the agency’s call for humanitarian assistance and efforts to facilitate the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of refugees when circumstances permit.
