Japan has signed a new agreement with Unicef, pledging $1.4 million to provide life-saving support to Rohingya refugee children and their families in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char.

The funding will benefit more than 56,500 refugees, including over 36,000 children, through critical services in education, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition and health, Unicef said in a press release today (2 March).

The agreement was signed by Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi and Unicef Representative in Bangladesh Rana Flowers in Dhaka.

Ambassador Saida said the new assistance comes at a time of declining global humanitarian funding.

“I am pleased to announce Japan’s new agreement with Unicef, especially amid declining global funding. This aid focuses on critical services like education, WASH, nutrition and health, reflecting Japan’s long-standing partnership with Unicef and our strong commitment to human security,” she said.

He hoped that the support would enhance resilience and dignity of both Rohingya refugees and host communities, reaffirming Japan’s commitment to the humanitarian response.

Japan provides support Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char, signed by Ambassador Saida Shinichi and Unicef Representative Rana Flowers in Dhaka. Photo: Courtesy

Now entering its ninth year, the Rohingya crisis remains one of the world’s largest and most protracted humanitarian situations. Overcrowded camps, disease outbreaks, malnutrition and limited access to learning spaces continue to put children at significant risk.

Rana Flowers said Rohingya children face daily risks ranging from disease and malnutrition to disrupted education.

“The support from the Government of Japan will help keep children healthy and in learning, promote skill-building pathways and equip families to better care for their youngest children,” she said, describing the partnership as a vital investment in children’s survival, dignity and future.

Under the agreement, Unicef will expand access to the Myanmar Curriculum on Bhasan Char and support formal education and skills training for adolescents in Cox’s Bazar.

The partnership will also enhance safe water supply systems and sanitation facilities to reduce the risk of cholera, dengue, and other diseases. Hygiene supplies, including soap and menstrual hygiene materials, will be distributed to households to promote public health and gender equity.

Aligned with Japan’s global advocacy for universal health coverage, the support will expand services to prevent and treat child malnutrition and improve maternal and newborn healthcare, including care at the Newborn Stabilisation Unit on Bhasan Char and primary health centres in Cox’s Bazar.

Since the start of the Rohingya emergency in August 2017, Japan has contributed over $250 million to UN agencies and NGOs in Bangladesh for the refugee response, including approximately $47 million through UNICEF to support Rohingya children and families.