7 research outputs found
The Rohingya: an ethnography of 'Subhuman' life
No full textBased on classical ethnographic research, Nasir Uddin, a cultural anthropologist and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, has articulated the grievances, austere misery, and extreme vulnerabilities of Rohingyas, who have left homelands in Myanmar, under the compulsion of life-threatening situations, and are currently dwelling in Bangladesh as refugees. The author also engages in a debate on the body of knowledge about stateless people, non-citizens, asylum seekers, camp people, forced migrants, and refugees, who have previously been theorised using terms such as 'bare life', 'rejected people', 'non-citizens', 'statelessness', and whose 'citizenship is [the] right to have rights', and so on (p. 3)
The Role of ‘Home School’ in Improving Sustainability for Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh
No full textDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, most education providers could not offer face-to-face educational support to Rohingya children in the camp at Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh; however, some sector partners provided education online, and ‘Home School’ was one of them. This article intends to examine and learn to what extent and how home school education produced new knowledge for Rohingya children and promoted the sustainability of Rohingyas in the camp during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research approach was used to discern the impact of online education on the sustainable livelihood of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Using purposive sampling, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with Rohingya refugee children, key informant interviews with education providers, and teachers who worked in the camp during COVID-19. The conversation analysis technique was applied to analyse data. The findings of this study uncover that, regardless of some downsides, including the lack of endowment for formal education, the shortage of community mobilisers, the limited subjects offered, the limited duration of class time, and weak internet connection, home school education contributed enormously to ensuring the sustainable livelihood of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh by ensuring a safe and securing learning space and upholding the equal participation of boys and girls, and contributed to recovery from trauma and fear of violence in the camp
Emergency Education for Rohingya Refugee Children in Bangladesh: An analysis of the policies, practices and limitations
No full textMore than one million Rohingya from Myanmar have fled to Bangladesh as refugees over the last forty years. Currently, around 800,000 Rohingya are living in two registered refugee camps as well as in the makeshift settlements around Cox’s Bazar in southern Bangladesh. Among the Rohingya refugee community around 50% are children. The majority of these refugee children do not have access to educational opportunities. A number of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh are offering non-formal educational opportunities to refugee children in both registered camps and makeshift settlements. The main objective of this study is to analyze these non-formal education policies and practices as well as explore the limitations of emergency education (EE) for Rohingya refugee children during this time of great transition and flux. This research is based on fieldwork conducted in mid-2018. The situation in the camps for the Rohingya refugees is precarious due to overcrowding, disease, lack of suitable shelter and prevailing weather conditions, and facilitating education in these circumstances is particularly challenging. This study reveals that despite some challenges, EE is assisting in addressing psycho-social issues for Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh
Impact of Gender Quotas on Women’s Political Empowerment: A Comparative Study in India and Bangladesh
No full textWomen are a persistently disadvantaged group and far from achieving gender equality, especially in political institutions in developing countries. India and Bangladesh have introduced gender quotas in their local political systems in order to promote more women in politics. Gender quotas have increased the number of women in local councils in both countries. However, the question remains whether the women members elected through gender quotas have created an impact on the treatment of women’s matters and the decision-making process in local councils. This comparative case study examines the impact of gender quotas on women’s political empowerment, as well as the factors that hinder or facilitate women members raising their voices in the decision-making process in local councils – the Gram Panchayat in India and the Union Parishad in Bangladesh. This thesis finds that women in both countries confront some fundamental institutional, cultural and socio-economic barriers to their political empowerment. However, the dimension of these barriers is different in India and Bangladesh. These factors, as well as individual characteristics, assist women to raise their voices to claim public goods and resources for their constituents, and women in general. The findings also reveal that women elected through quotas in both countries are likely to work for women in local-level politics. Indian women are more enthusiastic about offering development services to their electorate, especially the women, than are the quota women in Bangladesh. Women in both countries are more likely than men to offer social welfare services to their constituents, especially women. This thesis supports the arguments of those critics of critical mass who argue that an increase in women’s numbers alone does not have a significant effect in promoting female favourable policies and practical outcomes
Does Implementation of ’Citizen’s Charter Make Any Difference in Service Delivery? Comparing the Performance of Local Councils between Plain and Hilly Areas—A Case of Bangladesh
No full textThis paper compares the impact of citizen’s charters in delivering services by Union Parishads in Bangladesh in Bengali-majority and tribal areas. Using a qualitative research method, the case study was used to look at CC implementation in a comprehensive and in-depth way. Interview and observation methods were employed to collect data. One hundred interviewees from each union, including service providers, service users, and LG officials, were consulted in equal numbers from May to July 2019. The findings of this study reveal that, although Union Parishads of both areas are implementing charters, their performance differs. Subjects of performance variation are timeliness of service delivery, cost of services and responsiveness of the service providers. Performance variation results from varying degrees of implementation of the citizen’s charter, attributable to several factors that include citizens’ awareness, knowledge and skills, implementation willingness, and performance monitoring of the local officials
