Dhaka, 3 March, 2026:
Japan has committed USD 3.2 million (JPY 500 million) to sustain life-saving sexual and reproductive health services for Rohingya refugees and vulnerable host communities in Bangladesh. The funding, approved for two years, will support programmes led by the United Nations Population Fund in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char.
Announced in Dhaka on 3 March 2026, the contribution comes at a critical time as humanitarian funding gaps threaten essential services. Cox’s Bazar currently hosts more than one million Rohingya refugees, with an additional 150,000 new arrivals since 2024—over half of them women and girls. Funding shortages have already resulted in the closure of six government-run health facilities, a 16 per cent reduction in midwives and a 50 per cent drop in gender-based violence (GBV) case managers.
Japan’s support will enable UNFPA to maintain round-the-clock emergency obstetric care, GBV case management and mental health services for approximately 180,000 direct beneficiaries. It also builds on previous achievements, including assistance to more than 38,000 women and girls through Women Friendly Spaces and community centres.
In Bhasan Char, earlier Japanese funding helped operationalize a 20-bed hospital, significantly reducing life-threatening referrals and maintaining low maternal mortality rates.
Since 2017, Japan has contributed over USD 250 million to the Rohingya humanitarian response in Bangladesh, reaffirming its commitment to protecting displaced women, girls and vulnerable communities.
Source: Japan Embassy, Dhaka
