NAIROBI, 11 May 2018 – Response to the Rohingya crisis led by the Government of Bangladesh with support from the international community comprises temporarily accommodation for refugees in Cox’s Bazar until conditions are conducive for their return, and assistance to host communities to mitigate the negative socio-economic impact of the crisis.

A joint assessment of the impact these interventions has been launched by UN-Habitat, UNDP, UNOPS, UNHCR and ILO and comes at a time when resource mobilization for the Joint Response Plan (JRP) which runs from March – December 2018 is gaining momentum.

With twenty-five percent of JRP funds dedicated to supporting host communities the impact assessment will form the basis of programme interventions to address the most critical needs and mitigate negative impacts on host communities. By fostering dialogue with key local stake-holders the assessment will contribute to building upon initiatives that have the greatest positive impact on the District’s development in the medium- to long-term.

The assessment will focus on the following five dimensions:

• Impact on livelihoods, the local economy, employment opportunities and socio-economic impact - undertaken by UNDP, ILO and UNHCR.
• Challenges in delivering social safety net programmes - undertaken by UNDP.
• Capacity to meet increased demand for public services - undertaken by UNDP
• Impact on space and spatial planning - undertaken by UN-Habitat, and
• Impact on local infrastructure - undertaken by UNOPS.

Specialist teams in each of the five assessment areas will work with respective lead departments designated by the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Cox’s Bazar. Recommendations of the assessment teams will be discussed in a workshop at the end of the process.