Rohingya livelihoods study in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh - Aug 2021.

1. ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
AMONG YOUNG ROHINGYAS IN
BANGLADESH
Md Noorunnabi Talukder
Md Irfan Hossain
Abdullah Al Mahmud
Eashita Haque
Joseph Falcone
Ubaidur Rob
23 August 2021
Market place in Camp 2w, Photo Courtesy: Tanvir Ahmed 2020

2. Background
• Almost a million Rohingya populations in Bangladesh face an
uncertain future, with no near-term prospect of returning to
Myanmar
• Basic humanitarian needs, e.g., shelter, food, safe water,
sanitation and basic literacy as well as reproductive and
maternal and child health care services provided by
Bangladesh government and development partners
• Rohingyas not legally permitted to travel outside camp and to
work in Bangladesh
• As a protracted crisis, attention needs to be given to livelihood
and employment opportunities of Rohingyas
• Lack of evidence on livelihood and employment of young
Rohingyas

3. Objectives
• Understand livelihood and income earning
opportunities available to young Rohingya
populations living in the camp in Bangladesh
• Assess young Rohingyas’ aspirations related to
livelihood and income earning opportunities
during their stay in Bangladesh

4. Methodology
• A needs assessment study comprising of primary
research and desk review, followed by advocacy
• Duration: 12 months (Jan-Dec 2020), with an
extension up to December 2021
A. Primary research
• Household survey among young Rohingyas
• Qualitative data collection
– Focus group discussions with young Rohingyas
– Key informant interviews with program managers
• Approval of all data collection instruments by ethical
review board

5. Methodology (continued)
B. Desk review
• Review the experience of 5 countries on livelihood and
employment opportunities for refugees: Uganda,
Ethiopia, Kenya, Jordan and Malaysia
• Examine the level and extent of local integration of
refugees in terms of economic inclusion
• Refugee rights to work typologies explained using
examples from those study countries
– Right to work in action
– Right to work in progress
– Restricted right to work
– No right but allowed in practice
– No right and restricted in practice

6. Methodology: Household survey
• Study population: Rohingyas aged 15-29 years
• Study site: 4 camps in Ukhiya upazila
• Total sample size: 1,209 (male 805, female 404)
• Criteria for selecting camps:
– exclusion of the camp with <20,000 and >50,000 populations
– non-adjacent camps
– presence of a marketplace near catchments households
• Physical boundary of the survey area determined in
consultation with Majhi for household listing
• Sampling frame constructed using household listing
• Respondents randomly selected from the sample frame
• Interviewers (male and female) with relevant experience &
familiarity with local culture and dialect recruited

7. Findings
Market place in Camp 9, Photo Courtesy: Tanvir Ahmed 2020

8. Highest
educational
degree obtained
in Myanmar
Marital and
schooling
status
54.4
10.7
24.4
10.5
72.4
9.8
16.7
1.1
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
Primary
incomplete
Primary
complete
Secondary
incomplete
Secondary
complete or
higher
Male Female
53.3
61.6
62.1
43.1
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
Currently married Attended school in Myanmar
Male Female

9. Sources of
household
income
5 major sources:
• Day labor
• Small business
• Sale of relief
• Teaching/tutoring
• Remittance
10.1
5.9
49.0
17.6
0.5
2.5
4.0
1.5
8.9
1.7
10.1
57.0
6.6
0.3
6.3
4.7
4.6
8.6
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0
Nothing
Small business
Day laborer
Selling relief
Home-based business
Remittance
Teaching/Tutoring
NGO job
Others
Male Female

10. Sources of
training
Training
received in
Myanmar &
Bangladesh
5.8 5.3
9.4 9.2
0.0
4.0
8.0
12.0
16.0
20.0
Myanmar Bangladesh
Male Female
25.6
74.4
94.6
5.4
8.5
91.5
79.0
21.0
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Institution
Individual
Institution
Individual
Myanmar
Bangladesh
Male Female

11. Reasons for
not
receiving
training in
Bangladesh
Five major
types of
training
received in
Bangladesh
25.4
39.3
59.0
12.7
2.9
25.9
16.6
52.5
5.8
63.3
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0
No opportunity inside the
camp
Not aware which organization
provides training
Nobody advised me
Less job
opportunities/demand
Social/family barrier
Female Male
Male: Mechanic, computer operation,
paramedic, English language, financial
literacy
Female: Tailoring, block/boutique, English
language, financial literacy, paramedic

12. Skills training interests
Training intended to receive Male Female
Computer training 46.5 2.1
Small business 17.7 0.7
Education/teaching 16.4 5.5
Tailoring/embroidery/dress making 23.0 94.5
Handicrafts 6.4 63.1
Garments work - 18.6
Mechanic 44.3 -
Masonry 32.0 0.3
Carpentry 19.9 -
Driving 19.9 -
Paramedic training 9.9 1.4
English language 6.1 4.5
N 544 290

13. Economic activity inside camp
Economic activity Male Female
No activity 35.2 94.1
Day labor/construction labor 40.0 0.3
Small business 7.1 -
Teaching/tutoring 3.7 1.2
Tailoring/handicrafts 0.4 3.4
Masonry 4.1 -
NGO job 5.7 0.5
Paramedic 0.7 -
N 804 405
Economic activity outside camp
Male: 23% (Daily labor 22%, salesman 1%)
Female: <1% (Hotel/restaurant service)

14. Barriers to wage employment
*Multiple responses
16.7
83.3
100.0
33.3
66.7
50.0
66.7
19.2
77.1
71.2
26.6
75.7
40.6
11.1
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Government employment
restrictions
Limited education
Lack of skills
Lack of information
Lack of job opportunities
Mobility restrictions
Family/social barrier
Male Female

15. Access to business
Access to business Male Female
Have business/enterprise 9.7 5.7
N 805 404
Type of business/enterprise
Grocery 29.9 -
Food shop (fish, vegetable, meat) 19.4 -
Tea stall 17.9 -
Tailoring/dress making 3.0 76.9
Handicrafts 1.5 15.4
Hawker 16.4 7.7
N 78 23

16. Barriers to self-employment/business
*Multiple responses
0.0
0.0
76.9
61.5
15.4
23.1
22.4
26.9
83.6
22.4
23.9
55.2
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Government business restrictions
Lack of skills
Lack of capital
Lack of market linkage
Low demand in market
Mobility restrictions outside camp
Male Female

17. Employment/work aspirations
Future employment/work Male Female
Small business 12.6 1.9
Tailoring/handicrafts 2.1 67.3
NGO work 35.7 5.6
Teaching/tutoring 26.9 3.5
Computer operation 3.8 0.3
Day laborer 6.7 0.3
Mechanic 1.3 -
Paramedic 1.3 -
N 238 376

18. Suggested actions:
• Technical or entrepreneurial skills development
• Cash assistance
• Strengthening market networks
• Engagement in job, e.g., education, health, NGO
sector etc.
Young Rohingyas’ level of education and skills are
not good enough to get an employment.
Expressed interests to receive training.
Intend to get an employment or do small business.
Work opportunities are limited and sporadic.
No access to capital and credit/microfinance.

19. Market place in Camp 9, Photo Courtesy: Tanvir Ahmed 2020
Market place in Camp 9, Photo Courtesy: Tanvir Ahmed 2020

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