* This report is written by ADI, the organization that has cooperated with the Butterfly Fund since 2021.
๐ฆ Believing That Hope Exists Everywhere ๐ฆ
2025 Rohingya Refugee Human Rights Documentation
and International Advocacy Empowering Project Monitoring Trip Report
Despite worsening conditions for Rohingya refugees, especially women and girls, due to recent food aid cuts by the World Food Programme (WFP) and armed group clashes, systematic documentation of these human rights violations remains lacking. Since January 2024, ADI has been implementing an empowering project with support from the Butterfly Fund of the Korean Council, focusing on strengthening the Rohingya Human Rights Center (RHRC), documenting violence against refugee women, and conducting international advocacy.
๐ Visiting RHRC Activists and Monitoring the Camps
โฒ Hospitality of three local activists and their families
The ADI activists visited RHRC activists and their families at their shelters in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps. The activists shared diverse backgrounds—some had fled the 2017 military genocide in Myanmar, others had survived the 1992 massacre, or were born in the camps. The team learned of the financial burdens refugees face settling in the camps, often leading to stark disparities in living conditions.
Camp conditions were dire. Seasonal monsoon floods damage shelters; reliance on solar power means unstable electricity; and flammable construction materials heighten fire risk. One activist described losing their shelter to a fire but being unable to rebuild due to a lack of funds. Long lines for humanitarian aid illustrated the economic restrictions imposed on refugees. The recent WFP ration cuts are expected to endanger refugee survival further.
This visit reaffirmed the urgency of documenting the lives of Rohingya refugees and expanding support for their resilience.
๐ Briefings on Human Rights Documentation and Conditions
โฒ Presentation of RHRC PM
In a three-day workshop, RHRC activists and ADI activists engaged in capacity-building sessions. The RHRC Project Manager introduced the center’s founding and activities, highlighting the limitations posed by the lack of formal legal recognition. Participants openly discussed severe human rights violations within the camps, including human trafficking, armed group violence, and mobility restrictions, as well as gender-based violence (GBV) and structural discrimination faced by Rohingya women and girls. A shared concern was the lack of leadership and the impact of traditional gender norms in addressing these issues.
๐ Preparing the 2025 GBV Prevalence Study & Planning Future RHRC Activities
โฒ Discussing the index of the report
On Days 2 and 3, the team worked with RHRC activists to design a GBV prevalence study. Together, they developed a report outline and tailored questionnaires, prioritizing survivor-sensitive, indirect questioning techniques to ensure psychological safety. Based on surveys and in-depth interviews, the final report is slated for publication at the end of 2025. Further discussions focused on improving content production skills and building sustainable human rights monitoring strategies. Participants expressed that the workshop deepened their understanding of structural violence and how to respond to it.
๐ In-Depth Interviews with GBV Survivors
โฒ Interviewing victims/survivors of GBV
Before departing Cox’s Bazar, the ADI team conducted in-depth interviews with two Rohingya women survivors of GBV. Initially concerned about potential distrust, the team found that their outsider status made it easier for survivors to open up, free from the fear of local stigma. Both women had experienced domestic violence, which had also affected their children. Their testimonies revealed that exposure to violence began long before life in the refugee camps and that its psychological effects persist.
Though decades have passed since systemic persecution of the Rohingya began, conditions in the refugee camps remain bleak. Yet amid the darkness, some continue forward with quiet hope. The workshop with RHRC confirmed the dedication and passion of its activists, and served as a reminder of the power of collective effort.
Even when exhaustion sets in, knowing others share the same dream rekindles belief in the possibility of change. We hope that the voices of those advocating for the Rohingya will continue to spread and bring hope. We also extend heartfelt gratitude to the RHRC activists who stood with us and the Korean Council for supporting this project.
* This report is written by ADI, the organization that has cooperated with the Butterfly Fund since 2021.
๐ฆ Believing That Hope Exists Everywhere ๐ฆ
2025 Rohingya Refugee Human Rights Documentation
and International Advocacy Empowering Project Monitoring Trip Report
Despite worsening conditions for Rohingya refugees, especially women and girls, due to recent food aid cuts by the World Food Programme (WFP) and armed group clashes, systematic documentation of these human rights violations remains lacking. Since January 2024, ADI has been implementing an empowering project with support from the Butterfly Fund of the Korean Council, focusing on strengthening the Rohingya Human Rights Center (RHRC), documenting violence against refugee women, and conducting international advocacy.
๐ Visiting RHRC Activists and Monitoring the Camps
The ADI activists visited RHRC activists and their families at their shelters in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps. The activists shared diverse backgrounds—some had fled the 2017 military genocide in Myanmar, others had survived the 1992 massacre, or were born in the camps. The team learned of the financial burdens refugees face settling in the camps, often leading to stark disparities in living conditions.
Camp conditions were dire. Seasonal monsoon floods damage shelters; reliance on solar power means unstable electricity; and flammable construction materials heighten fire risk. One activist described losing their shelter to a fire but being unable to rebuild due to a lack of funds. Long lines for humanitarian aid illustrated the economic restrictions imposed on refugees. The recent WFP ration cuts are expected to endanger refugee survival further.
This visit reaffirmed the urgency of documenting the lives of Rohingya refugees and expanding support for their resilience.
๐ Briefings on Human Rights Documentation and Conditions
In a three-day workshop, RHRC activists and ADI activists engaged in capacity-building sessions. The RHRC Project Manager introduced the center’s founding and activities, highlighting the limitations posed by the lack of formal legal recognition. Participants openly discussed severe human rights violations within the camps, including human trafficking, armed group violence, and mobility restrictions, as well as gender-based violence (GBV) and structural discrimination faced by Rohingya women and girls. A shared concern was the lack of leadership and the impact of traditional gender norms in addressing these issues.
๐ Preparing the 2025 GBV Prevalence Study & Planning Future RHRC Activities
โฒ Discussing the index of the report
On Days 2 and 3, the team worked with RHRC activists to design a GBV prevalence study. Together, they developed a report outline and tailored questionnaires, prioritizing survivor-sensitive, indirect questioning techniques to ensure psychological safety. Based on surveys and in-depth interviews, the final report is slated for publication at the end of 2025. Further discussions focused on improving content production skills and building sustainable human rights monitoring strategies. Participants expressed that the workshop deepened their understanding of structural violence and how to respond to it.
๐ In-Depth Interviews with GBV Survivors
โฒ Interviewing victims/survivors of GBV
Before departing Cox’s Bazar, the ADI team conducted in-depth interviews with two Rohingya women survivors of GBV. Initially concerned about potential distrust, the team found that their outsider status made it easier for survivors to open up, free from the fear of local stigma. Both women had experienced domestic violence, which had also affected their children. Their testimonies revealed that exposure to violence began long before life in the refugee camps and that its psychological effects persist.
Though decades have passed since systemic persecution of the Rohingya began, conditions in the refugee camps remain bleak. Yet amid the darkness, some continue forward with quiet hope. The workshop with RHRC confirmed the dedication and passion of its activists, and served as a reminder of the power of collective effort.
Even when exhaustion sets in, knowing others share the same dream rekindles belief in the possibility of change. We hope that the voices of those advocating for the Rohingya will continue to spread and bring hope. We also extend heartfelt gratitude to the RHRC activists who stood with us and the Korean Council for supporting this project.