On 12 March 2018, Human Rights Now gave an oral statement on Myanmar’s Rohingya Children’s Human Rights Situation at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The video and the full text of the statement can be accessed below.
Thank you Mr. President,
Human Rights Now expresses grave concerns over the situation of Rohingya children in Myanmar and Bangladesh. In late January 2018, Human Rights Now visited Kutupalong, Balukhali, and Sabrang camps and surrounding areas in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and spoke with numerous Rohingya children who had fled from violence in Myanmar since August 2017.
Numerous children interviewed in camps’ schools stated that their fathers had been killed in the violence, and one of the boys was shot in the leg while fleeing. A boy, aged 5 or 6 years old, stated “they slit my mother’s throat in front of me.” A 15 years old boy reported that his brother and father had both been killed in Myanmar and that his house and entire village were burnt. We further found that displaced Rohingya children are facing a humanitarian crisis, including diphtheria and cholera epidemics, respiratory illnesses, skin diseases and serious trauma and anxiety. Affected children are also not being provided with sufficient education or care for their trauma.
Mr. President,
International community must immediately enhance efforts to support the rights to life, health, housing, and education for children affected by the conflict in Rakhine state, Myanmar, and who have fled to Bangladesh.
We urge Myanmar authorities to end the severe human rights violations in Rakhine state and protect children. We call on the government to ensure justice and accountability to allow access to Myanmar to the Council’s fact-finding missions, and other UN and humanitarian bodies.
Thank you.