nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
Slums and low income communities in Bangladesh are at high risk of rapid COVID 19 outbreaks. Many of these settlements are densely populated with an average of five to seven members in a household who live in very close proximity thus making physical distancing extremely difficult.
A disproportionate impact of the COVID 19 pandemic can be witnessed on the women and girls on the ground of gender in equalities.
The complex nature of the COVID 19 crisis has exacerbated existing gender based disparities across multiple dimensions of economic and livelihood status, access to health, education and WASH services, distribution of care and domestic work, and domestic violence ;5 all of which shapes accessibility, affordability, and practice of menstrual health and hygiene for women and adolescent girls
Female students are also at risk during the lockdown as school closures have cut off of valuable sources of MHH information and support
In addition,slum dwellers are underserved of basic services that should provide sufficient water and safe sanitation facilities at the residence. The number of high users also makes it challenging to ensure enough water and timely disinfection of shared WASH facilities hence creating an environment that is vulnerable to COVID 19 outbreak.Women also rely on these facilities for managing their menstruation, therefore they may be at a greater risk of COVID 19 infection.
As all of the family members are confined at home together during the lockdown, there may be no private space for women to take care of their menstruation which can cause stress and anxiety.
Even prior to both the influx of Rohingya refugees and the COVID 19 pandemic, Cox's Bazar suffered from moderate food insecurity  ( IPC, 12/2015 ) . Food insecurity and poor food consumption resulted in high malnutrition rates, with 27.8% of children severely stunted and 9.4% of children severely underweight.
Cox's Bazar Sadar is the most prominent urban municipality in the district and a popular domestic tourism destination. It has the lowest poverty and extreme poverty headcount ratios in the district, at 26.2% and 12.2% respectively
[ October 2020, Bangladesh ]  Among other top priority needs for women and girls, 34% of women from host communities mentioned protection services compared to 19% of men. Among the Rohingya, 38% of women mentioned protection services compared to 53% of men. Host community women were also more likely to mention protection as a top priority for men and boys  ( 32% of women compared to 17% of men ) .
More than 90% of community health workers in Bangladesh are women.Over 28% of community clinics have no functional latrines, and only 13% have two functional latrines, therefore gender segregated facilities are not available in most cases. Only less than 36% of the community clinics have basic water supply which makes it extremely difficult for female patient and health workers to clean used cloth or wash hands after changing menstrual absorbents.
Economic distress during lockdown: Another challenge associated to the COVID 19 pandemic is the impact on household income, and the affordability and supply of menstrual products. Poor and marginalised groups are likely to be worst affected due to the massive drop in income.
One survey found that income dropped 75% amongst urban respondents and 62% amongst rural respondents.10 People are now facing a food crisis,and this may influence them to deprioritize hygiene materials like soap and sanitary pads.
GiHA assessment, 51.7% of women reported insufficient availability of personal health hygiene items. Further, low cost pad producers are switching to production of masks which in return limits the supply of menstrual hygiene products, especially in the remote rural areas.
Accessibility of menstrual health services, and menstrual hygiene products and information on low cost alternatives have received inadequate attention in the national COVID 19 response.
7,813 parents, caregivers, and community members were oriented on how to use masks to mitigate the risk of COVID 19 transmission. 2,384 Learning Centre Management Committee  ( LCMC )  members received remote support regarding COVID 19 preparedness and learning centre safety and security
While efforts are on going to distribute masks to refugees and nearby Bangladeshis, mask wearing compliance is low in the camps and host communities, and more community engagement is needed to explain the importance of masks as a key mitigation measure to prevent the transmission of COVID 19
Income had significantly dropped for all the RMG workers who were interviewed for the research. Two noticeable barriers to menstrual hygiene practices among the RMG workers during the lockdown were significant drop in income which affected their ability to use sanitary pads, and menstruation stigma i.e. it is not acceptable to clean and dry menstrual cloths in open space.
Most students mentioned that their family income has declined due to receiving only partial salaries during the lock down. In addition, the issue of rising prices for essential food items and other products made menstrual hygiene products less of a priority.
Although, most of the students experienced regular periods, few have reported some problems such as genital itching, and missed and late periods. They couldn't consult a doctor due to the restriction in movement and faced difficulty in accessing healthcare during the lockdown
The findings urge the development and public health practitioners to draw their attention to the need for integrating menstrual health and hygiene into policies associated with health, education and social programs in order to minimize the gender disparities exacerbated by the pandemic.
Meanwhile, COVID 19 lockdown measures and the heavy rain means families – especially pregnant women – can't access healthcare services when they need to. Millions of people who rely on the land to grow their food and earn a living, have lost everything as a third of Bangladesh is submerged.
The Protection Sector, including Child Protection and Gender Based Violence Sub Sectors  ( CPSS and GBVSS ) , is currently only 29 per cent funded, which limits access to life saving protection prevention and response activities for persons at heightened protection risks, as well as projects in host communities. These activities are more critical than ever as the COVID 19 pandemic has exacerbated the protection environment.
Additionally, COVID 19 containment measures make humanitarian response more challenging, as access becomes more difficult and there is a need for physical distancing long with the fear of virus transmission in evacuation shelters
Considering the current Covid 19 pandemic, Prottasha project has taken an initiative to provide immediate cash grants to returnees. A total of 1500 returning migrants will receive BDT 5,000  ( about USD 59 )  each to cover emergency needs as such as food, medication and transport costs. About 187 beneficiaries receive the grants during the month of July, transferred electronically or through mobile banking  ( Bkash ) .
Child Protection Sub Sector  ( CPSS )  partners' staff and volunteers continued to conduct outreach to children and community members to raise awareness on child protection, monsoon and COVID 19 risks through household visits, individual and group counseling and discussions with community leaders.
CPSS partners distributed COVID 19 awareness posters and leaflets in Bangla for children. In July, 1,534 children and 1,861 adults participated in child protection awareness raising sessions facilitated by Community Based Child Protection Committee  ( CBCPC )  members.
Dignity kits and solar lamps were distributed to 572 individuals in the camps. 73,773 individuals including 44,639 females were reached through awareness raising sessions on GBV, COVID 19, PSEA, and flood related GBV risk mitigation actions.
As of 31 July, 71 confirmed cases of COVID 19 had been identified in the Rohingya refugee camps, with 6 deaths. 3,361 COVID 19 positive cases and 60 deaths were reported in Cox's Bazar District, according to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control Research  ( IEDCR )
Camp level teachers, religious leaders and clinical staff received orientation on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse  ( PSEA ) . 11 clinical staff, including Bangladeshi medical officers, medical assistants and nurses working in isolation facilities in the camps, received training on COVID 19 safety and prevention guidelines. 2,180 men and 1,495 boys received training on prevention of violence against women
During June 2020, WHO donated several IPC items to partners, including 73,900 pairs of examination gloves, 2,234 face shields and googles, 2,100 N95 or equivalent respirators, 13,000 face masks, 702 gowns and 477 aprons.
Host community response achievements in June: In support to the newly established HDU/ICU facility at Sadar Hospital, WHO trained 32 doctors and nurses and other health care workers on Infection Prevention and Control.
The IEDCR Field Laboratory at Cox's Bazar Medical College was supported with human resources and equipment to carry out COVID 19 PCR testing, resulting in an increased testing capacity of 1,500 samples per day.
Following the start of enhanced community based surveillance, during which Community Health Workers  ( CHWs )  identify patients with COVID 19 symptoms and refer them to health facilities, testing among Rohingya refugees increased. As of 31 July, the number of COVID19 tests per million Rohingya was 434, compared to 191 last month.
In addition, 54 laboratory technicians were trained on collection and transportation of COVID 19 samples. • WHO supported the expansion of the district laboratory for increased testing capacity for Rohingya refugees and host community. By the end of June, the daily sampling capacity was some 500 samples.
[ 1th October 2020, Bangladesh ]  Refugee: Impact of COVID 19 on needs: • Health centers commonly reported to refuse the provision of treatment • Common reluctance to seek treatment at health centers due to fear of contracting COVID 19 • Lack of health staff and treatment options
Non Communicable Disease  ( NCD )  diagnostic kits, management equipment and supplies were distributed for the host communities to upazila health complexes, community health clinics and community sub centres in Ukhiya and Teknaf to support early identification and management of risk factors and vulnerabilities of severe cases of COVID 19.
Food assistance was provided to 860,908 Rohingya individuals in all 34 camps and Konopara. Complementary food voucher assistance was provided to 15,337 households for the purchase of fresh food items
88,051 households or 47 per cent of all refugee households receiving e vouchers were served using Building Blocks   blockchain technology where individuals are issued an encrypted ID/code number to distinguish them from others, ensuring their security and privacy, as well as optimizing and harmonizing collective efforts between humanitarian organisations
Dried fish was newly added in the food basket, increasing dietary diversity. A pilot to protect older persons through home delivery of food rations reached 650 households in six camps.
BLIs visited 15,168 households to meet learners and caregivers while maintaining physical distancing.2,295 caregivers, community volunteers, youth and adolescent volunteers were trained on Education in Emergencies  ( EiE ) , including child, adolescent, and youth friendly messages.
9,957 households received vegetable seeds for micro gardening and 14 households received inputs for aquaculture. 19,752 households received conditional cash, 276 individuals were engaged in cash for work, and 282 households received training on self reliance activities
89 teachers of out of school children in three upazilas in Cox's Bazar District reached 1,614 parents and learners, including 1,217 females with COVID 19 awareness messages on hygiene, the use of masks, handwashing, physical distancing, and COVID 19 symptoms
100 female volunteers distributed hygiene kits to 2,200 learners in Ukhiya. 45 volunteers remotely supported adolescents and youth on well being, play, and self care. 72 volunteers/teaching facilitators distributed COVID 19 awareness leaflets to 2,131 parents, learners and community members
Round 1 of the Vitamin A supplementation drive, which began on 21 June, was completed and achieved the planned target by 15 July. 81,462 boys and 78,564 girls received Vitamin A supplements and were assessed for malnutrition. 109,165 mothers and caregivers of children under five received infant and young child feeding  ( IYCF )  recommended practices. 3,737 or 44 per cent of the annual JRP 2020 target of new PLWs and caregivers of children received IYCF one on one counselling sessions
In July, the Sector partners trained 41,090 mothers of children under five in measuring and monitoring the nutrition status of their children by “Mother Led Mid Upper Arm Circumference'  ( MUAC ) . As of 31 July, there were no SAM older persons or SAM children under five diagnosed or hospitalised due to COVID 19.
Essential health services such as routine immunisation have been negatively affected by the COVID 19 situation in the camps, with immunisation fixed sites recording low attendance during June. The Civil Surgeon and the RRRC Health Unit have approved the resumption of vaccination outreach sessions, starting from July.
Rumours and misinformation on COVID 19 testing and isolation among Rohingya refugees resulted in few samples being collected from the camps. This challenge is being addressed by the above mentioned Health Sector and CWC Working Group joint strategy that focuses on providing clear and accurate information to refugees on COVID 19 testing and treatment.
6,000 learning facilities remained closed in July, with over 325,000 children unable to access education. There is a need to open certain learning centres to serve as material distribution points for children to collect additional workbooks. A pilot to open select learning centres has been proposed in two camps.
CwC WG partners and Rohingya and host community volunteers delivered a series of information sharing and awareness sessions during July. These sessions focused on COVID 19 awareness and prevention, hygiene practices, monsoon and cyclone preparedness  ( including preparing of shelters ) , vaccinations, and nutrition and safety for women, children and persons living with disabilities.
During the month, 435,127 people were reached through 224,353 neighborhood based sessions; 232,062 people were reached through 85,154 awareness raising sessions; 31,647 people participated in 5,181 listener group sessions; 18,791 people were reached through 2,397 video screening sessions; and 719 people were reached through 159 community level committee meetings.
[ 29 30 Mrach 2021, Cox's Bazar ]  Proper coordination between relevant sectors and other key stakeholders is vital at this point to identify challenges and share progress on this emergency response. This will assist towards developing better and more effective recovery plans for the camps affected and host communities.
[ 29th Nov 2020, Bangladesh ]  Classes on modern devices using the Internet are expensive enough to carry for disadvantaged children, even for many schools, which will increase the number of children dropping out of school.
36,892 people were reached through 10,053 awareness raising and sensitisation sessions. 4 information service centers were operational, receiving community level and individuals' feedback and complaints.
An online awareness raising session on gender implications of COVID 19 was conducted with 45 participants from the Education Sector and 11 participants from CwC WG. An additional 2 sets of trainings were conducted for 70 enumerators participating in the Multi Sector Needs Assessment.
The COVID 19 Hub received 10,000 protective gowns donated by Join Together Society in Korea. 50 litres of hand sanitizer were distributed to one organisation to facilitate office hygiene and staff wellbeing.
Global coronavirus response: EU sends assistance to Kenya, Bangladesh, Ecuador and El Salvador.This week, the EU continues its global deliveries of medical supplies and personal protective equipment. Furthermore, France is sending medical supplies and equipment to Bangladesh, Ecuador and El Salvador this week via the Mechanism
The unreliable power supply in Cox's Bazar District is causing constant disruptions to ETS data connectivity services in the operation.
As of the end of July, ETS remains 35 per cent funded with total contributions received amounting to US$1.8 million of the US$5.1 million required in 2020.
[ 29th Nov 2020, Bangladesh ]  Parents are losing their jobs due to the pandemic and sending their children to work, which has resulted in an increase in child labor.
Due to the heightened risks posed by COVID 19 to elderly refugees, UNHCR has been undertaking a targeted effort to ensure they are able to access information and advice on COVID 19. The outreach is undertaken by refugee community outreach volunteers  ( COMs ) . The elderly care project also supplies selected items to households along with information on elderly care. The kit contains items that can help households to create a small safe zone inside their shelter for the older family member
Some 14,250 kits were distributed to identified elderly persons in UNHCR managed camps to date. Cumulatively, since March 2020, the COMs have reached almost 130,000 refugees with key messages on COVID 19, including 25,352 elderly refugees and 1,897 persons with disabilities. COMs have also held community trainings on making reusable cloth masks. They conducted 2,805 training sessions for a total of 6,585 refugees. Some 4,500 masks were produced by the refugee participants for use in the community
As of 30 June, 50 confirmed cases of COVID 19 were identified in the Rohingya refugee camps, with 5 deaths. 2,573 COVID 19 positive cases and 34 deaths were reported in Cox's Bazar District, according to WHO. For weekly operational updates by Sectors/Working Groups during June, see the ISCG weekly update reports.
A total of 11,443 general beds, 219 Intensive care unit  ( ICU )  beds, 12,352 Oxygen cylinders, 317 high flow nasal cannula, and 157 oxygen concentrator are available in the hospitals across the country. The treatment providers were provided with 2,387,364 Personal Protection Equipment  ( PPE )  and 140,881 PPE are in stock for further use
96,843 children, adolescents, and youth received guidance and awareness on COVID 19 prevention. • 19,187 caregivers were reached by 453 Burmese Language Instructors  ( BLI )  and 4,621 Caregiver guidelines were distributed, which contain instructions for parents, caregivers and older siblings on children's workbook exercises and schedules for home based learning. For illiterate caregivers, BLIs organised followup sessions to explain the guidelines.
Burmese Language Instructors visited 33,275 households to meet learners and caregivers while maintaining physical distancing. 13,976 children were supported to continue studying at home through small, physically distanced group learning sessions.
224 parents received counselling support related to COVID 19, 40 Rohingya volunteer teachers received psychosocial support and COVID 19 awareness messages delivered by partners, and 36 learning facilitators were trained on 'Teacher's Well being and Distance Learning.'
37,117 households received unconditional cash grants and 22,193 households received in kind food rations.
Achievements in the host community • Partners provided essential hygiene materials  ( including soap, jars and buckets )  to 3,200 families in Ukhiya and Teknaf as part of the COVID 19 response to increase hygiene practices and promotion for children at home.
Agricultural inputs were provided to 2,467 households for horticulture, 77 households for livestock, and 24 households for aquaculture. Agriculture trainings were provided to 8,056 individuals for horticulture, 3,040 individuals for poultry raising, and 185 individuals for livestock
605 individuals were engaged in cash for work for mask and soap production to support the health response. As of 31 July, 130,500 individuals received two cloth masks to mitigate COVID 19 transmission.
Imams and female preachers have played a vital role in conducting awareness sessions related to COVID 19. The level of their engagement in the information and awareness campaigns continues to increase. From 16 to 31 July, they helped reach out to nearly 19,000 refugees across 13 camps. Imams also continue to share key messages during daily prayers and weekly Friday sermons, with social distancing in place
Since the start of the COVID 19 response, UNHCR and its WASH partners have supported hygiene promotion efforts in all camps managed by UNHCR, delivering over 1 million messaging opportunities on COVID 19 through household level visits. Over 1.4m messages were made also by megaphone, audio/USB sticks, and via mosques
[ 1th October 2020, Bangladesh ]  Host Community: CWC: Generally, there was consensus that households were not facing any significant challenges receiving information and/or providing feedback; however, it was mentioned that • People not owning mobile phones might not receive information • People not being allowed to gather complicates information sharing • Elderly may face more problems receiving/understanding information and providing feedback
Four new Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Isolation and Treatment Centres  ( SARI ITCs )  opened in June, bringing the total number of active SARI ITCs to six  ( of 12 planned SARI ITCs )  with a total of 409 active beds. “Go and See' visits to health facilities were organised for refugee and host community members as part of ongoing efforts to increase testing in the camps, improve understanding and trust between refugees and humanitarian actors, and address misinformation and rumours on COVID 19 treatment
ISGC: This specialised kit – which is being distributed to all older persons over the age of 59 in the camp – contains items intended to make Mr Alam's shelter more comfortable, and to enable his family to create a makeshift divide within their single room shelter to support physical distancing. More than 10,100 NFI kits were distributed in June. These NFI kits, as well as regular distribution of food, LPG and NFI kits, are being home delivered directly to refugees' households if needed or are collected by caregivers from distribution points.
Handwashing stations have been installed outside each of the 28,325 households in the camps where older persons reside. Throughout June, key COVID 19 awareness and prevention measures were shared with more than 7,400 older persons in small group home visits by partners and volunteers
As part of observing ‘World Day Against Trafficking' on 30 July in the camps, Anti Trafficking Working Group  ( ATWG )  partners conducted awareness sessions and shared audio messages jointly developed by the ATWG and BBC Media Action, focused on mitigating the risk of trafficking exacerbated by the COVID 19 situation. ATWG also arranged an online orientation session on anti trafficking that was attended by 100 humanitarian actors from different Sectors.
For critical cases in need of mechanical ventilation, UNHCR is supporting local health authorities by setting up an 18 bed Intensive Care Unit in Cox's Bazar's main district hospital, 17 patients were admitted in the first ten days of operation
In response to the current COVID 19 pandemic, UNHCR has stepped up its preparedness and response mechanisms. Four quarantine facilities are established, the facilities can accommodate up to 1,915 contacts of suspected/ confirmed cases, and new arrivals. Two SARI  ( Severe Acute Respiratory Infection )  Isolation and Treatment Centres with altogether 194 beds were established and provided treatment to 117 refugees and host community members so far.
In line with efforts to increase testing in the camps, more than 1,300 Community Health Workers were trained  ( more than 95% of total CHWs )  and delivered messaging on COVID 19 testing across all communities in the camps, in addition to counselling the refugees on coming forward to be tested. “Go and See' visits were organised by all six functioning SARI ITCs for refugees prior to the opening of facilities, to address misinformation and rumours on testing and isolation.
Similarly, psychologists and CPVs received training on COVID 19 related support measures. Capacity building is provided to ITC  ( Isolation and Treatment Centre )  and Quarantine Center staff to be able to respond to the psychosocial needs of patients while identifying those that need more specialized support.
In June, the Sector trained over 7,000 mothers of children under five in measuring and monitoring the nutrition status of their children by “Mother Led Mid Upper Arm Circumference'  ( MUAC )   ( of a cumulative total of 20,000 since March, which is 100% of the target for the JRP 2020 COVID 19 Addendum ) .
In June a total of 10,555 new PLWs and caregivers of children received IYCF counselling and participated in the IYCF group sessions  ( of a cumulative total of 31,716, which is 66% of the annual JRP2020 target ) . Nutrition Sector developed and disseminated the IYCF E poster for COVID 19 response.
Critical nutrition services for treatment of acute malnutrition and individual counseling on IYCF (  Infant and Young Child Feeding )  continue to be provided to all children under five years. To ensure continued nutrition screening during the COVID 19 situation, mothers have been trained to conduct MUAC  ( Mid Upper Arm Circumference )  measurements by the nutrition partners to identify malnutrition.
CHALLENGE:  Insufficient bed and human resource capacity of the health system to respond to an expected increase in COVID 19 cases.
[ 2020, Cox's Bazar ]  The learning facility closure also means that the over 3,300  ( 81 per cent female )  teachers from host community do not have access to the camps and like their refugee teacher colleagues, they may be required to gain additional knowledge and skills to support distance learning. The crisis also disproportionately affects all opportunities for professional development and learning.
With the confirmation of the first COVID 19 cases in Cox's Bazar District in late March, access to the Rohingya camps was restricted to critical services only, and learning and multipurpose centres were closed. Utilization of health and nutrition services dropped by half in April and May due to decreased staffing and fear of infection before starting to rebound in June.
UNICEF has mobilized all available resources to minimize the impact of COVID 19 on Rohingya and host community children by disseminating lifesaving messages; scaling up handwashing points and hygiene promotion; adopting infection and control measures at all service points; and adopting alternative modalities including home based caregiver led learning and one on one psychosocial support.
A pilot to protect older persons through home delivery of food rations reached 365 households in four camps. • 95 households received in kind food rations, 1,282 households received high energy biscuits, and 7,449 cooked meals were provided through rapid food distribution in response to relocations caused by COVID 19, monsoon, conflicts, as well as referrals of Extremely Vulnerable Individuals  ( EVI )  from the Protection Sector. • 3,402 refugee households received vegetable seeds for micro gardening and 426 households were engaged in cashfor work for mask production
As of 15 August, the World Health Organization  ( WHO )  reported over 3,660 cases of COVID 19 in Cox's Bazar in the host community, and some 79 refugees who have also tested positive. Six refugees have sadly died. Close to 170 refugees are in quarantine
As of 30 June, 172,400 individuals over the age of five received two cloth masks as a measure to mitigate the transmission of COVID 19  ( with a total of 344,800 masks distributed in June ) . 27,800 of those reached were older persons. The Livelihood Working Group  ( LHWG )  is facilitating the production and distribution of cloth masks   see June factsheet in English and Bangla.
33 community level committee meetings were held, with 390 individuals participating in discussions regarding community engagement initiatives and the dissemination of key COVID 19 messages
CWC WG partners and Rohingya and host community volunteers delivered a series of information sharing and awareness sessions during June. These sessions focused on COVID 19 awareness and prevention, hygiene practices, monsoon and cyclone preparedness  ( including preparing of shelters ) , and nutrition and safety for women and children.
Host community response achievements in June: 28,621 households received unconditional cash grants as part of the COVID 19 response. • Partners' coverage extended from Ukhiya and Teknaf to include all upazilas in Cox's Bazar district meaning that in June, 49,123 households received in kind food rations.
COVID 19 testing in the camps has increased in recent weeks and reached 135 tests per day, on 11 August. The increase is largely due to the work of refugee community health volunteers who are engaged in community based surveillance and provide targeted counselling on testing and related issues to refugees identified with COVID like symptoms.
9 materials/messages and 34 podcast programs were developed regarding mental health and overcoming fear and anxiety during COVID  19, frustrations and preventing domestic violence, food distribution, quarantine and isolation treatment centres, basic hygiene and cyclone signals, among others.
With heavy rain forecast over the next 72 hours in Cox's Bazar district and the ongoing lockdown due to COVID 19, the flood situation in the camps is likely to worsen further.
COVID 19 messages continued to be announced through loudspeaker and megaphone on CNG/Tomtom auto rickshaw at 17 areas under Cox's Bazar Sadar, Pekua, Maheskhali and Kutubdia sub district.
One unique way they are doing this is by producing masks to fill a significant gap of personal protective equipment  ( PPE )  in the market. Over 50,000 masks are being produced and the manufacturing is being managed by partners in UN Women's five multi purpose Women's centers in the camps, engaging 163 Rohingya women and girls with 46 families run as single female headed households
The extreme weather, heavy rains, and thunderstorms also add to the COVID 19 pandemic related challenges facing both refugees and their Bangladeshi hosts.
Pilot training opportunities with the Protection Unit as well as BBC Media Action were offered to imams to strengthen outreach on key issues around health, emergency preparedness and protection. Notwithstanding the overall decrease in the number of SGBV incidents reported in the camps, increasing trends in intimate partner violence were seen, and to address this male role models held dialogues on more equitable gender roles and nurturing healthy family relationships during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Refugee men and boys who are confined to their shelters due to the lockdown and who lack work opportunities were the primary targets of these initiatives. This engagement by male role models has contributed to improved self awareness and harmony within refugee families.
Sector Gaps/Constraints in June: Limited access to the camps and host communities due to the COVID 19 zonal lockdown impacted progress on implementation of WASH activities
Since the end of March, the COMs conducted over 27,000 community awareness sessions. Approximately 18% of those reached were elderly and some 2% were persons with disabilities.
Five Camp Health Disease Surveillance officers  ( CHDSOs ) , out of 20 in total, have started carrying out field investigations on suspected COVID 19 cases and deaths in the camp.
The lack of regular shelter improvements due to COVID 19 restrictions continued to result in deterioration of shelter conditions. Heavy rains and winds have exacerbated the conditions of some shelter materials such as untreated structural bamboo, tarpaulins and bamboo mats, which has led to progressively increased damage to shelters and resulted in more households requiring emergency shelter assistance.
In several camps, relations between refugees and host communities have worsened in the first half of 2020, and UNHCR continues to monitor hostile behavior against refugees on the part of members of host communities.
UNHCR continues to engage with authorities to encourage the formation of joint committees involving members of the two communities to address such conflicts, while advocating with government authorities and law enforcement agencies to help mitigate disputes, reduce violence and curb the deteriorating negative discourse on refugees, which has emerged in the COVID 19 context
The stigma and pervasive misinformation related to COVID 19 have the potential to exacerbate existing health problems and impede efforts to mitigate the disease outbreak. These factors can dissuade people who may be infected from seeking care or cause households to hide sick family members to avoid discrimination, especially for minorities and marginalized groups. Religion has also influenced how Rohingya communities understand COVID 19, with many viewing it as a punishment from God. Consultations with Rohingya women and men highlighted that activities by women judged as “dishonorable', such as breaking purdah, was one of the causes of COVID 19.
The result may be increased restrictions on women and girls, which in turn will further limit their mobility and access to services, which may contribute both to the spread of the virus and the escalation of Gender Based Violence  ( GBV ) .
Some 1,440 CHWs have been trained on identifying patients with mild and moderate respiratory illness symptoms using simple criteria. CHWs offer individual counselling about testing, treatment, and a referral if required, including for quarantine services
[ 25th November 2020, Bangladesh ]  While some may argue that there are many other areas of concern for the country, access to technology for education should be one of our main priorities.
Increased rates of intimate partner violence, sexual and gender based violence, and harmful practices towards children, including early marriage and child labour, have been reported by humanitarian protection staff and documented through an increased use of referral pathways by non protection staff
UNHCR, as the chair of the Community Health Working Group, and WHO are designing home based care protocols, and have conducted training for the homecare initiative with IOM and Save the Children International  ( SCI )  from July 6 to 9. 88 participants, including health care staff and CHW supervisors, had a 2 day training of trainers on the treatment of mild/moderate/severe patients at home, palliative care, and infection prevention.
Community awareness and community led approaches are key to mitigating the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic in Cox's Bazar. Clear, understandable, and readily available information and multi media messages are needed in Bangla, Burmese, and Rohingya, including on how to protect individuals and communities, what to do in case of sickness, on what to expect from the health response, such as the isolation and quarantine processes
As a result of the initiative, CHWs were able to identify over 1,850 refugees with mild respiratory symptoms during the week of July 8th. Over 900 were referred to health facilities and 13 patients were identified with moderate COVID like symptoms and were tested. The work of the CHWs has contributed to an increase in the uptake of COVID 19 testing.
CHWs also continue to conduct regular health awareness raising, making on average over 130,000 household visits per week  ( this equates to 250,000 individual refugees approximately ) . According to the community volunteers, there is a growing understanding among refugees about actions they need to take to remain safe from COVID 19, as well as available support through health facilities
Currently, outreach to this group is mainly conducted through an elderly care support visit project, which supplies selected households with information along with an elderly care kit. Some 12,100 kits were distributed to identified elderly persons in UNHCR managed camps to date.
As a result, many refugees are concerned about their health and the health of those most vulnerable. Given the reduced access and diversity of food, Rohingya children are at an even higher risk of suffering from acute malnutrition
Refugee and host community women are supporting the production of cloth masks. Some 90,000 masks have been made to date through UNHCR supported projects, and 70,000 were distributed by partners, with priority to elderly persons. The masks are used also by community volunteers when communicating about COVID 19.
Effective demand for food has also reduced among urban poor households who depend mainly on daily labour, as their incomes and purchasing power have been decreased. As a result, vulnerabilities related to gender, disability, age and ethnicity are anticipated to increase with time
Consultations with the refugees, including women and adolescent girls, showed increased anxiety and stress stemming from the COVID 19 situation. Women, as the primary caregivers in the household, may experience a greater impact on their mental health as they will be directly exposed to the trauma of supporting those who contract the virus.
• A total of 3,030 COVID 19 positive cases have been reported in Cox's Bazar district  ( including Rohingya camps )  as of 12 July 2020 as per Civil Surgeon Office, Cox's Bazar • Fifty seven confirmed cases have been reported in Rohingya camps as of 12 July 2020. A total of 8 individuals are in institutional quarantine in the camps
All nineteen points of entry are operational for temperature screening and hand washing with 59 screeners deployed to identify people with fever. A total of 207 998 individuals were screened, 255 found febrile and referred to the nearest health facilities.
Access to the labor market. Refugees living in camps face reduced access to livelihood opportunities due to both de jure  ( i.e. lack of labor market access and freedom of movement )  and de facto  ( i.e. the remote nature of the camps )  restrictions. Their livelihood options are often limited to a mix of humanitarian help and informal work within the in camp economy, though some are able to leave the camps to work in informal low skilled jobs.
Access to the labor market: The COVID 19 mobility constraints have impeded the functioning of both of these economies. For instance, the lockdown of a Rohingya camp in Bangladesh led to a closure of all site development works and shops, many of which were staffed by refugees.
Increased competition over livelihoods may create or exacerbate tensions within and between communities and lead to negative coping mechanisms including child labour, increased child marriage, and dangerous onward movement, which place people at risk of trafficking. The Government of Bangladesh is urgently seeking to protect assets, infrastructure and advances in food and nutrition security made in recent years.
Protracted levels of high food insecurity are expected, particularly among poor households. The nationwide lockdown following the COVID 19 outbreak has already caused trade flow disruptions for essential food and non food items Mixed price trends were observed in the markets at the end of March through to May, with increased prices for rice and red lentils, while vegetable oil and garlic remained stable
Older persons  ( people over 59 comprise 4 percent of the Rohingya population ) , and people with different types of disabilities or underlying health conditions are at higher risk if infected with the COVID 19 virus
Access to health services: Many urban refugees are forced to choose between health and livelihoods. If they prioritize livelihoods, they risk getting sick and not being able to afford appropriate care, which in turn would also lead to losing their livelihood and even spreading the virus to their family or friends. But if they prioritize their health, they risk falling deeper into economic precarity. In camp refugees may have access to NGO provided health care, but many of these services have been disrupted as a result of COVID 19.
Female headed households, and households with many dependents are among the most vulnerable in the camps. They now facing unmanageable additional burdens in case of sickness. Their risk of exposure to GBV is also increased due to the need to stay indoors, as well as the reduced presence of case workers to receive and address GBV incidents as well as violence against children.
Recommendation #1 Strengthen the productive capacity of vulnerable households.
Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh is home to the world's largest refugee settlement, a location where a disease like COVID 19 has the potential to spread rapidly with devastating consequences due to vulnerable populations in cramped quarters.
UNICEF and Nutrition Sector partners organized a door to door Vitamin A supplementation campaign across all Rohingya camps from 21 June to 20 July to strengthen the immune system of children under 5. From the results received so far, 97 per cent of the 160,026 targeted children under 5  ( 49 per cent girls )  were provided with Vitamin A and also screened for acute malnutrition. There were 691 new cases of SAM  ( 61 per cent girls )  identified and referred to integrated nutrition facilities for treatmentAdditionally, 109,165 mothers/caregivers  ( 86 per cent of the target )  received messages on best practices in infant and young child feeding as well as on COVID 19 prevention, signs and symptoms.
[ October 20202, Bangladesh ]  Currently, there are 84,607 active cases in the country, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services  ( DGHS ) . The cases reached the 300,000 mark on Aug 26 while the death toll exceeded 5,000 on Sept 22.
This is 24 per cent of the target for year, largely constrained by COVID 19 related movement restrictions which stopped household visits by nutrition volunteers in April and May as well as fewer parents visiting clinics due to the fear of getting infected by COVID 19.
[ October 20202, Bangladesh ]  Bangladesh has recorded 21 more deaths from Covid 19 in 24 hours until Monday morning , pushing up the fatalities to 5681. Health authorities also reported 1,637 new cases, taking the caseload to 390,206.
CwC WG partners organized 13 cascade training sessions on COVID 19 with 112 staff and volunteers. CwC WG partners reached 247,427 people in the camps and host communities with key COVID 19 messages through community engagement activities, including 52,730 neighbourhood based sessions; 10,784 community consultation meetings; 455 listening group sessions; 303 video/film viewings; and 11,172 sessions led by religious leaders
GiHA WG partners held general discussion sessions with refugees on COVID 19 questions and answers, including message dissemination about COVID 19 treatment, symptoms and facilities available for refugees through various multi media mediums, including audio messages. In these discussions, it was noted that although many refugees are aware of the COVID 19 treatment and facilities available, many do not fully understand the concept of isolation and quarantine facilities, and GiHA WG partners worked to clarify this information
Heavy rains continued to strike the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar in July and resulted in damage to shelters and other infrastructure, as well as the temporary displacement of refugee households in some cases. The annual monsoon, which runs from May until October each year has also caused heavy flooding in other parts of Bangladesh.
[ 7th October 2020 ]  In Bangladesh, overall exports fell by more than 83 percent in April, and remittances from Bangladeshis abroad fell dramatically.
The Government should also open up additional COVID 19 centres accessible to communities that are well stocked with appropriate equipment to test and effectively treat patients including case surveillance and monitoring among vulnerable communities in both rural and hard to reach areas.
WHO is supporting translation of essential technical materials into local language to improve uptake of messages and support behavioral impact
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ] Health authorities reported 1,203 new cases of Covid 19 after testing 10,859 samples during the period.
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ] Health authorities reported 1,278 new cases of Covid 19 after testing 11,256 samples during this period.
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ]  Bangladesh on Friday reported the death of 17 Covid 19 patients in a day – the lowest since May 28, when the country reported 15 deaths.Currently, the death tally stands at 5,744.
Health Sector strengthened its Rapid Investigation and Response Team  ( RIRT )  coverage in the camps as part of its COVID 19 response with multi sector support, which included providing an induction training on RIRT operations for over 100 staff.
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ]  Currently, there are 80,214 active coronavirus cases in the country.
As part of COVID 19 risk prevention measures and IPC compliance in the host communities and camps, WASH Sector partners disinfected 48,402 WASH facilities and 2,534 public buildings. 5 handwashing stations have also been installed at camp entry points, reaching a total of 107 handwashing stations at camp entry points.
WASH Sector partners reached 265,638 individuals through a neighbourhoodbased approach and 175,520 individuals through mass media with COVID 19 awareness messages in host and Rohingya communities.
In the camps, WASH Sector partners provided soap to 30,919 households and family hygiene kits to 39,350 households; and installed 14,368 hand washing stations, 32 hand washing stations with soak pit and drainage, and 1,158 tippy taps  ( a cost effective handsfree device for handwashing )  and 12,886 stools  ( with bucket and tap )  at householdlevel.
[ 7th October 2020 ]  While migrant workers from urban centers such as Dhaka, Chittagong, Narayanganj, and Gazipur, have returned home to the rural countryside by the tens of thousands, the most vulnerable Bangladeshi migrant workers are returning home from abroad. Since April, more than 127,000 migrant workers have returned from 28 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Maldives, Iraq, Qatar, Malaysia, and Singapore, among others.
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ] So far, 3,77,073 patients have been detected in the country after testing 20,61,528 samples and 18.29 percent of them have turned out to be Covid 19 positive.
CwC WG partners organised COVID 19 awareness announcements via loudspeakers/megaphones in 19 camps. For community feedback/complaints, 80 information service centres in the camps and 3 information service centres in the host community were operational.
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ] Of the total victims, 4,237 are men and 1,263 are women. Among the latest victims, 21 are above 50 years old.
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ] Currently, there are 80,208 active cases in the country.
Shelter/NFI Sector partners also distributed 29 NFI packages including blankets, floor mats, mosquito nets, solar lamps, and kitchen utensils, to quarantine centres.
In 20 camps, 295 Burmese Language Instructors  ( BLIs )  including 10 females shared COVID 19 hygiene messages with 28,355 refugees. BLIs provided COVID 19 education support such as explaining caregiver led learning materials and activities to 53,675 learner households and distributed 500 caregiver guidelines at the household level.
[ 7th October 2020 ]  "For many of these migrants, it isn't a happy homecoming as they have lost their source of income and due to the global recession it is unlikely that they will be able to return to work abroad until the global  [ labor ]  market recovers from the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic," said IOM Bangladesh's Chief of Mission Giorgi Gigauri.
Shelter/NFI Sector partners continued to provide NFI packages, including blankets, floor mats, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, rope, and some solar lamps, to households with older persons. Out of 28,325 households with older persons, Shelter/NFI Sector provided 263 households with NFIs at distribution points and made home deliveries of NFIs to 2,318 households without caretakers.
[ 10 October, Bangladesh ] So far, 2,790 people have died in Dhaka division, 1,111 in Chattogram, 359 in Rajshahi, 447 in Khulna, 193 in Barishal, 235 in Sylhet, 250 in Rangpur and 115 in Mymensingh division.