Workshop on Alternative Approaches for Rohingya Refugees

Workshop on Alternative Approaches for Rohingya Refugees, hosted by United Against Inhumanity (UAI) and United Nations Association in the UK (UNA-UK)

Date: 5 September 2025

Time: 1pm - 5pm BST, 2 pm – 6 pm CEST

Location: Online

With over one million Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh's camps since 2017, the traditional approach of humanitarian relief pending repatriation has proven unsustainable. Funding cuts have led to reduced rations and deteriorating conditions, whilst ongoing conflict in Myanmar's Rakhine State has eliminated prospects for safe return. This workshop will explore bold, alternative medium-term strategies that move beyond the current relief-and-repatriation paradigm.

This workshop is held in preparation for an International High-Level Conference on the Rohingya crisis, New York, 30 September 2025.

Agenda:

13:00–13:15

Introduction to the workshop Florence Duchet – Convener, UAI Task Team

13:15–13:45

The situation in Rakhine State & prospects for repatriation

13:45 – 14:15

Improving conditions for refugees and local communities in Bangladesh

14:45–16:15

Alternative & medium-term approaches to the Rohinga refugee situation

16:15–17:00

Wrap-up and next steps

The speakers will include:

Dr Sultana Khanum is a public health and nutrition expert addressing food shortages and malnutrition, with extensive experience working in Bangladesh.

Lucky Karim is a Rohingya human rights activist, a fellow at Refugees International, and founder of Refugee Women for Peace and Justice (RWPJ).

Shafiur Rahman is a London-based journalist & documentary film-maker who has worked extensively on the Rohingyas, and writes the rohingyarefugees.news newsletter.

Tun Khin is a Rohingya activist and human rights advocate, and President of Burmese Rohingya Association UK.

Dr M Sanjeeb Hossain is Director of Research at BRAC University’s Centre for Peace and Justice. He has led the project “Towards mitigating the precarious status of the Rohingya people in Bangladesh”.

Laetitia van den Assum is a former diplomat, a member of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine state, and a fellow with the Centre for Peace and Justice at BRAC University.

Florence Duchet is the Convener of UAI’s Task Team on Myanmar