Continuing to engage the Government of Bangladesh on medium-term solutions is critical. Having gathered refugees’ perspectives, the challenge will be ensuring that they are properly considered and used to inform the response. The goals and aspirations of refugees and their perspectives on what would make a difference to their lives in the medium term are currently constrained by strong policy positions on the part of the Government of Bangladesh on access to education and the legal right to work. The government continues to fear that moderating these policies will encourage more Rohingya across the border, and increase resentment among impoverished people in the host environment. There are signs that the government may be relaxing some policy positions on third-country resettlement, and there may be opportunities for further dialogue on access to education with the World Bank’s education programming under their refugee sub-window fund. These developments show that, while it will take time, sustained dialogue between donors, governments, multilateral banks and other international organisations can shift the policy environment. Continuing to ensure that these efforts are in line with the goals and aspirations of refugees and their perspectives will require further work on engaging with refugees. In order to ensure that refugee perspectives are integrated in policy discussions on their future, and based on the findings of this research, the study recommends the following in Bangladesh: Recommendation 1: Continue to press for adequate levels of funding to improve living conditions in camps for Rohingya refugees As displacement becomes protracted and funding declines, the situation facing Rohingya refugees in camps in Cox’s Bazar could quickly worsen, and could be used to encourage premature return (see Crisp, 2018). Instead, responses should look historically at the importance of maintaining adequate conditions in the camps, including improving the provision of basic services (shelter, WASH, healthcare), and improving community representation and social cohesion (as outlined below). Recommendation 2: Effective communication and engagement of refugees As a starting point, clear communication with refugees about their options and the intentions of the Government of Bangladesh would help ease anxiety and tension. Immediate action could include strengthening current communication strategies on humanitarian aid to incorporate more information on medium-term issues, as well as clearer engagement on government positions. This would need action 28 from humanitarian organisations present in the camps already engaging with refugees on short-term needs, as well as in discussion with the Government of Bangladesh. Future plans for relocation or voluntary return will need to involve careful community consultation based on an understanding of the Rohingyas’ desire not to be uprooted again. As pointed out in this report, communications and community engagement should endeavour to be face to face, including household visits to reach women who may not leave their homes. Recommendation 3: Continue with surveys on medium-term aspirations and support The international community, in particular stakeholders involved in discussing solutions to the Rohingya crisis, should continue surveying refugees’ medium- to long-term aspirations and needs. Representative quantitative surveys should be accompanied by qualitative methods. Based on the evidence gathered in this study, individual interviews with refugees in their homes would best ensure that refugees’ views are gathered in ways that fit with their preferences. Such research and gathering of perspectives should further extend to encapsulate the views of host and affected Bangladeshi communities so as to ensure that policy changes also benefit them in addressing legitimate grievances among host populations. Quantitative and qualitative work is needed to ensure that women are engaged and their voices, priorities and potential are well represented. Recommendation 4: Improve community engagement, community relationships and camp governance While individual engagement is refugees’ preferred approach, it is also a symptom of a fragmented community life and leadership. Further study and efforts should be geared towards identifying opportunities to build trust among refugees and between refugees and leadership structures, including through increased refugee representation and strengthened accountability and oversight mechanisms for existing governance structures. Community engagement should be structured in a way that guarantees participation and representation (in particular women’s perspectives) and empowers the Rohingya people to find solutions to their displacement in the short, medium and long term. Three elements would be needed to take this forward: • Building the political will among the Bangladeshi authorities and international donors to engage the Rohingya in the ways suggested above, and to finance capacity-building assistance. Uncertain futures: Rohingya refugees’ perspectives on their displacement in Bangladesh