MAY 2021 • The urgent need for a regional response for the severe ongoing rights violations affecting refugees, especially women and girls. • The need to include and ensure refugees’ meaningful participation in decision-making with relevant access, resources, and support. • The deteriorating conditions within Myanmar and effects on the region. • The deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the largest number of undocumented returnees to the country. • The alarming security situation in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar: construction of barbed-wire fences, armed groups, COVID-19 restrictions. • The voluntariness of relocations to Bhashan Char and the quality of protection and services. • The use of detention as a form of immigration control despite COVID-19. • Statelessness exacerbates the vulnerabilities of individuals. Statelessness is prevalent throughout the region, with a growing number of vulnerable women and girls denied citizenship and basic rights. Statelessness contributes to barriers to obtaining documentation, denial of access to health, increased poverty, and the risk of detention. COVID-19 exacerbates these challenges and xenophobia is rising as non-citizen populations are targeted as public health risks. APRRN urges States to address statelessness across the region. Reference: https://www.icvanetwork.org/ The original case study was contributed by Ryan Joseph Figueiredo (Equal Asia Foundation). 17