Figure 3. Key findings: Impact on women and girls MARRIAGES Marriages in which dowries were exchanged, sometimes driving debt Households that have had a daughter leave the camp shelter due to marriage 24% 81% 43% of households report that women venture outside of the shelter for nonessential reasons 12% of households report that women contribute to family income 85% of these households report that women venture out more than they did in Myanmar RECOMMENDATIONS six is roughly 5,040 taka per month. The average reported household income is 2,648 taka. However, 45 percent of households report no income at all and are entirely dependent on aid. Income tends to be correlated with a family’s education level and having a relative abroad. Registered refugee households that arrived in Bangladesh in earlier waves of displacement also tend to earn more than the newly arrived. All groups experience economic hardship, however, and 91 percent of families find it difficult to make ends meet. This paper makes recommendations to address the challenges and alleviate the hardships faced by Rohingya families while preparing for a more durable solution to the crisis. The first set of recommendations aims to address long-term family separation. Ensuring that families maintain ties and the ability to communicate and support each other is critical to optimize their chances for successful relocation or repatriation in the future. The second set of recommendations aims to expand opportunities for economic self-reliance and resilience while more sustainable solutions remain out of reach. The main recommendations are summarized below and further developed in the concluding chapter of this report. Debt is high: 83 percent of families have taken out a loan since arriving in Bangladesh; 74 percent reported being in debt at the time of the survey. The average amount of household debt is 13,923 taka, equal to five times the average monthly household income. Supporting separated families ● Facilitate communication across borders by restoring and improving internet access in the camps and allowing camp residents to use biometric smartcards as identification to purchase and register SIM cards. ● Support the documentation of Rohingya-owned assets left in Myanmar. ● Improve transparent access to data relevant to the repatriation process. ● Use bilateral cooperation to support the reunification of families with members living in countries with active resettlement programs. KEY FINDINGS: IMPACTS ON WOMEN AND GIRLS Among the 43 percent of households in which women report venturing outside the home (for non-essential reasons), 85 percent go out more than when they were living in Myanmar. Twelve percent of women contribute to their household’s income, often through incomegenerating activities undertaken inside the shelter or as NGO volunteers (volunteers are paid a small stipend). Improving well-being and economic resilience There has been a high rate of marriage in the camps, with 24 percent of families having had a daughter leave the shelter to move in with her husband. Dowries were given to the groom’s family in 81 percent of these camp marriages (figure 3). Dowry costs vary greatly: for marriages in which they took place, 19 percent of payments amounted to 20,000 taka or less, while 25 percent amounted to over 60,000 taka. While dowry payments can bring economic relief to the groom’s family, they represent a financial sacrifice and a primary source of debt for the bride’s family. ● Expand access to livelihood opportunities for camp residents. ● Improve pathways for Rohingya voices to be heard in decisions that affect them. ● Improve access to financial services to mitigate debt. ● Anticipate the impact of the current economic downturn on access to remittances. ● Balance increased livelihood support to refugees by also investing in sustainable development solutions for host communities. 8