While primary-level education is generally more available, lack of schools and limited financial resources mean that secondary level students often struggle to continue their studies. Even when they do, education is often not accredited, which means that children leave school with no officially recognised qualification. Adolescent girls experience greater difficulties going to school as cultural attitudes deprioritise girls’ education and they face greater threats to their physical safety when traveling long distances to the nearest school. As a result, girls are much more likely to drop out of school, placing them at greater risk of early marriage and adolescent pregnancy. Without education, children grow up with limited opportunities to build a better life for themselves, and this can have devastating impacts on their emotional and psychological well-being. It also seriously limits their ability to earn an income, often condemning them to a life of poverty. Ongoing persecution in Myanmar and poverty and insecurity in Bangladesh continues to push Rohingya families to undertake perilous sea journeys in the hope of reaching other countries in the region, often aiming to get to Malaysia. These journeys are extremely dangerous, and Rohingya risk death, physical abuse, and exploitation at the hands of ruthless smugglers and human traffickers. Yet governments in the region have often refused to allow these boats to land safely, implementing ‘push‑back’ policies in an attempt to prevent refugees from coming ashore. Unless and until the situation in Myanmar improves, such journeys are likely to continue. PHOTO: ALLISON JOYCE/SAVE THE CHILDREN Across the region, Rohingya children face wideranging threats to their lives, protection, and safety. Their lack of legal status, poor socio-economic position, and limited access to education exposes them to a range of abuses, including physical and domestic violence, child labour, child marriage, drug and alcohol abuse, trafficking, and arrest and detention (often for immigration-related offences). The situation also adversely impacts their psychological and motivational well-being, placing them at risk of mental health problems, self-harm, and developmental impairment. These concerns are even more acute for unaccompanied and separated children. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY education; however, quality varies and lack of resources – including adequate funding, facilities and teaching staff – poses significant challenges. Some 884,041 Rohingya refugees live in refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar District. More than half of them (451,662) are children. iii