World Refugee Day: ‘Australia can do more for Rohingya refugees’ 

Refugee Council of Australia demands government implement pledges it made at 2023 Global Refugee Forum to increase number of refugees it resettles

SYDNEY, Australia (MNTV) — As World Refugee Day is marked globally, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) is calling on the Australian government to fulfill its pledges to increase refugee resettlement, particularly for Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar.

It has called on the government to implement the pledges it made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum to increase the number of refugees it resettles. 

It said the government committed to expanding the Refugee and Humanitarian Program and creating 10,000 additional complementary pathways for refugees.

It said that in Bangladesh, the situation for Rohingya refugees remains dire, with essential services stretched beyond capacity.

Many countries in Asia have not signed on to the 1951 Refugee Convention, meaning refugees in the region often live without legal status, access to healthcare, education, or the ability to work. 

With few options for resettlement, especially after the United States suspended its Refugee Admissions Program earlier this year, refugees are left without basic rights or long-term solutions. 

Australia, as the region’s leading resettlement country, has an important role to play, said RCOA. By supporting local NGOs and refugee-led groups, increasing aid, and working with host governments, Australia can strengthen protection in the region, so refugees do not have to risk dangerous journeys to find safety, it added.  

RCOA Advocacy Coordinator Dr Graham Thom is currently in Cox’s Bazar, one of the largest refugee camps in the world, and has been meeting with humanitarian organisations. “To be in the world’s largest refugee camp, with over 1 million Rohingya refugees, on World Refugee Day, is totally overwhelming,” Thom said. “Recent cuts to aid and development funding have seen over 1,000 teachers lose their jobs, so almost half a million children in Cox’s Bazar are now even further behind.

“The beginning of the monsoon season is also testing the flimsy temporary shelters. Still, the resilience of those we have met is extraordinary. It’s critical that the world continues to work with Bangladesh and does not forget the Rohingya people.”

Noor Azizah, co-founder of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network, NSW Young Woman of the Year 2024 award recipient and former refugee, is also in Cox’s Bazar, and says conditions on the ground are increasingly dangerous. 

“Every night, women tell me they don’t use the toilet after dark – not out of choice, but fear of violence or being killed,” Azizah said. “Many women told me they don’t sleep at night – not because they’re not tired, but because they’re scared their children will be kidnapped while they rest. There is no safety, not even in sleep.”

Australia’s pledges to grow resettlement places, support community sponsorship, and build new pathways through education, employment and family reunion reflect an understanding of the complex needs of refugees, as well as the importance of long-term, durable solutions. But the humanitarian program must grow substantially to meet the scale of need, and complementary pathways must be developed in a way that is additional to the humanitarian program, said RCOA.

Globally, 2024 saw the greatest number of refugees resettled in more than 40 years, with 188,800 refugees beginning new lives in safety. While this marks progress, it is a fraction of what is needed to respond to the growing scale of displacement. Australia has the opportunity, and the responsibility, to play a much greater role, RCOA said.

Deputy CEO of RCOA Adama Kamara said that turning pledges into practice is essential to maintaining Australia’s credibility and compassion.

“Australia’s commitments made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum were significant and welcome, and they must now be delivered on,” said Kamara. “People seeking safety are not statistics. They are future students, workers, leaders and community members. What they need is certainty, dignity, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.”