Systematic human rights violations, traumatic events, daily stressors and mental health of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

Andrew Riley,Mohammed Noor,Yasmin Akther,Rahmat Ali,Courtney Welton-Mitchell

doi:10.1186/s13031-020-00306-9

Andrew Riley, Mohammed Noor + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-020-00306-9

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Abstract

BackgroundAlmost 900,000 Rohingya refugees currently reside in refugee camps in Southeastern Bangladesh. Prior to fleeing Myanmar, Rohingya experienced years of systematic human rights violations, in addition to other historical and more recent traumatic events such as the burning of their villages and murder of family members, friends and neighbors. Currently, many Rohingya struggle to meet basic needs in refugee camps in Bangladesh and face mental health-related concerns that appear linked to such challenges. The purpose of this study is to describe systematic human rights violations, traumatic events, daily stressors, and mental health symptoms and to examine relationships between these factors.MethodsCross-sectional data was collected from a representative sample of 495 Rohingya refugee adults residing in camps in Bangladesh in July and August of 2018.ResultsRespondents reported high levels of systematic human rights violations in Myanmar, including restrictions related to expressing thoughts, meeting in groups, travel, religious practices, education, marriage, childbirth, healthcare, and more. Events experienced in Myanmar included exposure to gunfire (99%), destruction of their homes (93%), witnessing dead bodies (92%), torture (56%), forced labor (49%), sexual assault (33%), and other events. More than half (61%) of participants endorsed mental health symptom levels typically indicative of PTSD, and more than two thirds (84%) endorsed levels indicative of emotional distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression). Historic systematic human rights violations, traumatic events, and daily stressors were associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress, as well as depression and anxiety. Respondents reported numerous stressors associated with current life in the camps in Bangladesh as well as previous stressors, such as harassment, encountered in Myanmar.ConclusionsFindings underscore the impact of systematic human rights violations, targeted violence, and daily stressors on the mental health of Rohingya in Bangladesh. Those working with Rohingya should consider the role of such factors in contributing to poor mental health. This research has the potential to inform interventions targeting such elements. Future research should examine the relationships between mental health and human rights violations over time.

Highlights

Almost 900,000 Rohingya refugees currently reside in refugee camps in Southeastern Bangladesh
There, they joined thousands of other Rohingya refugees already living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh as a result of past waves of violence and oppression
The purpose of this study is to describe systematic human rights violations, traumatic events, daily stressors, and mental health symptoms, and to examine associations between these factors

Summary

Introduction

Almost 900,000 Rohingya refugees currently reside in refugee camps in Southeastern Bangladesh. Prior to fleeing Myanmar, Rohingya experienced years of systematic human rights violations, in addition to other historical and more recent traumatic events such as the burning of their villages and murder of family members, friends and neighbors. Throughout the last several decades, life for the Rohingya in Myanmar has been increasingly characterized by systematic deprivation and human rights violations, with official state policies in place to restrict Rohingya in their ability to marry, travel, have children, access medical care, attend schools, and more [1, 2]. During a severe wave of violence in 2017, more than 200 Rohingya villages were destroyed, resulting in more than 700,000 Rohingya fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh [4,5,6] There, they joined thousands of other Rohingya refugees already living in camps in southeastern Bangladesh as a result of past waves of violence and oppression. The most recent refugees are concentrated in the Balukhali/Kutupalong mega camp, which is the largest refugee camp in the world [7]

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