WFP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific - 2016 SPRs RBB 2016 SPRs by country | Page 160

Standard Project Report 2016
In the Cox's Bazar district, up to 34,000 registered Rohingya refugees from Myanmar live in two official refugee
camps managed by the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner of the Ministry of Disaster Management and
Relief. An additional estimated 35,000 unregistered persons from Myanmar live in two main makeshift settlements
in the area, in impoverished conditions. They typically face higher food insecurity, malnutrition rates and protection
concerns.
Progress has been uneven across different socioeconomic groups, with improvements in the food security of poorer
populations much slower than wealthier groups. Gender parity continues to elude the country as women and girls
face greater food insecurity and are more likely to carry the burden of negative coping strategies (like reduced
meals or less food). Moreover the prevalence of child marriage and adolescent pregnancies contribute to the
hindrances women and girls face in actively engaging in education and work and contribute to the cycle of
undernutrition. The low social status of women and girls is reflected by Bangladesh's 107th rank in the Gender
Development Index and 115th rank in the Gender Inequality Index in 2015. Violence against women is also
widespread in Bangladesh, with 73 percent reportedly subject to domestic violence during their lifetime. Moreover,
the International Labour Organization reported in 2015 that 1.2 million children are trapped in the worst forms of
child labour in Bangladesh.
Food security and nutrition concerns are compounded by the country's high population density and susceptibility to
natural disasters. While there has been notable expansion in education, the quality of education in Bangladeshi
schools remains a concern, as are high drop-out rates. Female secondary education enrolment increased from 47
percent to 57 percent from 2008 to 2012, implying that more future mothers are educated than ever before. This is
significant as it is likely to make them more receptive to behavioural change efforts and since maternal education is
known to be associated with enhanced intergenerational nutrition outcomes.
Response of the Government and Strategic Coordination
The Government of Bangladesh is in the process of incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG) into its Sixth Five Year Plan and developing compatible sectoral targets and action plans.
WFP activities align with SDG 2, “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote
sustainable agriculture”. The Government's priorities related to SDG 2 include: 1) consolidating safety nets including
those that focus on food security in line with the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS); 2) introducing a child
benefit programme to improve nutritional outcomes in young children as per NSSS; and 3) implementing the
nutrition policy with a view to reducing the stunting prevalence amongst children 6-59 months from 36 to 25 percent
and their underweight prevalence from 32 to 20 percent by 2020.
The 2015 NSSS aims to reform the national social protection system to prioritise support to the poorest and most
vulnerable people, to expand urban cover