SSI welcomes Australian government commitment to Rohingya refugees and host communities

The $25.3 million in funding – part of an ongoing commitment from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – will support life-saving assistance, skills development and disaster risk reduction initiatives for Rohingya communities in Cox’s Bazar, where more than one million refugees continue to live in challenging conditions amid declining global humanitarian funding. 

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the announcement reinforced the importance of sustained international engagement and long-term investment in refugee protection across the Asia-Pacific region. 

“I visited Cox’s Bazar myself earlier this year and it’s hard to put into words the immense challenges facing Rohingya refugees, but also the extraordinary resilience, leadership and strength within the community,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“We met women, young people and community leaders who are building opportunities for others despite living in circumstances that most of us can barely imagine. Australia’s continued support sends an important message that the Rohingya people have not been forgotten.” 

For more than a decade, SSI has supported refugee-led initiatives in the region through partnerships that recognise refugees not simply as recipients of assistance, but as leaders, advocates and agents of change.  

Most recently, SSI has supported the Asia-Pacific Refugee Rights Network’s work with Shanti Mohila, a Rohingya women’s network in Cox’s Bazar that is empowering survivors of sexual and gender-based violence through peer support, leadership development, literacy training, advocacy and community organising. 

“Community-led responses are often the most effective and resilient in times of crisis because they are grounded in trust, lived experience and local knowledge,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“Our experience in Cox’s Bazar confirmed what we have seen throughout our work across the region: when refugees are supported to lead, communities are stronger, solutions are more sustainable and outcomes are more meaningful.” 

SSI said the announcement should also serve as a reminder that humanitarian assistance alone is not enough. Sustained regional cooperation, refugee participation and long-term solutions remain essential. 

“We commend the Australian government for showing leadership and stepping up its response to the largest displacement crisis in our Asia-Pacific region.” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“Australia has an opportunity to continue demonstrating leadership by expanding safe and accessible pathways for refugees, including resettlement, education, labour mobility, family reunion and community sponsorship pathways in addition to our existing refugee intake, ensuring that stateless and undocumented refugees are not left behind.” 

SSI also renewed its call for stronger investment in refugee-led organisations and leadership pathways across the region. 

“Durable solutions are most effective when they are shaped by refugees themselves. Governments, donors and international partners should invest directly in refugee leadership, community capacity and refugee-led organisations, not only in service delivery,” Ms Roumeliotis said. 

“No single country can address displacement challenges alone. The future requires collective action, regional collaboration and genuine partnership between governments, civil society, international agencies and refugee communities.”