The United Nations (UN) Card, Identity, and Negotiations of Health among Rohingya Refugees

Md Mahbubur Rahman and Mohan J. Dutta ()
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Md Mahbubur Rahman: Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE), School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, Massey University, Manawatu Campus, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
Mohan J. Dutta: Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE), School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, Massey University, Manawatu Campus, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: Being persecuted and expelled from Myanmar, Rohingya refugees are now distributed throughout the world. The Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia has been a preferred destination for Rohingyas fleeing Myanmar’s state-sponsored genocide and more recently in a bid to change their fates from the refugee camps in Bangladesh. Refugees are one of the most vulnerable groups in Malaysia and often face dire circumstances, in which their health and wellbeing are compromised. Amidst a plethora of structural challenges, Rohingya refugees try to claim some of their rights with the aid of the UN card (UNHCR ID cards) in Malaysia. Guided by the culture-centered approach (CCA), this study examined the perspectives and experiences of healthcare among Rohingya refugees while living in Malaysia, now resettled in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The participants’ narratives showed that the UN card not only materialized their refugee status in Malaysia but also offered them a way of living in a world where documents anchor the materiality of health.

Keywords: Rohingya refugee; UN card; documents; identity; health; Malaysia; New Zealand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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