Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs, Knowledge, Access, and Barriers to Services Among Rohingya Adolescent Refugee Girls in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

George Palattiyil (), Md. Tariqul Islam Limon, S. M. Niaz Mowla, Raihan Mahmood Kadery, Dipak Kumar Mitra, Habibur Rahman, Pritom Muztahid, Dina Pervez Sidhva and Harish Nair
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George Palattiyil: Social Work, School of Social and Political Science, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, UK
Md. Tariqul Islam Limon: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
S. M. Niaz Mowla: World Health Organization, Country Office for Bangladesh, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
Raihan Mahmood Kadery: Global One Bangladesh Country Office, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
Dipak Kumar Mitra: Department of Public Health, North South University, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
Habibur Rahman: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Pritom Muztahid: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Dina Pervez Sidhva: Social Work, School of Education and Social Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley PA1 2BE, UK
Harish Nair: Centre for Global Health, Usher Building, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, UK

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: This paper examines the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge, experiences, service access, and unmet needs of Rohingya adolescent refugee girls living in the camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The refugee population in these camps is approximately 1.3 million, with more than half under the age of 18 and girls representing over one quarter of the total. Given the growing proportion of adolescent girls, SRH knowledge and service provision are critical both for the refugee community and for Bangladesh’s broader sustainable development goals. Drawing on direct accounts from adolescent girls and insights from community-based key informants, this research explores levels of SRH awareness, willingness to seek care, encounters with sexual violence, understanding of sexually transmitted diseases, and reproductive health priorities. It also identifies barriers to service delivery faced by healthcare and humanitarian providers. The findings highlight how cultural norms, social constraints, and religious beliefs intersect with structural barriers—including lack of education, financial dependence, gender-based violence, and the need for parental or spousal consent—to restrict access to SRH services. Despite these challenges, some participants reported successfully receiving reproductive health care. This paper calls for coordinated action from the government, humanitarian agencies, and social service organisations to improve both the availability and accessibility of SRH services for adolescent refugee girls. Strategies should include enhanced outreach, culturally responsive engagement, and sustained follow-up care to promote safety, dignity, and well-being within the camps.

Keywords: Rohingya refugees; adolescent girls; early marriage; sexual and reproductive health; service access; barriers to care; gender-based violence; Cox’s Bazar (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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