Guest contributor
Noor Azizah
“Little me in exile in Malaysia could never imagine this,” I thought to myself.
That’s because I walked into the United Nations headquarters in New York City — not as a bystander, but as an adviser to the Australian government at the U.N. High-Level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar.
Inside, global leaders discussed our people’s future. Outside, Rohingya refugees protested — demanding justice, dignity, and the right to return home.
Almost no non-Rohingya stood beside them. That painful contrast between the speeches indoors and the cries outside reflected the deep divide between empathy and action.
Accountability must be at the core
The Myanmar military continues its campaign of persecution and annihilation against the Rohingya, even after being accused of genocide. Yet today, new dangers have emerged.
The Arakan Army (AA), which claims to fight for ethnic Rakhine liberation, has also committed grave abuses against Rohingya civilians — killings, forced recruitment, and the torching of homes.
At the U.N., I heard Rohingya speakers from the refugee camps in Bangladesh and the global diaspora describe the worsening violence, arbitrary arrests, and renewed displacement.
Their testimonies made one thing clear: there can be no durable solution without accountability for all armed actors, whether in uniform or insurgent garb. Justice cannot be selective.
Global pledges, local realities
During the conference, several donor countries announced new humanitarian pledges:
- The United Kingdom committed £28 million ($35 million USD) to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh.
- The United States pledged $170 million USD in new humanitarian assistance across Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia.
While these pledges are appreciated, they remain insufficient in the face of deepening displacement, funding cuts, and growing regional hostility. Humanitarian assistance without political will and accountability risks becoming a cycle of survival without justice.
Ending the Rohingya Crisis — Gender, trafficking, and the role of ASEAN
On September 29, I joined the Women’s Peace Network side event titled “Ending the Rohingya Crisis: Community-Centered Actions for Protection, Justice, and Lasting Peace,” led by Wai Wai Nu.
Held at the U.N. Headquarters, the event brought together Rohingya women leaders, diplomats, and human rights defenders to focus on the gendered impacts of the crisis and pathways to justice.
In my intervention, I spoke about our ongoing work across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand — where the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network (RMCN) documents and responds to human trafficking, organized crime, and sexual violence faced by Rohingya women and girls.
I shared stories from Aceh, Indonesia, where displaced Rohingya women endure extreme conditions in remote camps, often with little international attention.
Many survivors there are victims of maritime trafficking — kidnapped, abused, or impregnated during the journey — only to face detention or hostility upon arrival.
I also addressed the rise of hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation against the Rohingya across Southeast Asia, showing how digital platforms have become tools for dehumanization.
The persecution is no longer confined to Myanmar — it is being replicated online and reinforced across borders.
My message was simple: ending the Rohingya crisis requires more than humanitarian aid. It demands justice, accountability, and regional responsibility — including action from ASEAN countries that continue to host, detain, or deport our people.
Cox’s Bazar at a crossroads — Localising the response
Later that afternoon, I joined another U.N. side event, “Cox’s Bazar at a Crossroads: Why Local Humanitarian Action Matters Now More Than Ever,” organised by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), and BRAC.
Australia, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), opened the discussion by reaffirming its support for localisation and accountability in humanitarian work.
Since 2017, Australia has provided over $1.26 billion AUD in humanitarian assistance for displaced Rohingyas and communities across Myanmar, including a new three-year program of up to $370 million AUD starting in 2026 — its largest humanitarian package in the region.
Through long-standing partnerships with BRAC and the Australian Red Cross, Australia has funded 27 Bangladeshi NGOs under the BRAC Localisation Pooled Fund to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene, education, and skills programs while strengthening local capacity.
On the panel, I shared the story of “Threads of Resilience,” our Rohingya-women-led initiative that empowers displaced women through sewing, storytelling, and collective healing.
I emphasized that localisation is not only about aid efficiency — it is about returning power and agency to communities who know their pain, context, and solutions best.
Resistance, not symbolism
I walked into the U.N. building carrying the memory of every Rohingya woman I’ve met in exile — from the mothers in Aceh to the girls in Cox’s Bazar who dream of education. I wasn’t there as a symbol of hope, but as a reminder of endurance and resistance.
But survival is not justice. Survival is not freedom. Survival is not enough. If the world continues to ignore the Rohingya, one day there may be no Rohingya left to speak at all.
Until that day, we will keep speaking — from the camps to the corridors of power — because silence has never saved us.
Noor Azizah is the co-executive director of the Rohingya Maiyafuinor Collaborative Network, a women-led, Rohingya-led, and refugee-led organization working on Rohingya human rights issues, SGBV, education, and translocal solidarity with a focus on women, peace, and security.
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