Saleem al-Arakani, Executive Director of the Arakan Humanitarian Association, said that serving the Rohingya cause is not limited to implementing projects on the ground, but also requires keeping the issue on the agenda of institutions, donors, experts and decision-makers.
His remarks came as the association participated on Friday in the 40th Board Meeting of the Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (UNIW) in Malaysia, with the aim of strengthening the presence of the Rohingya cause in international forums.
Al-Arakani delivered a strategic presentation addressing the situation of the Rohingya and the humanitarian, educational, developmental and institutional challenges they face, based on a vision that links protecting people with building their capacity to shape the future.
He also presented the association’s vision of moving from relief to stability, from stability to education, and from education to capacity-building, ultimately leading to participation, leadership and creating impact, enabling Rohingya individuals to become active partners in building their community.
In his remarks, he also addressed interconnected gaps that require a collective response, foremost among them displacement and vulnerability, education, gaps in skills and competencies, and weak institutional capacities.
He also highlighted gaps in knowledge and media that affect the continued presence of the Rohingya cause in public awareness.
At the conclusion of its participation, the Arakan Humanitarian Association called for the development of a strategic partnership framework around the Rohingya cause that goes beyond the traditional model of funding individual projects and brings together humanitarian action, education, training, universities, research, knowledge, media and technology.
The Arakan Humanitarian Association specialises in providing relief and support to the Rohingya. It aims to highlight their suffering inside and outside Myanmar, meet their humanitarian needs, help provide them with a dignified life, support their scientific, cultural, social and economic development, and develop leaders from within the Rohingya community who are capable of advancing their community.
