Statelessness and Higher Education: The Case of Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

• In Event: Highlighted Session: Higher and adult education in the context of global migration

Proposal

Before August 2017, one million Rohingya lived in Myanmar's Rakhine State, where they made up almost a third of the population. The Myanmar government refused to recognize them as one of the country's 135 official ethnic groups and revoked their citizenship in 1982 (Albert and Maizland, 2020). They were attacked by Buddhist militias aided by the Burmese military causing over 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh where they have lived for the past six years (Kan, 2018). In Bangladesh, their official status is forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMNs), rather than refugees and thus they are deprived of many rights including access to higher education. Hence, the objectives of this study include: 1) to measure perceptions of Rohingya refugees regarding higher education, 2) assess the requirements they would need to meet to pursue higher education, and 3) explore the many obstacles they encounter in pursuing higher education, especially because of their condition as stateless.

The concept of protest within the realm of education has a direct connection to human rights. By undertaking research centered on higher education as a basic human right, we are advocating for the rights of Rohingya refugees who are deprived of higher education opportunities. This research will also serve as a platform for them to express their needs and champion their right to access higher education.

This study is placed at the intersections of human rights and statelessness. Formally acknowledged as a fundamental human entitlement since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, education's significance has been subsequently reaffirmed in a variety of worldwide human rights agreements. These include the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education (1960), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1981). These accords establish the right to free and mandatory primary education for every child, a duty to establish secondary education made accessible to all, along with fair entry to higher education. In addition, according to Ramasubramanyam (2018), statelessness encompasses not only those who have officially lost their nationality, but also those who are unable to access their citizenship rights, such as refugees, asylum seekers, economic immigrants, and even naturalized citizens who may be at risk of losing their citizenship during times of political crisis. This leaves them without legal rights and protection including access to higher education.

This study employs a literature review to inform the exploration of how stateless Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh are able to access higher education. The current body of literature reveals that there have been insufficient endeavors to assist Rohingya refugees in accessing higher education in Bangladesh. They encounter various challenges, including inadequate documentation, financial constraints, psychosocial barriers, and the additional hurdle of political instability. These factors collectively impede the Rohingya refugees' pursuit of higher education opportunities.


Following a qualitative approach, We will conduct semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Bangladesh and Myanmar, as well as in the diaspora. These will include NGO workers, teachers, and camp officials, as well as Rohingya refugees themselves. The collected data will be analyzed using thematic analysis. These interviews will help us gain a comprehensive understanding of their personal experiences, challenges, and aspirations related to higher education. We are especially interested in the refugees’ own stories, perspectives, and unique insights, which will shed light on the complexities of their statelessness and its impact on accessing higher education.

While there is much research on Rohingya refugees and their general challenges, there is a dearth of literature on higher education access. And yet, in our previous field visits to Bangladesh, numerous Rohingya expressed an interest in pursuing higher education with some hoping to continue their studies which were disrupted by the 2017 genocide. By focusing on the Rohingya population in the context of statelessness will help understand how the Rohingya’s context is exacerbated by by complex political and legal challenges associated with it. Investigating how these complexities intersect with higher education access provides a novel angle for research. Also, exploring the aspirations and perspectives of Rohingya refugees toward higher education will provide insights into their desires for self-improvement and integration, which can have implications for social and economic development, as well as psychosocial resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG). In a nutshell, this study will contribute to broader discussions on refugee rights and international policy.

Authors

• William Paul Simmons, The University of Arizona

• Elham Chelabi, The University of Arizona