Rohingya women build confidence and independence through adult learning in Cox’s Bazar

Author: Magfuzur Rahman Shana

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh — In the Rohingya refugee camps, the day begins before sunrise. Narrow alleys are already alive with movement as families prepare for another day shaped by survival, routine and resilience. Amid the tightly packed shelters, 47-year-old Amina (name changed for her protection), begins her morning by preparing breakfast for her three children.

Amina’s husband no longer lives with them, having chosen a separate life with a second wife. The responsibility of caring for the household rests solely on her shoulders. In the camps, every day demands careful planning, knowing where to go, whom to approach, and how to navigate a complex humanitarian environment made up of service centres, camp-in-charge offices and multiple humanitarian actors. Those who cannot read or write must constantly rely on others.

For Amina, illiteracy had long been a painful limitation: “I felt helpless. I had to ask people about everything: what time to go for rations; when the water would come.”

Amina’s world was shaped by waiting for others to interpret information for her, leaving her feeling excluded and unheard.

When a neighbour told her about the Multi-Purpose Women’s Centre (MPWC), located within walking distance of her shelter, she described it as a safe space where women could learn to read and write and gain practical knowledge for daily life.

“At first, I was afraid,” Amina says. “I had never been to school. I thought learning at my age was impossible, and I was scared of failing.”

But the Accelerated Adult Learning (AAL) programme was designed for learners with no prior literacy experience. Lessons combined reading and writing with practical life skills, supported by visual aids that helped connect words with meaning. Most importantly, the teachers approached learning with patience, empathy and encouragement.

“When the learners joined, they could not read or write. Today, they recognize their names and addresses, do basic calculations, and are dreaming of a better future for their children.” explains Aziza, an AAL Teacher at the MPWC.

“I am a slow learner,” Amina admits. “But my MPWC teacher never gave up on me. She explained again and again until I understood. … Step-by-step, I started to recognize numbers and read simple words. … The day I signed my own name for the first time, instead of using my thumbprint, everything changed for me. Now, wherever I go, I can sign for myself and I no longer depend on neighbours.”

The impact on Amina’s daily life has been profound. She can walk into camp offices, recognize their names and navigate services with greater confidence and independence.

Her literacy journey has also strengthened her determination to support her children’s education. She is also encouraging other women in her block to enrol in literacy programmes, sharing her own experience as motivation.

The training has equally opened new possibilities for her future. Now aware of other skills-building opportunities in the camp, she dreams of learning embroidery and tailoring, transforming literacy into a pathway towards income-generation.

“I want to keep learning,” she says simply. “Because learning changes everything.”

Through investments in women’s empowerment through AAL, UN Women, with the support of the Embassies of Japan, Sweden and Switzerland in Bangladesh, is strengthening the capacity of MPWCs and Women’s Markets across the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh.

Altogether, 389 women (240 Rohingya women and 149 host community women) strengthened their basic literacy and numeracy skills through AAL and Second Chance Education programmes provided at UN Women-supported MPWCs in 2025.

According to Silja Rajander, UN Women Head of Sub-Office, Cox’s Bazar: “Education is essential for the dignity, agency and leadership of Rohingya women and girls – and to the futures they are building.”