Child Protection System Strengthening and Improvement of Resilience for Adolescents and Youth in Cox’s Bazar

Bangladesh, with a population exceeding 165 million, faces complex demographic and developmental challenges, particularly in vulnerable regions such as Cox’s Bazar. This district, which hosts over 928,000 Rohingya refugees, is under increasing socio-economic pressure due to the influx from Myanmar, existing poverty, and the residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The combined impact of these crises has intensified vulnerabilities, particularly among children, adolescents, and youth in both host and refugee communities.

To inform evidence-based interventions, a baseline study was conducted as part of a larger project aimed at enhancing child and youth welfare in the region. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to establish baseline values for key project indicators to serve as benchmarks for ongoing monitoring and evaluation; (2) to collect relevant data to design a robust M&E framework tailored to the specific challenges and needs of the target population; and (3) to generate a comprehensive beneficiary information base for more strategic and effective implementation.

The study employed a mixed-methods approach involving both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. The quantitative component surveyed 510 respondents including children, adolescents, youth, and parents/caregivers, using a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5%, with an oversampling to adjust for non-responses. The qualitative component included four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and nine Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with government stakeholders and project participants, selected using purposive sampling.

Findings from the baseline will be instrumental in guiding project design, tracking progress, and ensuring that interventions effectively address the evolving needs of the affected communities in Cox’s Bazar, particularly in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas.