States of denial A review of UNHCR’s response to the protracted situation of stateless Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

In December 2008, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees launched a Special Initiative on
Protracted Refugee Situations, intended to promote durable solutions and improvements in
living standards for the world’s growing number of long-term refugees.
Several refugee situations were identified for particular attention in the context of this
initiative, including Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan, refugees in Croatia and Serbia,
Eritrean refugees in eastern Sudan, Burundian refugees in Tanzania and Rohingya refugees
from Myanmar in Bangladesh.
UNHCR’s Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES) is currently reviewing the
progress that has been made in the implementation of the special initiative, focusing on the
extent to which UNHCR has been able to (a) exercise its mandate for durable solutions; (b)
play a catalytic role in relation to the engagement of other actors; and (c) improve the quality
of life for refugees while the search for solutions continues.