Sexual and reproductive health needs, knowledge, access, and barriers to services among Rohingya adolescent refugee girls in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

This paper examines the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge, experiences, service access, and unmet needs of Rohingya adolescent refugee girls living in the camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The refugee population in these camps is approximately 1.3 million, with more than half under the age of 18 and girls representing over one quarter of the total. Given the growing proportion of adolescent girls, SRH knowledge and service provision are critical both for the refugee community and for Bangladesh’s broader sustainable development goals. Drawing on direct accounts from adolescent girls and insights from community-based key informants, this research explores levels of SRH awareness, willingness to seek care, encounters with sexual violence, understanding of sexually transmitted diseases, and reproductive health priorities. It also identifies barriers to service delivery faced by healthcare and humanitarian providers. The findings highlight how cultural norms, social constraints, and religious beliefs intersect with structural barriers—including lack of education, financial dependence, gender-based violence, and the need for parental or spousal consent—to restrict access to SRH services. Despite these challenges, some participants reported successfully receiving reproductive health care. This paper calls for coordinated action from the government, humanitarian agencies, and social service organisations to improve both the availability and accessibility of SRH services for adolescent refugee girls. Strategies should include enhanced outreach, culturally responsive engagement, and sustained follow-up care to promote safety, dignity, and well-being within the camps.