Duchess Sophie finds how simple bar of soap is helping women rebuild their lives

A longtime champion of women and children, the Duchess of Edinburgh met refugees in Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Sophie arrived at a UNICEF Learning Centre in Camp 4, Cox’s Bazar, wearing a blue printed skirt with a white blouse and a warm tan scarf. 

She spent time with children living in the camp, including Year 6 pupils, hearing about their education and the challenges they face after being displaced from their homes in Myanmar.

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The visit formed part of the Duchess’s work on Women, Peace and Security, with a particular focus on the experiences of women and girls affected by conflict and displacement.

During the day, Sophie also visited a safe space for women and girls, where she heard about the support available to survivors and the importance of providing a secure environment in which they can speak openly about their experiences and hopes for the future.

She also toured a facility supporting people with disabilities, including an Assistive Device Repair Pilot Workshop run by Humanity & Inclusion. 

One of the more practical stops on the Duchess’s visit was a soap factory operated by local NGO the Programme for Helpless and Lagged Societies (PHALS).

Sophie watched as pink blocks of soap were made and cut, and got a closer look at how it is helping women develop skills and earn an income. 

More than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees have fled persecution and violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State since 2017, seeking safety in the sprawling camps around Cox’s Bazar.

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