The Bishop of Coventry joined calls for the UK government to step up its response to the crisis in Myanmar on Thursday as he warned women and girls were being systematically raped.
Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth's comments came as Médecins Sans Frontières warned Rohingya children, some as young as 10, were being treated for rape in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleering Rakhine state in Myanmar.
Of those coming to the clinic for treatment, 'about 50 per cent are aged 18 or under, including one girl who was nine years old and several others under the age of 10,' an MSF spokesman said according to the Guardian.
Speaking in a debate in the House of Lords Bishop Cocksworth warned of a 'deep human tragedy' and an 'extreme violation of humanity' as he called on ministers to act.
'I have heard terrible reports of children being trafficked and women being raped. Help is needed to stop starving Rohingyas being lured into drug trafficking as carriers,' he told peers.
Christian children's charity World Vision said it was expanding its relief efforts and planned to distribute tarpaulins for shelters this weekend before opening a support centre for traumatised women and girls.
Margarettha Siregar, World Vision's Bangladesh Humanitarian Response Manager, said: 'The authorities are doing their very best to support the huge numbers of refugees that have poured across the border, but these makeshift camps are densely populated and the needs are overwhelming.'
She added: 'We know from working directly with children in the camps that they have a number of competing vulnerabilities. They have seen and experienced the most brutal violence imaginable. Many are alone with no family to support them.'
Amy Johnson, World Vision UK's Political Advocacy Officer, said: 'Immediate funding of child protection programming is essential to ensure children's well-being and survival during and after the crisis, but sadly it is often forgotten.
'We hope the bishop's call for greater protection of vulnerable women and girls will encourage the government to lead the way on child protection in this underfunded humanitarian response.'
