Aid organisations have welcomed a $15 million boost to Australia's contribution to help the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, saying the money is "literally saving lives".
The funding, which was announced on Saturday by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, brings Australia's contribution to $46.5 million since September 2017.
The United Nations estimates about 900,000 Rohingya are living in packed camps in the Cox's Bazar area of Bangladesh and a recent downpour that damaged shelters has fuelled fears of what might be to come in the monsoon season.
"It's a situation that really has to be seen to be believed," Save The Children's director of policy Mat Tinkler told AAP on Saturday.
The money allocated by Australia will help child protection services and counselling for women and girls. Source: AAP
"That is money is literally saving lives on the ground in Bangladesh right now."
Mr Tinkler visited the camps late last year and says its occupants have built basic shelters on what were previously jungle-covered hills.
In between them are "essentially rivers of human filth".
"Everything is a struggle in that environment," he said.
"It's a very dire situation in Bangladesh right now and therefore every little bit of funding helps."
The money will go towards the delivery of food, shelter and medical services.
It will also help child protection services and counselling for women and girls who've survived sexual violence.
"Imagine being a parent in a place like this where there's no street lights, there's no secure layout for roads - it's a very dark and difficult place to get around," Mr Tinkler said.
"Imagine that scenario when you've got young children and if you let them out of your sight for a few minutes, the risk to your children is enormous."
The federal funding boost follows a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, who has been in Sydney for the Global Summit of Women.
