Camp planning – Sites and Shelters

1. Camp planning – Sites and Shelters 2018. 09. 29. Dr. BESENYŐ JÁNOS

2. Agenda • Managing Camps during emergencies • Self-settled camps/spontaneous camps/Planned Camps • Site Selection Concerns • Site Selection/Security • Access to site/Environmental Issues/Size/Location and Topography • Availability of Resources water, Fuelwood and Construction Materials • Cultural and Social Issues/Availability of Land or Buildings • Site planning/psychical/family/special needs • „Building block” approach • Layout and Design • Water Sanitation and Hygiene • Sphere Minimum Standards • Camp set-up/improvement responsibilities

5. Managing Camps during emergencies • Camps are a last resort and should be established only when other solutions are neither feasible nor preferable. In most circumstances they form spontaneously. In any case they are meant to be a temporary solution. • Refugee camps seldom function well. - They should be the last choice for provision of shelter; • Based from careful assessment of the need to establish camps and the existing environmental condition: • Protect refugees, save life's; • Administrative control; • Managing needs – cost effective - planning; • Health & prevention of disease; • Provision of basic services; • Protection of environment; • Available resources for shelter management • Coordination with local authorities • Services needed in camps or shelters

6. Self-settled camps/spontaneous camps • Often people have already fled and reside in self-settled/spontaneous camps when the first humanitarian assistance arrives. It is then a question of improving what already exists; • Self-settled/spontaneous camps are often situated on poor and possibly hazardous sites, or situated too close to areas of insecurity; • Permission to use the site chosen is usually informal and requires renegotiation; • They are usually too dense to meet international standards and local and international good practices; • reorganizing or relocating self settled camps may not be as urgent as the immediate delivery of goods and services – understand the reasons why are theythere; • Reorganizing will make management easier, more efficient, more participatory and safer; • The Camp Management Agency will assume the same responsibilities when reorganizing a self-settled camp and follow identical standards as used for planned camps.

8. Planned Camps • Generally, the camp set-up phase entails site selection andsite planning. Ideally, sites are selected and planned beforethe arrival of the displaced population. • In disaster-pronecountries siting of the camp and several other preparednessactivities can be planned and conducted in advance, in particularwhen displacement is seasonal, perhaps weatherrelated.These preparedness activities may include: • building the capacity of national authorities • establishing effective channels of communication withthe local communities • identifying land and buildings • understanding issues around water, pastoral rights and • access to arable land which may be used to host thedisplaced population • pre-positioning of shelters (tents), food and non-fooditems.

9. Site Selection Concerns • Locations: • Security and protection; Access to site; Environmental issues; • Water supply/Water table? • Conditions: • Size/Surface area, Geography and Topography • Availability of Resources - Water, Fuelwood andConstruction Materials • Trees and Vegetation, Environmental and Disease Risks • Cultural and Social Issues • Availability of Land or Buildings

10. Site Selection/Security • A camp’s location could enhance or jeopardize the protectionof displaced populations. Situate site to protect it against threats from: • authorities of country of origin • Bandits • the local population • others? • Standard - sites should be safe for refugees and displaced • Indicator - site is located more than 50 k from the border or one day’s travel on foot from any frontline, border, mined area or other hazards. • Consider: • relationship between refugees and local community - past and present • compatibility of local community and refugees (ethnic origin, customs, religion, etc.)

11. Access to site • Sites must be easily accessible in all seasons in order to ensurethe regular provision of relief supplies, mobility to pursuelivelihoods and access to essential services such as healthcare. When the camp is near to services which existed priorto the camp being established, negotiations will be requiredwith the national authorities and the community to ensurethat the camp population has equal access.

12. Environmental Issues • Landrights, contested ownership; • National parks, wildlifesanctuaries, conservationareasorpotentiallyvulnerableecosystems; • Distancefromareas of particularimportanceforreligiousortraditionalfestivals, monuments, historicbuildings, memorialsites and cemeteries; • Scarcespace (presence of landmines, contamination, etc.) • Naturalhazards (landslide; floods, hurricane and earthquakes) – hazardmapping; • Climate, wind; • surface and undergroundwater sources - Dealing with waste, solid or liquid; • Vegetation, water – grazing, livestock; • Diseasepatterns

13. 3 m 2m 100m Indicators of an acceptable site • site ground level at min. 3 meters above water table • good site drainage - gently sloping site @ 2%slope • 2%

14. Size • Sphere Project the minimum space requiredper capita is 45m2, including roads and footpaths, communalcooking areas, educational facilities, recreational areas, sanitation,firebreaks, administration, water storage, distributionareas, markets, storage and limited kitchen gardens for individualhouseholds. • Where the communal services are providedby already existing facilities outside the camp the minimumsurface area is 30m2for each person. • UNHCRHandbook in Emergencies the recommended minimum surfacearea per person is 30m2including public space, such asroads and paths, market areas, health care facilities, schoolsand administrative buildings. • In general, camp populations should not exceed 20,000 toensure proper provision of services and social cohesion. However,large-scale displacement and/or a lack of suitable landmay require that camps accommodate significantly moreindividuals, in which case new neighborhoods should bedeveloped.

15. Location and Topography • Should permit easy drainage and the siteshould be locatedabove flood level; • Rocky, impermeablesoil should be avoided; • Area should benaturally protectedfrom adverse weather conditions; • Land covered with grass will prevent dust, but bushes and excessive vegetation can harbor insects, rodents, reptiles, etc. and should be avoided or cleared; • Steep slopes, narrow valleys, and ravines should be avoided; • Ideally, the site should have a slope of 2–4% for good drainage, and not more than 10% to avoid erosion; • Area should be naturally protected from adverse weather conditions; • Areas adjacent to commercial and industrial zones, exposed to noise, odors, air pollution and other nuisances should be avoided.

16. Availability of Resources Water, Fuelwood andConstruction Materials • Availability of water - Short supply can causeoutbreaks of disease and death, as well as conflict. Before asite is selected, it is important to calculate the estimated dailywater needs of the camp. • Fuel for cooking and/or heating- A survey may be required to assess expectedcooking and heating needs of the population, especiallyif wood is the main fuel source - fuel-saving stovesand energy-saving practices should be introduced and otherwood-saving alternatives explored. • The availability of construction materials - It must be determined what materialsare traditionally used, their availability at the new site or, ifthose materials are not available, what the alternatives are. • Trees and Vegetation - Trees, vegetation and topsoil at the site should be preservedto the extent possible in order to provide shade, reduce soilerosion, cut down on dust and speed the eventual rehabilitationof the site • Environmental and Disease Risks - Sites vulnerable to flooding, high winds, significant snowfalland other environmental risks should be avoided.

17. Cultural and Social Issues • The cultural and social context of the displaced population is an important factor in site selection. They are often considered as second priority when national authorities are urgently identifying a suitable site. • Camp staff must understand the disorientation or stress a community may experience upon relocation to a new and unfamiliar area, as well as understand the stress a surrounding community may also face. Examples: • pastoral groups now forced to live in a communal environment • formerly urban populations who now find themselves living in a semi-rural camp environment • relatively well-off communities now sharing cramped accommodation in a collective centre • ethnically, religiously, or geographically different groups now sharing space and resources. • There may be competition over resources between displaced and host communities but they often mutually benefit through business, labour exchange and trade.

18. Availability of Land or Buildings • Different stakeholders often have their own interests in identifying certain sites and avoiding others. Consequently, displaced populations can be settled in isolated, remote or otherwise inappropriate sites purportedly for reasons such as security or avoiding conflict over local resources. • site is identified, it is important to clarify landownership and land rights - involve local communities and leaders. Traditional land-use rights are highly sensitive. • The validity of a formal agreement with national authorities to use a site may be contested by both displaced and host community leaders. • if the land is privately owned, the national authorities should also take the lead in negotiating compensation for the owners. • Any use of private land must be based on formal legal arrangements made by the state and in accordance with national laws. • Most refugee and IDP operations last longer than initially planned. Important to secure the land for a long period of time, which might require including a renewal clause in the agreement, in order to avoid future relocation of the camp.

19. Availability of Land or Buildings • Site identification will usually be based on a compromise between the interests of all stakeholders. – possible conflicts. • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) - the Cluster/Sector Lead Agency and the national authorities to outline all agreements, as well as the rights and responsibilities of all parties regarding the establishment of a camp. • Camp Management Agency should participate in preparing the MoU and should always have a copy available. • the Camp Management Agency should make sure that its staff and the camp population understand what is outlined in the MoU. • The document should be translated into the local language and shared with the concerned populations using different means to ensure that all groups in the displaced population have equal access to this information.

20. Site planning • The Cluster/Sector Lead Agency form a committee (Site Development Committee/ SDC), involving all relevant stakeholders and technical experts. Even as different sites are being considered and the legal issues worked out, the SDC must start to plan the actual camp. • Starting with the physical site: • to identify and then calculate the available usable space, and hence population density. - defining the perimeter – removing obstacles/landscaping • focus on contours, drainage and access plans, establishing zones of use and a road system which will often double as a system of fire breaks. • In the case of a site that has already been settled, a decision needs to be taken as to whether it should be upgraded within the existing settlement or whether a full re-planning exercise is required, sequentially moving all households within the site. • If the basic services are in place, individual family subdivisions may be provided.

21. Site planning • Starting with the Family: The key to effective site planning is starting with the smallest building blocks of the camp – the individual and household. This will ensure that critical issues such as spacing and services will be adequately addressed. • Site Planning in Relation to Persons with Specific Needs and Groups at Risk- older persons, small children and babies, those with impaired mobility and others at heightened risk, such as women. • Demarcation of Larger Features - family shelters and communal features are mapped against existing features such as rivers, rocky areas or existing roads.

22. „Building block” approach ~ dwelling = 1 family 5 persons ß ~ 80 persons cluster = 16 families ß ~ = 16 clusters block 1,250 persons ß ~ = 4 blocks sector 5,000 persons ß camp ~ 20,000 persons = 4 sectors

23. 3.5 M 5 M Storage Cooking/Heating Storage Dwelling Example - One Tent - Size = 17.5 M2 = 1 Dwelling Shelter Space per Person = 3.5 M 2 (if there are 5 in the family)

24. Cluster *Sphere guidance notes call for “each shelter to open onto common space or a screened area for the use of the household instead of being opposite the entrance to another shelter.” 40 m A Cluster 2 m 40 m

25. Block zone for latrines 180 m 6 m between clusters 220 m

26. Sector 455 m 15 m between blocks 375 m Water Point

27. Camp 2 1 3 4

28. Camp Sector 1 Sphere Camp Admin. Support Sector 2 0.925 kilometer Clinics, Dist Cntr. Sector 3 Sector 4 Schools, other support

30. Layout and Design • Tents should face the upwind to avoid odors from latrines; • Ample space for the people to be sheltered and for all the necessary public facilities such as roads, firebreaks and service areas; • Areas for public spaces (e.g. market) should be defined; • Food distribution areas; • Roads and Pathways - At least two access roads for security and safety; • Shelters should be arranged in rows or in clusters of 10-12 on both sides of a road at least 10 meters wide; • Built-up areas should be divided by 30 meters wide fire breaks approximately every 300 meters; • Shelters should be spaced 8 meters apart so that people can pass freely between them without being obstructed by pegs and ropes; • Minimum space of 3.5m2 per person in warm climates;  • Minimum space of 4.5-5.5 m2 per person cold climates; • Plastic sheeting used as shelter, one piece, 4 meters by 6–7 meters, per household; • Communal, Commercial and Recreational Areas; • Agriculture and Livestock.

31. 32.5m 2.5 m 4m 5 m 4m A = ± 3.0 m2/p A = ± 3.4 m2/p 5 m 4m A = ± 2.6 m2/p Layout and Design It all depends on context, climate, tradition, and how you use it! The indicator is for covered shelter space, not sq. m. of plastic sheeting distributed!

32. Communicable Disease Control • The site should be free of major water and vector borne disease; • If endemic diseases are present, care should be taken to avoid or control vector habitats and provide personal protection against mosquitoes, black flies, tsetse flies, etc.; • To facilitate the management and control of communicable diseases, camps should hold no more than 10,000–12,000 people, or should be subdivided into independent units of no more than 1000 people.

33. Water Sanitation and Hygiene • Drainage ditches should be dug around the tents or other shelters and along the sides of roads, especially if there is a danger of flooding; • Care should be taken to lead water away from shelters, latrines, health centers, and stores; • Water points should also have adequate drainage to avoid mud; • Persistent areas of stagnant water that are difficult to drain can be backfilled, or covered with a thin layer of oil to control insects; • The surface of roads can be sprinkled with water to keep dust down; • Sullage waste water can sometimes be used to keep down dust on dirt or gravel roads; • Restricting traffic and imposing speed limits can also help to reduce dust.

34. Sphere Minimum Standards • During 1997, a group of humanitarian non-governmental organizations and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement aims to improve the quality of their actions during disaster response; • The Sphere Handbook sets clear benchmarks for what actions can be considered as humanitarian; • Define humanitarian response as one which is concerned with the basic rights of populations affected by disasters and conflicts; • Introduced Minimum Standards for Camp Management.

35. Camp set-up/improvement responsibilities • contribute to the SDC with its professional expertise on issues of planning and set-up; • assist the Cluster/Sector Lead Agency with analysis and decision-making based on the data presented. • ensure continuous monitoring of how the camp set-up/ improvement is working for the residents, staff and host community, adapting and coordinating as necessary • facilitate the contribution of displaced persons and their hosts to site selection, camp planning or improvement. • support and coordinate the construction, repair and upgrading of shelters, infrastructure and facilities with due regard to security and cultural considerations and gender segregation • plan for the effective distribution of goods and services. • develop a shared understanding at the planning stage of how distribution centres, social buildings and infrastructure such as roads, culverts and drainage channels will be used, managed and maintained.

36. Refugee camps

39. IKEA

42. Biography • Learn more about shelter: http://www.webpal.org/SAFE/aaareconstruction/immediate/refugee_camp.htm • Refugee camps, de zeen, https://www.dezeen.com/tag/refugee-camps/ • Camp planning for displaced persons, Air Force handbook: https://www.wbdg.org/FFC/AF/AFH/afh10_222_v22.pdf • https://emergency.unhcr.org/entry/111625/site-planning-for-camps • Emergency Handbook, UNHCR, https://emergency.unhcr.org/ • János Besenyő: Logistic Experiences: The Case of Darfur-Promoting Peace and Security in Africa – Finnish Department of Strategic and Defence Studies (2006 – Series 2 No 35), pp. 41-59. http://www.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/77169/StratL2_35.pdf?sequence=1 • János Besenyő: Saharawi refugees in Algeria - AARMS (Miklós Zrínyi National Defence University), Volume 9, Issue 1. 2010. pp. 67-78, http://real.mtak.hu/83783/1/Besenyo_saharawi_refugees_in_Algeria_u.pdf

43. QUESTIONS THANK YOU YOUR KIND ATTENTION!