The Strategy
UNHCR has been scaling up our
operations to meet the needs of
refugees at all points across
their journey:
1) At source - at the start of the
refugees’ journey: in Jordan,
Lebanon, South Sudan and
Ethiopia
2) In transit - at the mid-point
on the African coasts: in
Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and
Morocco
3) On arrival in Europe: in
Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain,
FYR Macedonia & Serbia
The latest data
Over 806,000 arrivals by sea in
2015.
More than 3,460 people have
died, or are missing.
85% of arrivals come from the
world’s top 10 refugeeproducing countries.
65% originally from Syria.
THE MEDITERRANEAN CRISIS:
PROTECTING REFUGEES THROUGH
WINTER
Situation Update: 1 December 2015
The numbers of people moving along the eastern Mediterraneanwestern Balkans route in search of safety and protection in Europe
continue to grow. Between November 2015 and February 2016,
UNHCR anticipates that there could be an average of 5,000 arrivals
per day from Turkey, and with winter on the way, harsh wet and cold
conditions will exacerbate existing hardships and risk further loss of
life. We need to act fast to provide shelter, blankets and improve
reception conditions to help them survive the next few months.
Given the complexity and scale of this emergency, travel routes may
change, affecting yet more countries. We need to be ready to
respond in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Italy,
Montenegro, Romania and Kosovo, as well as the countries already
receiving thousands of refugees. Unpredictable changes, sudden
arrivals of large numbers at borders and the deterioration of weather
conditions all make the supply and prepositioning of life-saving items
extremely challenging. While each UNHCR country operation is
maintaining a stock of supplies to cover short periods, it is now
necessary to strategically preposition assistance in a more flexible
and dynamic way, and to have crucial items available for rapid
delivery wherever they are needed.
Reaching those who need most support… We are prioritising assistance for those most at risk: women and
children and anyone with specific needs – an estimated 40% of those on the move. As the population is highly
mobile, people may receive assistance in different countries at several points along the route. We will monitor
this closely to avoid duplication and ensure the funds raised reach as many people as possible.
The principles of our response… With winter approaching, action must be taken without delay. Governments in
all the affected countries are working towards more permanent solutions, but in the meantime we have to do all
we can to protect families from further ordeal right now. Wherever possible, we will adapt existing permanent
buildings to better serve refugees rather than create new structures. This means also providing gravelling and
paving to ensure that we can protect the temporary accommodation, the medical facilities and the places where
we are helping refugees from the effects of rainfall in the winter. Already we have seen the result of the extra
misery brought down on arrivals as a result of the heavy rainfall across Croatia, Serbia and Germany, leaving very
vulnerable people in wet clothes for days on end at great cost to their health. We also need to protect access to
their vital facilities ensuring that the weather does not create a muddy mess which becomes treacherous. At
every site, we plan to ensure efficient use of resources and avoid undue pressure on local environments, as well
as assist local authorities to manage the extra waste from hosting refugees. This way we can cause as little unrest
as possible as well as reduce costs - all helping us to reach more refugees with urgent support.
UNHCR in Action
Firstly, we will carefully track the situation through our ‘Winterisation Cell’, our special monitoring unit, which
ensures that we are sending the right materials based on the current movements of people through various
borders. It also tracks the prevailing weather and allows us to better provide a smart response to where
resources are needed most efficiently.
Next we will deliver the right supplies to the right location to save lives. Winter clothing and blankets, as well as
other essential items to protect people from the elements, will be included in our packages distributed to those
who most need it, and we will build on the network of emergency warehouses we have established to bring those
goods closer to the refugees to cut delivery costs, and crucially, time.
We will provide better reception facilities and temporary accommodation. Wherever possible, existing
permanent structures will be adapted to provide shelter, both for transit areas and overnight accommodation.
Solid structures provide better insulation and usually have existing surface-water drainage. In the interim, UNHCR
will provide family tents, refugee housing units and rub halls (very large tents), all equipped with ‘winterization
kits’.
We will provide transportation in cases where governments or other partners are unable to put an end to the
long, sometimes 40km, walks that refugees are completing after disembarking from boats to reach registration
points. In a number of locations there are long stretches of road that refugees may have to walk along to reach
reception and registration facilities – usually following an already gruelling journey in which some people may
have been injured or fallen sick.
We will also ensure that hot drinks and meals are provided on an emergency basis until more established
support is achieved. UNHCR will also work with national and local authorities, Red Cross, NGOs and local
volunteer networks to meet any gaps in the provision of hot food and drinks at key arrival locations and reception
centres.
Finally, we will ensure that vital water and sanitation facilities will be weatherproofed, protecting the health of
already vulnerable people. We will insulate water pipelines, pumps, tanks and reservoirs to avoid freezing, and
provide adequate heated structures for all water points. Sanitation facilities will be insulated to avoid freezing of
wastewater pipelines, septic tanks and pump stations. We will make sure hot water is available for showers, and
that shower cubicles, toilets and laundry facilities are all heated.