Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered Europe’s fastest-growing refugee crisis since the second world war. Almost three million people have fled Ukraine and, the number of refugees is expected to reach five million. While some refugees will continue their journey to other destinations, mainly in Europe, more than half r remain in Poland and are likely to be there for a long time to come.
At the congested borders women and children receive prioritisation and while Ukrainian men between 18 and 60, deemed of fighting age, are urged to remain behind and defend their country. Families are torn apart. Emergency makeshift refugee camps are being built as entire new cities not only in Poland but also in Romania, Moldova, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and other European countries. The time to act is now, to improve existing shelters and offer better protection to incoming refugees. Coordinating efforts and logistical support are essential in a crisis of this magnitude, as is a long-term perspective and a structured approach to providing assistance.
We humans need to feel at home and inhabit a place where we feel like we belong. Shelter and housing are familiar terms for humanitarian response, which is protected under human rights law. Having adequate housing and enjoying peace, security, and dignity are all fundamental human rights. Other aspects of camp design are also important, including the availability of services, facilities, materials, infrastructure, affordability, habitability, accessibility, and location.
Additionally, the right to housing extends to goods and services, such as safe drinking water, energy for cooking, heating, lighting, sanitation and washing facilities, food storage methods, refuse disposal, and emergency services. Housing and shelter should also provide access to healthcare services, schools, child-care centres and other social facilities.
The housing provided for refugees must be more than just adequate. Refugees should be able to rebuild all aspects of their lives in the camp, whether it serves as a shelter for a few months or a substitute for a longer-term solution.
Camps offer a haven. Building them is a complex and challenging process from a humanitarian and logistical perspective. Container houses often present those out to assist with an ideal solution. A steel structure container for refugee camps can provide people with a comfortable and durable environment to live in.
Upon completion, camps must be ready to receive masses of people rapidly. When dealing with a displacement of such unprecedented proportions like in the current Ukrainian crisis, it is crucial to act quickly and take measures to limit human suffering. An intake centres will be the refugees’ first stop where incomers initially arrive and register before settling into the camp.
The Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) sector coordinates temporary assistance and protection activities for displaced persons living in camps, working with coordination, and exercising effective and sensitive management of refugee camps is imperative. Field tents, modular buildings, and portable structures such as containers will serve as temporary homes, equipped with appropriate logistical support to maintain confidentiality, such as beds, blankets, bedsheets, and cupboards with locks.
There are numerous energy needs in refugee camps. Aside from electric generators, lighting, and PA systems, we will provide medical equipment and emergency preparedness such as first aid kits and fire extinguishers. A well-designed camp should protect the environment and reduce the risk of fires and disease outbreaks. Restrooms should be adequately lit and located near shelters to protect women and girls against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
The availability of hospitals and clinics can pose a significant challenge to camp residents. Establishing a field hospital on-site to meet their specific needs can be a good solution.
There is also the issue of community life. As much as possible, residents of refugee camps should maintain their everyday routines and activities. They should have access to education and recreation. Providing space and opportunity for play in the shelter increases resilience and reduces violence. After an acclimation period, it will be possible for the civilian population to resume daily activities, such as work and school, for the first time since the crisis began.
Disasters and crises Have the potential to bring out the best in people. Historian and activist Rebecca Solnit writes about what such moments of crisis reveal about human behavior. she writes: ״most people are altruistic, urgently engaged in caring for themselves and those around them, strangers and neighbors as well as friends and loved ones…Decades of meticulous sociological research on behaviour. in disasters, from the bombings of World War II to floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and storms across the North American continent and around the world, have demonstrated this״.
Camp Management is responsible for establishing a logistical centre that will handle accepting and distributing donations of food, clothing, footwear, toys, and other equipment needed for families’ well-being.
TAR’s Experts from the Israeli Home Front Command, specialising in civilian protection, have the required experience to train and guide camp personnel.
Using years of experience in the field, companies help the international humanitarian community by providing innovative, efficient, and sustainable technical solutions. During the excruciating process of creating refugee camps, maintaining the daily life of its inhabitants, and giving them a chance to heal and survive, our teams know where and how to identify and fix pain points.
If you require any further information, feel free to contact us.
