The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid

and protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people, and to assist in their voluntary
repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country.
“Clean drinking water and sanitation
are essential to the realization of all
human rights.”
WHAT REFUGEES NEED:
Access: to water sources in normal distances
Quality and quantity: A person needs a minimum of 7 litres of clean water
a day, just to survive. However, under international humanitarian
standards, refugees should receive a minimum of 15 litres of clean water
per person per day in an emergency, or 20 litres per day in already
functioning refugee camps
Safety: Only the organized management of key water sources can ensure
that the water supply is kept safe and distributed equitably to the whole
community and water sources and sanitary facilities need to be clearly
separated and well maintained
Information: people need instructions in new places and situations
People in desperate situations often lack the choice or the capacity to
distinguish between safe and unsafe water. They are forced to use
whatever is available

overcrowded makeshift refugee settlements, often in inhospitable areas

with already scarce resources and little or no infrastructure, keeping clean
and healthy becomes a daily struggle

Rapid and effective outside intervention is therefore essential to supply

sufficient quantities of potable water, find and protect water sources,
organise collection and distribution and set up sanitation systems
HOW UNHCR HELPS:
• Calculating water requirements and assessing supply possibilities
• Protecting water sources from pollution, through different types of constructions and fences
• Testing, on a regular basis, water quality and its treatment/purification as necessary
• Constructing infrastructures for collecting water from either surface sources, groundwater or both
• Distributing (and sometimes rationing) water at safe and designated distribution points, in an
equitable fashion and with due attention to the needs of vulnerable persons
• Constructing various types of latrines, in accordance with international standards and local customs
In all these activities, efforts are made to keep the technology simple, draw on locally available
materials and avoid the excessive use of chemicals. Moreover, in places where locals and refugees
draw on the same resources, at least some of the services are made available to local communities so
as to prevent potential conflict.
 UNHCR WASH PROGRAMME
• UNHCR has the primary responsibility for coordinating, drafting, updating and
promoting guidance related to WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene in refugee
settings.

• The water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector aims to ensure that all
people have access to safe and sufficient water, safely managed sanitation
and live in hygienic conditions.

• UNHCR is committed to promote the progressive realization of the human

rights to water and sanitation for all persons of concern to UNHCR globally
and is working with partners to provide WASH services to roughly 8 million
refugees in about 30 countries.
 UNHCR WASH Protection Principles
Principle 1: Consultation, participation and accountability
Principle 2: Equitable access to WASH
Principle 3: Protection, safety and privacy
Principle 4: Menstrual Hygiene Management
Principle 5: Cross-sector collaboration
 UNHCR WASH Standards and Indicators
• Water Quantity 
• Water Access
• Water Quality
•  Sanitation
 emergency target (0-6 months)
• Hygiene  post emercency target (0-20 years)
• Solid Waste  target rewieved monthly /yearly

UNHCR uses a comprehensive WASH monitoring framework to track the WASH

services provided to refugees. The WASH monitoring system is also a mechanism
for UNHCR to hold itself accountable to all persons of concern, governments and
donors.
Current WASH sites in 23 countries in 2022:

•Auserd, Algeria
•Boujdour, Algeria
•Dakhla, Algeria
•Layounne, Algeria
•Smara, Algeria
•Ngam, Cameroon
•Amboko, Chad
•Beakoro, Chad
•Bekan, Chad
•Belom, Chad
•Diba, Chad
•Doholo, Chad
•Dosseye, Chad
•Gaga, Chad
•Gondje, Chad
•Kerfi, Chad
•Kouchaguine-Moura, Chad
•Moyo, Chad
•Silambi, Chad
•Boyabu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
•Awbarre, Ethiopia
•Fugnido, Ethiopia
•Fugnido 2, Ethiopia
•Kobe, Ethiopia
•Melkadida, Ethiopia
•Nguenyyiel, Ethiopia
•Okugo, Ethiopia
•Sheder, Ethiopia
•Ampain, Ghana
•Egyeikrom, Ghana
•Fetentaa, Ghana
•Krisan, Ghana
•Basirma, Iraq
•Kawergosk, Iraq
•Qushtapa, Iraq
•Dagahaley, Kenya
•Hagadera, Kenya
•Ifo, Kenya
•Kakuma, Kenya
•Ouallam, Niger
•Bugessera Transit Site, Rwanda
•Gihembe, Rwanda
•Kiziba, Rwanda
•Mahama, Rwanda
•Mugombwa, Rwanda
•Ajoung Thok, South Sudan
•Abuda, Sudan
•Fau 5, Sudan
•Girba, Sudan
•Kilo 26, Sudan
•Shagarab I II III, Sudan
•Um Gargour, Sudan
•Wad Sharife, Sudan
•Mtendeli, Tanzania
•Nduta, Tanzania
•Nyarugusu Burundian, Tanzania
•Nyarugusu Congolese, Tanzania
•Imvepi, Uganda
•Oruchinga, Uganda
•Mantapala, Zambia
•Lunda Norte, Angola
•Borgop, Cameroon
•Gado, Cameroon
•Lolo, Cameroon
•Mbile, Cameroon
•Minawao, Cameroon
•Ngarisingo, Cameroon
•Timangolo, Cameroon
•Amnabak, Chad
•Bredjing, Chad
•Dar Es Salam, Chad
•Dembo, Chad
•Dilingala, Chad
•Djabal, Chad
•Farchana, Chad
•Gon, Chad
•Goz Amer, Chad
•Iridimi, Chad
•Kounoungou, Chad
•Mile, Chad
•Oure Cassoni, Chad
•Touloum, Chad
•Treguine, Chad
•Bili, Democratic Republic of the Congo
•Inke, Democratic Republic of the Congo
•Lusenda, Democratic Republic of the Congo
•Mole, Democratic Republic of the Congo
•Mulongwe (Baraka), Democratic Republic of the Congo
•Bambasi, Ethiopia
•Bokolmanyo, Ethiopia
•Buramino, Ethiopia
•Hilaweyn, Ethiopia
•Jewi, Ethiopia
•Kule, Ethiopia
•Sherkole, Ethiopia
•Tierkidi, Ethiopia
•Tsore Camp (Assosa), Ethiopia
•Dzaleka, Malawi
•Maratane, Mozambique
•Abala, Niger
•Adagom 1, Nigeria
•Ukende, Nigeria
•Kigeme, Rwanda
•Nyabiheke, Rwanda
•Doro, South Sudan
•Gendrassa, South Sudan
•Kaya, South Sudan
•Pamir, South Sudan
• Dollo Ado Transit Centre, Ethiopia
• Garin Kaka, Niger
• Kijote, Rwanda
• Babikir, Sudan
• Chadakori, Niger
• Dan Dadji Makao, Niger
• Intékan, Niger
• Arbat, Iraq
• Tongo, Ethiopia
• Kiryandongo, Uganda
• Kutupalong, Bangladesh
• NayaparaRC, Bangladesh
• Osire, Namibia
• Betou, Republic of Congo
• Camp 3, Bangladesh
• Camp 5, Bangladesh
• Camp 1w, Bangladesh
• Camp 2W, Bangladesh
• Camp 4 Ext(123), Bangladesh
• Camp 4, Bangladesh
• Camp 1E, Bangladesh
• Camp 17, Bangladesh
• Camp 21, Bangladesh
• Camp 26, Bangladesh
• Khor Alwarel, Sudan
• 15 Avril, Republic of Congo
• Bouemba, Republic of Congo
• https://wash.unhcr.org/download/wash-country-strategy-
operational-plans-template/
• https://wash.unhcr.org/download/unhcr-wash-manual-part-1-
programme-guidance/
• https://www.unhcr.org/uk/3fcb5a3b1.pdf
• https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html
• https://wash.unhcr.org/what-we-do/