CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

Research Report
Committee : World Health Organization
Topic : Access to healthcare services for refugee camps
Letter from the Chair –
Namastay! Greetings from India! My name is Shivani Khandelwal and I am a
law student. It gives me immense joy to be serving as a Chair for CAMMUN
2021!
While I have been the director of WHO at a government-conducted MUN and
served as an assistant director for HMUNIndia and HNMUNLA, I still remember
how nervous and scared I was in my first few MUNs and I know how
overwhelming that experience can be! So please don’t hesitate or reach out to
me with any questions or concerns you may have. I hope at the end of the
conference, you become more confident in your public speaking,
communication and negotiation skills because that is what MUN is all about!
While participating in numerous MUNs, the highlight of every experience has
been the friendships I have made during the conferences. Some of the friends I
made during those conferences are my best friends now! So rather than
competing, listen and collaborate with each other on these issues and maybe
at the end of the conference, you may be leaving with a friendship that lasts!
Hold on to your unique and creative ideas you get while trying to solve these
complex issues, you never know maybe your ideas will play a key role in solving
these issues!
I am so excited to meet and learn from you all during the conference and I
hope and wish to provide you with your best committee experience yet!
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

About the World Health Organization :

WHO's primary role is to direct international health within the United Nations'
system and to lead partners in global health responses. WHO is the directing
and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is
responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the
health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-
based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring
and assessing health trends.
In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access
to essential care and collective defense against transnational threats
The WHO agenda
WHO operates in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing landscape. The
boundaries of public health action have become blurred, extending into other
sectors that influence health opportunities and outcomes.
WHO reform
WHO is reforming to be better equipped to address the increasingly complex
challenges of the health of populations in the 21st century. From persisting
problems to new and emerging public health threats, WHO needs to be flexible
enough to respond to this evolving environment.
The process of reform is Member State-driven and inclusive. The three
objectives were defined at the Sixty-fourth World Health Assembly and at the
Executive Board’s 129th session.
1. Improved health outcomes, with WHO meeting the expectations of its
Member States and partners in addressing agreed global health
priorities, focused on the actions and areas where the Organization has a
unique function or comparative advantage, and financed in a way that
facilitates this focus.
2. Greater coherence in global health, with WHO playing a leading role in
enabling the many different actors to play an active and effective role in
contributing to the health of all peoples.
3. An Organization that pursues excellence; one that is effective, efficient,
responsive, objective, transparent and accountable (EBSS/2/2).
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

Three distinct and interconnected fields of work have emerged in line with
these objectives:
1. Programmes and priority setting
2. Governance reform
3. Managerial reform
WHO fulfils its objectives through its core functions:
1. providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in
partnerships where joint action is needed;
2. shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation
and dissemination of valuable knowledge;
3. setting norms and standards and promoting and monitoring their
implementation;
4. articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
5. providing technical support, catalysing change, and building sustainable
institutional capacity; and
6. monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends.
These core functions are set out in the 11th General Programme of Work,
which provides the framework for organization-wide programme of work,
budget, resources and results. Entitled “Engaging for health”.
WHO works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the
vulnerable.
WHO’s goal is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health
coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and
provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.
For universal health coverage, WHO:
1. focus on primary health care to improve access to quality essential
services
2. work towards sustainable financing and financial protection
3. improve access to essential medicines and health products
4. train the health workforce and advise on labour policies
5. support people's participation in national health policies
6. improve monitoring, data and information.
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

For health emergencies, WHO:

1. prepare for emergencies by identifying, mitigating and managing risks
2. prevent emergencies and support development of tools necessary
during outbreaks
3. detect and respond to acute health emergencies
4. support delivery of essential health services in fragile settings.
For health and well-being, WHO:
1. address social determinants
2. promote intersectoral approaches for health
3. prioritize health in all policies and healthy settings.
Through their work, WHO addresses:
1. human capital across the life-course
2. non-communicable diseases prevention
3. mental health promotion
4. climate change in small island developing states
5. antimicrobial resistance
6. elimination and eradication of high-impact communicable diseases.

Introduction -
“Everyone, everywhere has the right to accessible, high quality affordable
(health) care that promotes physical and mental health and addresses the
needs of women and men, girls and boys including during conflict and
humanitarian crisis” remarked Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the
United Nations at the 74th session of the General Assembly further adding,
“Even when healthcare is available it often fails to cover the full spectrum of
human suffering. Mental health conditions caused enormous anguish to
individuals and their loved ones. They have been neglected and stigmatized for
too long. This injustice must stop.” Refugee camps often lack basic necessities
like food and water so providing healthcare to them is a big challenge that
needs to be overcome considering refugees constitute a large number of the
world’s population.

Definition of key terms –

 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

health = According to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete

physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease
and infirmity."
healthcare = Health care is the maintenance or improvement of health via the
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration, or cure of disease, illness,
injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people.
refugee = a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to
escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.
persecution = hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political
or religious beliefs; oppression
trauma = a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to
have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time
genocide = the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular
nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group
language barriers = a barrier to communication between people who are
unable to speak a common language
legal status = Legal status is the status defined by law. It is the standing of an
entity. For example, citizenship and marital status. Citizenship is the status of a
citizen with rights and duties. Marital status is the condition of being married
or unmarried.
In May v. Daniels, 359 Ark. 100, 108 (Ark. 2004), the court held “the term legal
status is commonly used in Arkansas law to classify an individual and identify
the legal rights and duties for such a classification, like the legal status of an
invitee or a stepparent.
discrimination = the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of
people, especially on the grounds of race, age, sex, ethnicity, religion, caste or
disability
malnutrition = lack of proper nutrition, caused by not having enough to eat,
not eating enough of the right things, or being unable to use the food that one
does eat
extremist = a person who holds extreme political or religious views, especially
one who advocates illegal, violent, or other extreme action
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

terrorist = a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially

against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims

Contextual information –
Around the world, 82.4 million people were forced to flee their homes. There
are approximately 26.4 million refugees around half of whom are under the
age of 18. Also, there are millions of stateless people, who have been denied a
nationality and lack access to basic rights such as education, health care,
employment and freedom of movement.1
The common obstacles refugees have to face in getting access to healthcare
services include :
1. Their legal status
2. Language barriers
3. Discrimination 2
Refugees flee their countries in fear of persecution. They are often subjected
to inhumane and cruel treatment. On 28th August 2018, UN Security meeting
was held on the Rohingya crisis. Myanmar’s refugee problem among world’s
worst humanitarian, human rights crises, Secretary-General said while briefing
to Security Council. During the meeting, Nikki R. Haley, delegate of United
States called attention to a State Department report based on interviews with
1,024 randomly selected Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar, saying its results were
consistent with the work of the fact-finding mission. First-hand accounts
revealed that most of the refugees had experienced violence to their homes
and families, with the Burmese military and the security forces being the main
perpetrators. Behind the numbers were stories of almost unbelievable
brutality, with multiple witnesses describing soldiers throwing infants and
small children into fires and village wells, and of women and girls raped in
public. One in five of those interviewed said they had witnessed a mass
casualty event, she said, recalling that her delegation, among other Council
members, has been working to keep the Council focused on the atrocities in
Myanmar, and to hold the military and security forces responsible. 3
Thousands of Rohingyas who fled travelled by land or sea risking their lives to
reach Bangladesh. These refugees do not just need to be treated for their
physical ailments but also their psychological ailments as a lot of refugees
suffer trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. Depression and anxiety are
also commonly reported in most refugee camps, linked to lengthy asylum-
seeking processes and poor socio-economic conditions, such as unemployment
or isolation.2
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

While living in their home country, refugees often experience traumatic events
and adverse situations such as sexual violence, genocide, torture, political
persecution, and the loss of loved ones, which frequently prompt them to
leave their country of origin. For instance, a study done in 2003 on Somali
refugees in a Ugandan refugee settlement found that 73.5% of those surveyed
reported witnessing dead or mutilated bodies, while 69.3% reported
witnessing or experiencing a shelling or bomb attack. 4

Unfortunately, these difficult circumstances do not let up once the refugees

escape from their home country. Refugees often must travel arduous lengths
without food or water to get to the camps. For example, the Lost Boys of
Sudan, a group of 40,000 orphaned boys, walked thousands of miles to
Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya while fighting starvation and wild animals in
order to escape political persecution and genocide. 5

Moreover, once the refugees arrive at the camps, they are often confronted
with additional adverse situations and ongoing stressors, which substantially
impact their mental health. For example, the poor quality of accommodations,
restricted economic opportunity, and uncertainty over access to food and
water are major psychological stresses. When then first lady Rosalynn Carter
visited Sa Kaeo, a refugee camp in Thailand for Cambodian refugees, she found
that it was built on a rice paddy and had poor drainage. She described the
unfortunate living conditions in the camp and remarked, "we discovered a
virtual sea of humanity . . . they were lying on the ground, on mats or dirty
blankets or rags. All were ill and in various stages of starvation; some, all bones
and no flesh; and others with crackled feet and swollen as though to burst." 6

Similarly, in some instances the refugee camps themselves may have problems
with safety and security. For example, following the Rwandan genocide of
1994, many Hutu escaped into neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and
other bordering countries as the Tutsi took over power. During that time the
Tutsi sought revenge against Hutus they believed were responsible for the
1994 genocide. Not surprisingly, among the fleeing 'refugees' were war
criminals, who used the refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo as
a base and cover to launch attacks against the new Rwandan government.
These Hutu militiamen used fear tactics and propaganda in order to recruit
allies and fighters from within the refugee camps. These tactics furthered
violence in the area and severely affected the psychological health of refugees
who were already recovering from the genocide. 7
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

It is necessary to provide mental health services in refugee camps. Failure to

do so, would result in devastating consequences as refugees are the most
vulnerable to becoming extremists and joining terrorist groups like the ISIS, Al
Qaeda, etc.
In 2016, ISIS and the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front managed to infiltrate
the refugee camp in Lebanon consisting of Palestinian refugees. Hundreds of
Palestinian refugees joined these terrorist groups. One of the main reasons for
the success of the terrorist group in recruiting Palestinian refugees was under
Lebanese law, Palestinians were banned from working in 72 professions. The
450,000 Palestinians living in Lebanon refer to these restrictions as apartheid
measures.
The Lebanese apartheid measures against Palestinians are rarely mentioned in
the Western media and international human rights groups. The UN does not
seem overly concerned about this discrimination, apparently because it is
practised by an Arab country against Arabs.8

Healthcare also includes the prevention of diseases. For the prevention of

diseases, every refugee should get adequate food and water. Good sanitation
services are also crucial for the prevention of diseases. “I spent years in a
refugee camp in Ethiopia, and there I watched two young boys, perhaps twelve
years old, fighting so viciously over rations that one kicked the other to death.
He had not intended to kill his foe, of course, but we were young and very
weak.”  9 This quote from a refugee highlights the realities of living in a refugee
camp, where there is not enough food in the camps.

Chronic malnutrition makes refugees fragile and more susceptible to a variety

of diseases and illnesses. Most refugee camps do not have sufficient food to
provide to their populations, and refugees are frequently dependent entirely
on humanitarian aid. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) recommends that each refugee receive more than 2,100 calories per
day, but often camps fall short of this standard. For example, in 2005 and 2006,
the daily amount of distributed food in Tanzanian refugee camps was 1,700
and 1,460 kilocalories per person, respectively. 10

A 1987 study in the largest refugee camp on the Thai side of the Thailand-
Cambodian border found that 30% of the population was chronically
malnourished. 11 In addition, a joint UNHCR and WFP review conducted in
2006 discovered unacceptable rates of acute malnutrition in many protracted
refugee camps, most notably in Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan. 12
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

Even if a refugee receives the recommended amount of calories per day,

caloric intake is further reduced as refugees tend to sell food rations for other
non-food goods. Moreover, it is not only the quantity of food that is
insufficient. The lack of food variety, fruits, and vegetables causes many
refugees to suffer from deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, which
can lead to a variety of diseases. For example, chronic deficiencies of vitamin A
can lead to xeropthalmia and blindness in childhood, while iron deficiency can
lead to anemia, vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy, niacin deficiency causes
pellagra, and thiamin deficiency results in beriberi. 13

Meheba refugee camp in Zambia, is more of a permanent settlement and

therefore refugees are encouraged to grow their own food in small gardens,
cutting down on malnutrition and ensuring the consumption of some fruits and
vegetables. These gardens serve as a supplement to UNHCR food rations given
out monthly and individuals are not allowed to grow and sell surplus of food
for economic benefit. Many refugees there complain that monthly rations are
not adequate and children and adults are left hungry, cutting down on their
productivity and ability to work. At the Meheba camp clean water pumps have
been installed that are within walking distance of every part of the settlement,
decreasing the chances of disease spread through water contamination and
pollution. 14

In November of 2017, it was reported by UNICEF that 62 per cent of water

available in households of Rohingya camps was contaminated.

Due to this, between 25 August and 11 November 2017, a total of 36,096 AWD
cases were reported, which included 10 related deaths that is 42 per cent, or
15,206, of which were children under age five. Access to clean water is also a
major concern across all the locations, particularly as the dry season
approaches. Aid agencies providing water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
services are racing to identify solutions to this potentially life-threatening
problem.

Although most are in the main settlements, 22,067 refugees live in Shamlapur,
with 16 people sharing one latrine that are mostly full or dangerous; 22,130 in
Leda, which has only one latrine per 47 people – well below the humanitarian
'Sphere' standard of one per 20 people; and 29,915 in Unchiprang, where
there is also only one well per 57 people. This totals more 74,000 Rohingya
refugees in all.
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

Many are contaminated with E. coli or are too shallow to provide enough clean
water for the population through the dry season.

IOM emergency managers say that the three sites urgently need to be
developed, including providing vital infrastructure – access roads, lighting and
waste management.

“Most of the temporary pit latrines are full. With little to no land for de-
sludging, they are becoming unusable and a danger to communities living
nearby,” said IOM WASH specialist Stephen Waswa Otieno. 15

States should provide healthcare services to refugees irrespective of their legal

status. Challenges like language barriers and discrimination has to be
overcome if healthcare services have to be made accessible for refugee camps.
Providing adequate food, water and good sanitation conditions for all refugees
has to be the priority as well as mental health services for all refugees.

Major countries and organizations involved -

1. Refugee Council

The Refugee Council is a UK based organisation which works

with refugees and asylum seekers. The organisation provides support and
advice to refugees and asylum seekers, as well as support for other refugee
and asylum seeker organisations. The Refugee Council also produces many
reports and educational material relating to refugee issues, and lobbies
politicians and the media on these issues.

2. Refugee Action

Refugee Action is an independent national charity founded in 1981 that

provides advice and support to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and
campaigns for a fairer asylum system. It is governed by a board of trustees
chaired by Penny Lawrence. Its chief executive is Stephen Hale OBE who
joined the charity in February 2014. Each year Refugee Action provides
advice and practical support to over 10,000 vulnerable asylum seekers and
refugees from dozens of countries, and offers a range of specialist services.
3. UNHCR
Established by the UN General Assembly in 1950, UNHCR leads and
coordinates international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee
problems worldwide.
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

4. International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and

development nongovernmental organization. The International Rescue
Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and
helps people to survive and rebuild their lives.

5. Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps provides direct aid to Syrian refugees in the form of food and
supplies, and by increasing access to clean water and sanitation, shelters,
and safe spaces and activities for children.

6. Refugee International

Refugees International is a global, independent advocacy organization that

successfully challenges governments, policymakers, and administrations to
improve the lives of displaced people around the world. Refugees
International is committed to saving the lives and protecting the rights,
dignity, and security of refugees and displaced people worldwide. Since
1979, Refugees International has used its independent advocacy to improve
the way aid is delivered and to ensure that the rights of all displaced people
are respected.

7. MST-Doctors without borders

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF; pronounced sometimes rendered in English

as Doctors Without Borders, is an international humanitarian medical non-
governmental organisation (NGO) of French origin best known for its
projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases. In
2019, the group was active in 70 countries with over 35,000 personnel
mostly local doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, logistical
experts, water and sanitation engineers and administrators.

8. Save the Children

This organization provides emergency food for Syrian children and supports
education in Syrian refugee camps.
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

9. UNICEF

The UN agency focuses on assisting Syrian children by providing healthcare,

nutrition, immunization, water and sanitation, and classes.

10.Catholic Relief Services

This faith-based organization provides comprehensive services—including

shelter, education, food, supplies, and medical assistance—to support
Syrians and communities affected by the influx of refugees, particularly in
Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, and Iraq.

11.ShelterBox

ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and vital supplies to support

communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian
crisis.

Timeline of Events –
Syrian refugee crisis :
Date – March 15, 2011
Event - The Syrian refugee crisis is the result of a March 2011 violent
government crackdown on public demonstrations in support of a group of
teenagers who were arrested for anti-government graffiti in the southern
town of Daraa. The arrests sparked public demonstrations throughout Syria
which were violently suppressed by government security forces. Conflict
quickly escalated and the country descended into a civil war that forced
millions of Syrian families out of their homes. Ten years later, the number of
Syrian refugees has hardly declined and more than 13 million people still
need humanitarian assistance - including 6 million who are in acute need.
South Sudan refugee crisis
Date – 15 December, 2013
Event - In December 2013, political infighting erupted into violence in the
streets of the capital, Juba, after South Sudan’s president accused his vice
president of an attempted coup. Fighting between the two factions of
government forces loyal to each soon moved to Bor, and then to Bentiu.
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Violence spread across the young nation like wildfire, displacing 413,000
civilians in just the first month of conflict. Tens of thousands of civilians rushed
to seek refuge in U.N. bases that were subsequently turned into makeshift
displacement camps. The fighting has continued, becoming an increasingly
brutal civil war and affecting the entire country.

Myanmar refugee crisis

Date – 25 August, 2017
Event -  A deadly crackdown by Myanmar's army on Rohingya Muslims sent
hundreds of thousands fleeing across the border into Bangladesh. They risked
everything to escape by sea or on foot a military offensive which the United
Nations later described as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing".
In January 2020, the UN's top court ordered the Buddhist-majority country to
take measures to protect members of its Rohingya community from genocide.
But the army in Myanmar (formerly Burma) has said it was fighting Rohingya
militants and denies targeting civilians. The country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi,
once a human rights icon, has repeatedly denied allegations of genocide.

Relevant UN treaties and events –

Resolutions related to Syrian crisis
Date – 27 September, 2013
Resolution passed – S/RES/2118
This resolution was adopted unanimously by the Council and required the
verification and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles, called for
the convening of the Geneva II peace talks and endorsed the establishment of
a transitional governing body in Syria with full executive powers.
Date – 22 February, 2014
Resolution passed – S/RES/2139
This resolution demanded that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities,
allow humanitarian access in Syria across conflict lines, in besieged areas and
across borders and expressed the intent to take further steps in the case of
non-compliance.
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Date – 14 July, 2014

Resolution passed – S/RES/2165
This resolution authorised cross-border and cross-line access for the UN and its
partners to deliver humanitarian aid in Syria without state consent and
established a monitoring mechanism for 180 days.
Resolutions related to South Sudan crisis
Date – 14 December, 2017
Presidential statement – S/PRST/2017/14
This was a presidential statement on the situation in South Sudan, focusing on
IGAD's efforts to revitalise the peace process.
Date – 18 December, 2018
Conclusions drawn – S/AC.51/2018/3
This was the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict's conclusions on
children and armed conflict in South Sudan.
Date – 31 December, 2018
Conclusions drawn – S/2019/92
This is a letter from the Chair of the Working Group to the Secretary-General
on the conclusions of the Secretary-General’s report on children and armed
conflict in South Sudan.
Date = 12 March, 2021
Secretary General’s report – S/AC.51/2021/1
These were the conclusions on the Secretary-General’s report on children and
armed conflict in South Sudan, which covers the period from 1 July 2018 to 30
June 2020.
Resolutions related to Myanmar crisis
Date – 31 October, 2017
Resolution passed – A/C.3/72/L.48
This was the resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar adopted
by the Third Committee.
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Date – 30 October, 2020

Resolution passed – A/C.3/75/L.34
This was the resolution on the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims
and other minorities in Myanmar.

Possible solutions –
A number of innovative techniques have worked to improve the health of
refugees living in camps although there are significant barriers that must be
overcome to provide effective healthcare to refugee populations. Some of
them include :
Ultrasound in Lugufu Refugee Camp in Tanzania

A study conducted in Lugufu refugee camp in Kigoma District, Tanzania showed

that ultrasound can be effectively implemented in refugee camp settings. In
2005, a group of physicians traveled to Lugufu and conducted an intensive four
day training session for healthcare providers in the camp on how to correctly
use ultrasound. Over the two year study period, healthcare providers in the
camp used ultrasound to perform exams on women of childbearing age to
diagnose female pelvic and obstetric issues, as well as to diagnose several
tropical infectious diseases, such as echinococcosis. The healthcare providers
subsequently stated that the use of ultrasound improved their ability to care
for their patients. 16 In addition, ultrasound was shown to be used effectively
in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burmese border by locally-trained health
workers for gestational age estimation. 17

Reproductive Health Group in Guinea

The Reproductive Health Group developed an innovative technique that

greatly improved education and access to reproductive healthcare in refugee
camps. The program was developed through the efforts of Sierra Leonean and
Liberian refugees in Guinea who were nurses and midwives. Aware of the lack
of health resources, the limited number of health facilities, and the language
barrier between the Guinean health workers and the refugees, these refugees
decided to form a group that would provide information and advice to
refugees about family planning and reproductive health. The group recruited
nurses and midwives from the refugee community itself, trained refugee lay
women to provide contraceptives and health education, and created drama
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

groups in an attempt to reach male adolescents and educate the population.

The group was so successful that it obtained official NGO status in 1996, and it
soon became the most effective provider of reproductive health services in
Guinea. 18 The group was instrumental at disseminating information and
educating the community. Both men and women who said they received their
source of information from Reproductive Health Group facilitators were more
likely to name key STI symptoms. In addition, the UN estimates that the use of
current contraceptives for Sierra Leone and Guinea was at 3.9% and 4.1%
respectively, while the Reproductive Health Group’s contraceptive coverage
for Sierra Leonean and Guinean refugees was 17%. 19 This statistic supports
the value of the Reproductive Health Group’s work, and the success of this
innovation shows the importance of community engagement to improve the
health of a population.

Youth-Friendly Centers for Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal

In 2006, UNHCR camps in Nepal implemented Youth-Friendly Centers (YFCs) to

address risk behaviors associated with high rates of HIV and substance abuse
among young Bhutanese refugees. Run by local youth who are elected by YFC
members, the centers are open to all refugees ages 18-25. The YFCs serve to
not only foster leadership skills but also raise awareness about health-related
issues. Youth are trained as peer educators to spread information about STI
testing and services. These peer educators also lead reproductive health and
substance abuse awareness campaigns throughout the year, many of which
are centered around street dramas. This community-based engagement with
youth has brought important health information to a wider audience in an
innovative and interactive way. 20

Efforts to Improve Health Care and Health Education in Meheba Refugee

Settlement in the Northwest Province of Zambia

Meheba Refugee Settlement in Zambia is one of the positive examples of a

concerted effort on the part of the UNHCR and other local NGOs to spread
awareness of sexual health, STIs such as HIV, and to promote health education
more broadly. Pamphlets in Meheba are distributed camp-wide in French,
Swahili, Lingala, Lunda, and many other local dialects to educate refugees on
the truths of HIV/AIDS and other diseases, the symptoms associated, and
preventative measures. Free HIV testing takes place weekly in the communal
marketplace of the settlement, as do health talks. As a result of these efforts,
Meheba Refugee Camp has a much lower HIV infection rate than its
surrounding Zambian northwest province. Higher international health
 CAMMUN – WHO – Access to healthcare services for refugee camps

standards and UNHCR’s accountability to the world stage increases health

standards as well as follow-up to health procedures. On top of this, World
Refugee Day, which is celebrated every summer, features short plays,
information sessions, and songs that cover issues such as HIV/AIDS, marital
abuse, alcoholism, and the mental ramifications from violence, which further
promotes awareness. 21

The pandemic has created a massive strain on the economies of almost all
countries. World Food Programme

We are on the brink of another pandemic fuelled by hunger

All refugees need to be vaccinated at the earliest.

Bibliography -
1 Refugees, U., 2021. Figures at a Glance. [online] UNHCR. Available at:
<https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html> [Accessed 23
October 2021].

2 Who.int. 2021. 10 things to know about the health of refugees and

migrants. [online] Available at:
<https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/10-things-to-
know-about-the-health-of-refugees-and-migrants> [Accessed 23
October 2021].

3 Un.org. 2021. Myanmar’s Refugee Problem among World’s Worst

Humanitarian, Human Rights Crises,  Secretary-General Says in Briefing
to Security Council | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. [online]
Available at: <https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13469.doc.htm>
[Accessed 23 October 2021].

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T. (2009). Trauma, poverty and mental health among Somali and
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