Libya-Tunisia

Cross-border
protection
monitoring
January-February 2024
DRC in ALT
• DRC has been working in Tunisia and
Libya since 2011
• Mixed Migration Context: DRC provides
assistance and protection services to
safeguard the dignity, safety, and
wellbeing of the most vulnerable and at-
risk populations, including migrants,
refugees, asylum seekers, internally
displaced persons (IDPs), returnees,
and host communities
• DRC has an ongoing protection
monitoring in Libya and Tunisia and
MMC (ongoing 4Mi data collection on
profiles, journeys and experiences of
refugees and migrants)

03/21/2024
Overall context
• 13,415 individuals are
registered with UNHCR in
Tunisia, with over 7,800 new
asylum-seekers recorded in
2023
«» • 800% increase compared to
2022
FGD participant • Sudan constitutes the primary
country of origin

Footer
• 12,000 Sudanese registered
with UNHCR in Libya

21/03/2024
Methodology
• January-February 2024
• 32 Interviews with individuals in
Libya and 47 in Tunisia.
• In Tunisia 3 Focus group
discussions, 2 with male and 1 with
female participants reaching in
total 48 people
• Libya 59% women
• 87,5 from Sudan

Footer
• Tunisia 50,5% women
• 54,7% from Sudan

21/03/2024
4MI methodology
Expulsions
• July 2023, collective expulsions by Tunisian security
forces of several thousands sub-saharan migrants and
asylum seekers, including children and pregnant women,
at the Tunisia-Libya border.

«We avoid leaving • August 11th, both Libya and Tunisia announced a formal
agreement to ‘share the responsibility of providing shelter
for the hundreds stranded.’
the place where we • Expulsions also across the Algeria border

live because of fear •

•
feel unsafe leading to self imposed movement restrictions,
has negatively affected their sense of safety and well-
being.
of being detained of • In Tunisia, 10,6% reported not facing any obstacles in moving freely

deported» •
•
referring to checkpoints from security forces (88%)
lack of civil documentation (12%) as the main obstacles

Footer
• Impact on access to assistance (55%), for female respondents access to
healthcare is mainly impacted (33,3%).
• In Libya a 40,6% mentioned movement restrictions (more than half don’t
report obstacles) main barriers they face to move freely are the
FGD participant checkpoints by security forces (40,9%), the risk of

21/03/2024
harassment and/or exploitation(27,2%), criminality and
banditry (18,2%) as well as lack of civil/legal documentation,
natural obstacles in moving out and proximity of armed
forces (4,5% equally)
Expulsions

«The issue affected us in many ways.

For example, we avoid leaving the place
where we live because of the fear of
being detained and deported to Libya,
where there have been repeated
incidents in the past three months of
people we know that had been

arrested on the way and deported »

Footer
FGD participants

21/03/2024
Child Protection
• In South Tunisia, there are 2,255 minors seeking refuge
• 72.5% of the minors are unaccompanied with 65.3% from
Sudan
• 316% increase

«Our worst •
•
520 homeless children
Violence, sexual abuse, trafficking and emotional
nightmare is to •
and psychological pressure
Limited access to basic needs

be deported to • Only 20% of children under CM

Libya»

Footer
• MMC:
• Main risks for children:
FGD participant • Death (30%)

21/03/2024
• Detention (30%)
• Trafficking and exploitation (100%)
• Respondents mentioned overall that the children are highly
exposed to those risks
Dangerous locations

«Our worst
nightmare is to
be deported to
Libya»

Footer
FGD participant

21/03/2024
Life, safety, security and denial of liberty
• MMC identified risks

«Our worst
nightmare is to
be deported to
Libya»

Footer
FGD participant

21/03/2024
 Life, safety, security and denial of liberty
89,3% sometimes or always worried about theft or harassment
91,4% lootings 28,2% actually reported an incident during the same period. 78,1% worried about thefts
Fear of arbitrary arrest and detention (95,74% with 87,23% of the interviewees looting (64,5%),
reported always been worried) while only 2 individuals reported not to be worried in arbitrary arrest and detention (71,9%)
the last 30 days (4,26%). small/medium injuries due to violence (71,9%),
56,2% of them reported being arrested or detained in the last 30 days, with men worry about abduction (68,7%),
being predominantly affected by this protection risk.. It is important to mention that intercommunal tension/conflict (56,2%),
a significant percentage of the male participants in a DRC facilitated FGD reported sexual violence (53,3%)
being detained and tortured while in Libya (9 out of 19 people) while similarly in a armed group clashes (62,5%)
FGD with women 4 out of 19 reported the same. 3 out of 4 women were detained grave injuries due to violence (53,1%).
in Libya and 1 in Tunisia with 3 out of 4 reporting rape while in detention. Equally Only a small percentage of the respondent seem to be worried about the presence
important to note that from data collected in Libya during July 2023-February 2024 of UXO/ERW (19,3), potentially either due to the lack of knowledge of the presence
a 3% out of the 197 respondents also reported facing incidents of torture affecting of explosive items or the lack of the threat in the locations where they live.
similarly men and women. It is important to note that sexual violence is a risk that the vast majority of the
find for detention women interviewed are always concerned about (79%).
the main threat to security and safety in the area is the police. Almost half of the

Footer
respondents (48,9%) reported being worried about sexual violence while for
women this raises to 66,6%.

43,5% were worried about abduction and kidnapping

intercommunal tension and violence appeared to be an element of concern for 49%

21/03/2024
of the individuals potentially reflecting as well the recent tensions, violence and
arbitrary arrests that occurred in Medenine governorate in the first week of
February.
More than half reported that they are concerned about small/medium injuries
95,7% are concerned about grave injuries that can potentially lead to permanent
disabilities.
Life, safety, security and denial of liberty
78,1% worried about thefts
looting (64,5%),
arbitrary arrest and detention (71,9%)
small/medium injuries due to violence (71,9%),
worry about abduction (68,7%),

«Our worst intercommunal tension/conflict (56,2%),

sexual violence (53,3%)
armed group clashes (62,5%)

nightmare is to grave injuries due to violence (53,1%).

Only a small percentage of the respondent seem to be worried about the presence of
UXO/ERW (19,3), potentially either due to the lack of knowledge of the presence of

be deported to explosive items or the lack of the threat in the locations where they live.
It is important to note that sexual violence is a risk that the vast majority of the women
interviewed are always concerned about (79%).

Libya» More than half on the interviewees mentioned being verbally threatened (56,2%) or verbally
assaulted (54,8%) the last 30 days. More than half of those are women. 6 individuals
reported that they have been physically assaulted in the last month, 4 of which were women

Footer
potentially explaining further the concerns about their safety that women have been raising.
3 people have been abducted or kidnapped, 2 of them women while 2 people reported been
sexually assaulted (1 male and 1 female). Interestingly 2 individuals also reporting being
FGD participant victims of sexual exploitation and abuse either by service providers, or engaging in sex for
survival or transactional sex (1 male and 1 female respondent). Similarly 1 male and 1

21/03/2024
female respondent were forcibly recruited in armed forces. 2 men were survivors of torture or
inhuman, cruel or degrading treatment and 2 men were survivors or maiming/mutilation. 1
man and 1 woman were arrested at sea in the last 30 days while one male respondent was
arbitrary arrested and detained during the same period. 1 male interviewee also reported
neglect/criminal negligence while in detention or in the hands of smuggling networks. Forced
labour/exploitation has been highlighted in previous DRC protection monitoring reports as a
risk that is regularly occurring due to the informal working arrangements due to the lack of
Life, safety, security and denial of liberty

«Our worst
nightmare is to
be deported to
Libya»

Footer
FGD participant

21/03/2024
Life, safety, security and denial of liberty
78,26% reported being verbally threatened or intimidated, with
equal percentage reporting also verbal assault, while 43,4% were
physically assaulted. An 8,7 % reported incidents of forced labour,
exploitation and slavery. When analysed by gender men seem to
be the main survivors of those incidents with more than half of them

«Our worst (55,17%) reporting having been physically assaulted and 72,41%
been arrested and/or detained in the last 30 days.
A limitation of the data is that there can not be an analysis on

nightmare is to where the incidents took place. Due to the mobility of the population
incidents might have taken place either in Libya or Tunisia.
When comparing their sense of safety in Libya and Tunisia, overall

be deported to FGD participants mentioned that Tunisia is better in terms of

security due to the active conflict as well as the arms proliferation in
Libya. They have also been observing a deterioration of the

Libya» security situation at the moment a statement also made by

individuals that have been in Tunisia for years.
Those incidents seem to have caused higher level of discrimination

Footer
towards refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, and an increased
feeling of insecurity restricting as a consequence their movements
even further out of fear of being detained as due to those a higher
FGD participant police presence in the area is observed.

21/03/2024
The combination of living in precarious conditions, lacking proper
shelter, and experiencing conflicts among fellow refugees
contributes to an overall sense of insecurity and vulnerability.
Life, safety, security and denial of liberty
Risks encountered in dangerous locations

«Our worst
nightmare is to
be deported to
Libya»

Footer
FGD participant

21/03/2024
Denial of civil status registration/documentation
70% reported having lost documents during displacement
17% reported that their documents were confiscated by
authorities (inc in Libya)
Restriction in freedom of movement and perpetuates a

«Our worst
constant fear of expulsion to Libya. Moreover, individuals
have reported difficulties in accessing essential services,
such as healthcare.

nightmare is to Similarly in Libya more than half of the interviewees don’t

have a passport while 18,5% don’t have a birth certificate or

be deported to a national ID. Among the interviewees only 2 had the UNHCR
registration certificate even if 93,7% of the interviewees are
from nationalities that are recognized as people of concern to

Libya» UNHCR and even if 93,1% claimed to be registered with the

UN agency, indicating either the long waiting time for their
cases to be processed or that they lost their registration

Footer
certificates.

Tunisia: When asked about what issues caused them

FGD participant concern over the last one month, respondents across both

21/03/2024
genders responded that they are sometimes or always
worried about theft or harassment (89,3%), and lootings
(91,4%). Out of the last, 28,2% actually reported an incident
during the same period.
Access to adequate standard of living
• More than ½ of the interviewees in Tunisia and Libya face
issues with their housing arrangements
• 23,4% of the individuals interviewed reported facing the risk of
eviction
• 1/3 is leaving in UNHCR and IOM shelters.

1 out of 3 people •
•
1/3 of the women are homeless.
95,74% are facing continuous obstacles in accessing essential
• In Libya 43,7% mentioned continuous obstacles in accessing
interviewed in •
essential services
Tunisia: 97,8% faced challenges in accessing employment or

S. Tunisia are
livelihoods (100% among male), with government authorities
being the main contributor to the problem.
• 70,7% reduced their food consumption and 26,8% reported

currently •
psychosocial impacts
To cope individuals reduce expenditures on essential NFIs

Footer
(100%), borrow money (22,2%), engage in illegal or degrading

homeless •
income activities (eg theft, smuggling) (15,2%).
97,8% reported skipping meals to cope with the lack of income
while all responded reducing food portions and health

21/03/2024
expenditures. Women result to begging, a situation that can
expose them in further risks such as violence, exploitation,
abuse as well as arrest, detention and/or expulsions.
Non discrimination and equality
« West African countries' nationals
mentioned that and they can't go to
hospitals due to the discrimination that
they have to go through while when they
do the doctors won't even examine them or
»
touch them.
FGD participants
• Similar to FGD findings, respondents mentioned
high levels of discrimination in the 30 days prior
to the interview (83%), affecting both men and
women
• Main actor contributing or creating the threat is
government authorities and security forces, while
at a much lower scale civilians seem to also be
involved (4,2%).
• As expected discrimination has affected people’s
access to livelihood and employment
opportunities (44,7%), impacted their
psychosocial well-being (34,2%) and led to
arbitrary detention (18,4%).
• For the reporting period ½ of the interviewees
Footer
mentioned being discriminated against with men reporting
higher levels of discrimination in comparison to women. Contrary to
Tunisia Neighbours appear to be the main actors
21/03/2024
contributing to the threat (38,4%), followed by
unknown individuals (26,9%) and criminal groups
(15,3%)
Needs while in Tunisia
• 100% mentioned being in need of assistance (MMC)
• Priority being resettlement assistance (100% of women),

«Nobody will give assistance. We

followed by shelter, cash, food and access to work
• DRC: food assistance, medical care, adequate
shelter and education for children and cash for
pray to GOD»
basic necessities, in line with the findings above
that demonstrate barriers in accessing those
services for a number of reasons including the
lack of civil documentation as well as
discrimination. As men are excluded from
shelters they prioritise housing as the main need
in comparison to women that seem to prioritise
food assistance.
Male FGD participants
• Women resort to begging.
•

Footer
Men rely on borrowing money from friends or
relying on support from UNHCR and other
CSOs.
• Primary source of income is the monthly

21/03/2024
assistance provided by UNHCR. However, they
expressed that the amount they receive (200
TND) is often inadequate to cover their needs.
Conclusions
• DRC data shows similar or worst protection risks reported in Tunisia compared to Libya
with a large fear from refugees and migrants to be deported towards Libya
• Access to service remain minimal and barriers are high
• Number of reported homeless unaccompanied minors is concerning with limited shelter
capacities
• The gap in the response is worrying when put in perspective with reported needs and
sense of safety
• The situation is not confined to South Tunisia and DRC is identifying community volunteers
to expend its protection monitoring to grand Tunis and the Algeria border

Footer
21/03/2024