UNHCR Sub Offices in Tindouf
The UNHCR Sub Office has operated in Tindouf, Algeria, since 1995, when the office was opened to organize the voluntary repatriation of Sahrawi refugees to Western Sahara. Circa 1998, the focus of UNHCR has shifted from the durable solution of voluntary repatriation to become a humanitarian mission to provide protection and assistance to the Sahrawi refugees, who have been residing in the Saharan desert in Algerian territory since 1975. There are four refugee camps and one settlement, namely: Layoune, Smara, Dakhla, Awserd, and the 27 February “settlement.”
The majority of the refugee population consists of women and children. UNHCR works closely with its national and international partners, the Sahrawi refugee leadership [especially with public utilities concerned with water, health, and education] unions [women and youth], and other non governmental organizations to improve the quality of life for the Sahrawi refugee population.
UNHCR’s operations are entirely dependent on government donations. There has been a reduction in the Budget from 2.432.000 USD in 2006 to 2.062.000 USD in 2007. The UNHCR Tindouf Sub Office offers protection and assistance to the refugee population in the following vital sectors:
Food Assistance: UNHCR complements WFP’s basic food basket containing commodities by distributing 31,990 kg of yeast and 104,710 of green tea in 2006.
Health/Nutrition: UNHCR provides a medical doctor for medical support in the health sector to conduct a need assessment within the refugee camps. UNHCR provides the Sahrawi Ministry of Health with lab equipment and medicines on a yearly basis. UNHCR facilitates WHO’s health programmes and the distribution of 1300 HIV/AIDS testing kits and prophylactics under the aegis of the health consortium.
Transport/Logistics: UNHCR supports distribution of food and non food items by providing a transport fleet of trucks and contributes to the maintenance and spare parts of such vehicles.
Shelter: Traditionally nomadic, the Sahrawi live in tents but lately, the refugees have constructed brick homes. UNHCR usually distributes materials for 175 tents to address the refugee’s housing needs. In 2006, as a result of the February 2006 heavy rains and flooding, leaving roughly 60,000 homeless. UNHCR responded immediately by providing 3185 plastic sheets, 9,888 mattresses, 9750 jerry cans, and 43,000 blankets during the emergency. UNHCR distributed 1,166 tents in response to the February 2006 floods.
Water: UNHCR/the Sahrawi water department are attempting to improve the water distribution system by replacing water tankers with a pipeline infrastructure. Currently, UNHCR uses water trucks to distribute water to the four refugee camps.
Health/Sanitation: UNHCR provides bleach to health, water facilities, and schools- 20,642 liters in 2006. UNHCR supports sensitization and garbage collection campaigns within the camps. UNHCR provides support to the Nursing school to train nurses and midwives to reinforce their capacities by providing on the job training/pedagogic skills. UNHCR implements the supplementary feeding programme in all four camps. This programme covers malnourished children under 5 and pregnant/lactating women. UNHCR sponsors training session by qualified doctors to the Sahrawi medical personnel on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. UNHCR has coordinated a Plan of Action with the Sahrawi Ministry of Health on the prevention of HIV/AIDs to increase awareness among the medical community.
Community services: In all four camps, UNHCR provides vocational training and income generative activities for women, recreation centres for youth, and handicapped centres. UNHCR supports the Centre for Social-Legal Orientation centre for women, providing legal assistance since 2001 and sponsors training sessions to build their capacity in finance, administrative training, etc. UNHCR constructed two sports playgrounds for the youth in Dakhla and Smara refugee camps. UNHCR supports the handicapped centres, providing vocational training and income generation projects for 472 persons with special needs. The 2006-2007 Plan of Action for HIV/AIDS awareness raising campaign will target the refugee community at large, particularly the youth and women’s centres.
Protection: UNHCR advocates, educates, and disseminates information to increase awareness on HIV/AIDS. The Protection Unit works with the community centres and conducts family visits to assist/document in legal documentation to refugees. UNHCR works with the Women’s Centre to provide legal training in Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV), and legal assistance for families/women seeking legal advice. UNHCR works on issues pertaining to Sexual Gender Based Violence, collecting information and increasing awareness on issues of violence against men and women. UNHCR educates its staff and partners on international refugee law, human rights law concerning refugee rights, and Sexual Gender Based Violence. In 2007, UNHCR will train Sahrawi refugees in the youth and women’s union in international refugee law as well as the Police/Ministry of Justice on international refugee law/international human rights law to enrich law enforcement.
Education: UNHCR distributes primary school books to the approximate 30,000 primary school students in subjects such as math, Islamic studies, and Arabic as well as stationary, and 33,496 jogging suits to school children. UNHCR sponsored considerable rehabilitation for 9 schools as a result of the February 2006 floods.