TO COMPLAIN OR NOT TO COMPLAIN: STILL THE QUESTION ...

16 HAP Humanitarian Accountability Parthership
Country Chapters
Below are country specific findings, conclusions and recommendations. Reporting of
findings follows the order outlined within the BBC discussion guide above.
1. NAMIBIA: Osire refugee camp
I. INTRODUCTION
Namibia was selected as a country in which to conduct the BBC for two reasons. First,
as a secure, long-standing refugee camp in one of Africa’s more developed host nations,
consultations in Osire provide a valuable contrast. By comparison with Kenya and Thailand,
resources for humanitarian services, rations and basic security are adequate and the Namibian
reception of the refugee population, although not welcoming, is not hostile. Second, UNHCR
expressed interest in hosting the BBC with close collaboration and with support from both
African Humanitarian Action (AHA) and Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS).
Consultations with humanitarian service agencies took place between 28 October and 5
November, 2007. Sixty-six refugees participated over the course of fifteen separate discussions.
In addition to consultations with beneficiaries, the BBC researcher met with UNHCR, JRS
and AHA to introduce the BBC methodology and to discuss sexual exploitation and abuse
prevention efforts and current issues contributing to related vulnerability of this refugee
population. Courtesy visits were also paid to the Namibian civil service camp manager and a
police focal point who serves on the Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) committee.
Translators and one of the social workers were also consulted for their opinions on sexual
exploitation and abuse in Osire camp.
II.
NAMIBIA HUMANITARIAN CONTEXT
Osire refugee camp, which is the only refugee camp in Namibia, has existed since 1992. In
early 2007, a Government of Namibia and UNHCR registration and verification exercise
determined that there are 6,000 refugees in Osire. In previous years the camp swelled to
25,000 refugees. The majority of this refugee population was from and has returned to
Angola. Another 1,000 refugees are resident in Namibia outside the camp. According
to UNHCR Osire population statistics from October 2007, some 75% of refugees are
Angolan. Nationalities with more than 1% of the camp population include Burundi (2.9%),
the Democratic Republic of Congo (19%) and Rwanda (1.7%). Refugees from fourteen
other African countries also live in Osire but of these, no single nationality represented
consists of more than a handful of households.
Currently, registered refugees in Osire receive a full food basket ration plus paraffin for
cooking and sanitary materials for women which is a more complete food basket than is
available in many other refugee or displaced contexts. Youth club members receive soap,
deodorant and sanitary materials. The Osire camp school runs through Grade 10 and student
results are reported to be nationally competitive. By comparison with other BBC country
studies, basic necessities are more readily available. Additionally, UNHCR has strongly
advocated for gender parity in refugee held leadership positions.
In order to move refugees towards integration into the local population, Osire is experiencing
a “rationalisation” process, meaning it is downsizing external support as efforts are made to
create an intermediary step between camp existence and Namibian work permit or residence
status. At the time of this visit, JRS was preparing to end their programmes by December