UNHCR Handbook for Emergencies - UNHCR eCentre

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Situation
Suitable and well-selected sites, soundly planned refugee settlements with adequate shelter and
integrated, appropriate infrastructure are essential in the early stages of a refugee emergency as
they are lifesaving and reduce suffering. Refugee settlement in emergencies may take the form
of dispersed settlements, mass accommodation in existing shelters or organized camps. Initial decisions
on location and layout have repercussions throughout the existence of a refugee settlement
with long-term effects on protection and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Objectives
To provide suitable sites and shelter to accommodate refugees in emergencies.
Principles of Response
● Use longer term planning principles, even when the refugee situation is expected to be only
temporary;
● Decisions on site selection and camp planning are very difficult to reverse, therefore when in
doubt seek technical support;
● Avoid high population density in settlements and in shelters;
● Avoid very large emergency settlements; refugee camps should normally be considered as a
last resort;
● Involve refugees in all phases of settlement and shelter planning and construction;
● Use a bottom-up planning approach, beginning with the smallest social units, preserving traditional
social arrangements and structures as far as possible;
● Develop a comprehensive master plan, with the settlement layout developed around sanitation
and other services, providing room for expansion.
Action
● Assess the suitability of the refugee site and ensure that it meets the basic criteria;
● Simultaneously assess the most immediate needs for emergency shelter and provide the necessary
materials that cannot be met from locally available resources;
● Identify the most urgently required measures to improve site planning and layout, and implement
these as soon as possible.