More than a million migrants and refugees crossed into Europe in 2015, sparking a humanitarian crisis as European countries struggled to cope with the unprecedented influx of people. The vast majority of migrants arrived by sea, yet a large number of people made their way over land, through Turkey and the Western Balkans.
Despite its severity, the so-called European migration crisis was marked by significant information gaps related to the intentions and profiles of migrants as well as the factors motivating their decision to leave their place of origin and select a specific destination in Europe. These information gaps inhibited humanitarian planning and response and contributed to several unfounded assumptions on migration and the crisis.
In support of the humanitarian response, IMPACT, through its initiative REACH, established a displacement monitoring mechanism to assess the trends and profiles of the new arrivals. Through this intervention, REACH was able to produce monthly updates on migration trends. The data gathered provided consistent and regular information for actors leading humanitarian response to the dynamic situation. The information provided by REACH was also used by decision-making stakeholders, including humanitarian actors and policy-makers within the EU.
Southern Idleb and northern Hama, part of the last opposition-held territory in Syria, have seen renewed intensification of conflict. Due to the intensity of escalation and the seizing of key opposition-held areas, the ongoing clashes could develop into a final offensive which is feared to spiral into one of the worst humanitarian tragedies of the 21st century.
The wind and rain had gone on for days, and they kept rising. By the 14th of March, winds had reached a speed of 195 kilometres per hour. The eye of the storm turned inland and over the coastal city of Beira. A city home to half a million people. This is the story of Cyclone Idai and REACH’s response to it.
Bordered by some of the most crisis-prone countries in the world, Uganda hosts the largest refugee population on the African continent.
For decades Afghanistan has faced widespread displacements due to natural disasters, protracted crises and active conflict.
Surrounded by countries facing political instability, Uganda has become the primary destination for refugees fleeing conflict and insecurity in South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At present, there are over 629,000 Syrian refugees living in Jordan, a vast majority (85%) of whom live outside formal refugee camps, in host communities.
Shelter Centre in collaboration with IMPACT Initiatives and the Global Shelter Cluster’s Urban Settlements Working Group are pleased to announce the next Shelter Meeting.
Since the onset of the Syria crisis in 2011, Jordan has witnessed the arrival of over one million Syrians, of whom 665,000 are now registered as refugees with UNHCR.
