One of the problems that often arises when people become refugees as a result of famine or insecurity and end up in refugee camps is that they do not want to return home when the immediate crisis is ended. They find the security of the camps and the certainty of food provided by aid agencies preferable to the risks and dangers of their former lives. Short-term refugee camps can turn into long-term people problems.
The United Nations faces such a problem with the Dadaab camp in Kenya, which is currently home to almost 450,000 refugees, and is suffering from overcrowding and insecurity, with women in particular being vulnerable to gender-based violence. One third of Somalia’s population is still facing food insecurity, so the number of refugees in Dadaab is increasing, with no signs of the people returning to Somalia.
Dadaab is only one of many camps and services provided for refugees, all at considerable cost, and the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is currently trying to find $1 billion to respond to refugee crises in Somalia and Sudan. The OCHA is providing refugees with seeds, fertiliser, solar lighting and fuel efficient stoves.