As has been happening on Lesvos, we see images daily of burning refugee centres, desperate people being beaten with sticks and tear-gassed, and angry protesters fearful of more immigration.
It all seems so far removed from the European ideal of open and free societies; a Europe which seemed to be the incubator and catalyst for a modern interconnected and sustainable humanity; a Europe we hoped would finally overcome its dark history of colonialism, imperialism and fascism.
From a humanitarian and professional perspective, you would expect the sort of mess unfolding on Lesvos to happen at the beginning of a crisis such as the war in Syria, not years into a known situation. And it is happening right on the richest continent on this globe. This is the shameful result of there being no vision or leadership when it comes to managing the refugee crisis; of politicians having succumbed to the most primitive narrative and adopting panicky, short-sighted policies.
Closing borders with repressive measures , deporting young refugees and migrants even when they have learned the language and are working or are in the middle of apprenticeships are actions used to score political points with voters by ambitious populist European politicians and leaders in Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, Italy or the centrist parties moving to the right in Scandinavia or Greece.
Their hard line attracts votes from people who feel insecure and have not been shown the benefits of implementing modern migration and integration measures. Affordable housing or small business support and saving schemes which made Europe so successful in its reconstruction following WWII have been abandoned and neglected throughout Europe. Given the right tools — a team, a sufficient budget, three months to set up proper camps and six to implement the first phase of getting them up and running — and the immediate crisis in Greece and, by default, the European crisis would be over if only it was managed correctly.
Done properly, we could avoid the images of human suffering and abuse, stories of suicidal children , women being abused, human traffickers and mafia thriving. The conditions on the Greek islands, the reforms introduced by the Greek government resulting in a block on asylum claims — a violation of international law — and the reduction of social support even to recognised refugees will open the doors further to human trafficking and exploitation.
I saw it all when I was manager of the Zaatari refugee camp on the Jordanian-Syrian border in and During the initial restrictions strictly limiting the freedom of movement of refugees in the ,person camp, prostitution, smuggling and child abuse were prolific. We were aware that Syrian mafia and business networks linked to the armed opposition were making millions every month.
We did not have the resources or intelligence available to do much about it. This is still going on. Gangs and people smugglers are preying on the desperation and vulnerability of people trying to get to Greece. Recruitment into brothels, sweatshops and farms in Europe is thriving because desperate refugees feel they have no choice. Documents are forged by international gangs, and children, in particular, have been disappearing without a trace — tens of thousands over the past five years, according to Europol and other child protection agencies.
For those worried about the effect of refugees coming into their countries, properly managed refugee settlements would also stem any uncontrolled rush of refugees towards northern Europe. For example, chronic deficiencies of vitamin A can lead to xeropthalmia and blindness in childhood, while iron deficiency can lead to anemia, vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy, niacin deficiency causes pellagra, and thiamin deficiency results in beriberi.
These gardens serve as a supplement to UNHCR food rations given out monthly and individuals are not allowed to grow and sell surplus of food for economic benefit. Many refugees there complain that monthly rations are not adequate and children and adults are left hungry, cutting down on their productivity and ability to work.
At the Meheba camp clean water pumps have been installed that are within walking distance of every part of the settlement, decreasing the chances of disease spread through water contamination and pollution.
In some refugee camps in Bangladesh, refugees use farming patches to produce vegetables, garlic and spices to enhance the taste and nutrition of the rations that they receive. Thus, refugees have developed innovative mechanisms for obtaining more food. One of the main ways that refugees obtain more food is through a process called recycling in which they leave the camp and reenter under a new identity, thereby gaining an extra ration card.
It is essential for refugees to receive an adequate quantity of good quality water because water has an impact on so many vital sectors of society, including nutrition, health, education and sanitation.
The UNHCR estimates that more than half of the refugee camps in the world are unable to provide the recommended daily water minimum of 20 liters of water per person per day.
Cholera affected people amongst households with access to only 37L of water per day. Though it is important to provide adequate quantities of water, the water quality and hygiene is also of the utmost importance. During the summer, the scorching heat was unrelenting and relief was minimal in stuffy tents. Dust was suffocating, as heavy machinery and water tankers bringing the daily delivery of 50 liters to each person stirred up the sand.
One child died of respiratory issues. The U. Refugee Agency that runs the camp has since introduced gravel to minimize the dust. And soon, the hundreds of water tankers will not be required — our teams began digging the first of two new deep wells in October to bring a sustainable source of water into the camp.
Providing living conditions that transform the transitory camps to more formal settlements can promote new ways of living and economic opportunities, and provide open spaces that support community building. The social impact of space transformation is argued by the Dutch architect and urban planner Kees Christiaanse, who states that urban changes influence social behaviours.
The idea is that people shape space to their image, while they are shaped by the structures that are resistant to change.
Space for communal interaction is vital to the refugee condition. Public spaces within the camps are ideal for communal living and letting go of frustrations, alleviating pressure and loss of hope.
We need to start by qualifying public space and providing places of comfort and better living conditions. Stronger social integration can be achieved by either improving existing spaces to match the values, behaviours and economic capacities of camp residents, and creating new spaces with collaborative plans based on the participation and expectations of the residents.
Along with this transformation from the informal to formal, infrastructure utilities and the regularization of land ownership and housing construction must also be considered.
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