Background Paper: COVID-19 Forced Displacement in the Middle East and East Africa

Abstract

This background paper presents considerations on how the COVID-19 pandemic is accentuating existing vulnerabilities of populations forcibly displaced by war (refugees, asylum-seekers, internally-displaced and stateless persons), in settings across East Africa and the Middle East. In addition to the devastating health threat the pandemic poses, lockdown measures imposed by governments to reduce transmission are having outsized effects on forcibly displaced populations, further entrenching poverty, xenophobia and creating new humanitarian protection issues. With the exceptional physical distancing requirements of this pandemic adding impetus to a global drive towards the localisation of humanitarian responses, we also describe some of the local responses to COVID-19 mounted by forcibly displaced communities and humanitarian actors early in the epidemic. We end by offering suggestions for how greater inclusion could help address vulnerabilities of displaced people to COVID-19.

This background paper is based on a rapid review of existing published and grey literature and personal communication with humanitarian actors, social scientists and representatives of local organisations working in diverse settings of displacement in the Middle East and East Africa. It was developed for the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (SSHAP) by the RECAP project at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (led by Diane Duclos and Jennifer Palmer).

Summary considerations on the ways humanitarian actors, civil society organisations and government departments with specific responsibilities towards displaced people can lessen vulnerabilities in this pandemic are available in a summary paper: Operational considerations: COVID-19 and forced displacement in the Middle East & East Africa

Ce document de référence considère comment la pandémie de COVID-19 contribue à accentuer les vulnérabilités existantes des populations déplacées de force par la guerre (réfugiés, demandeurs d’asile, personnes déplacées internes et personnes apatrides), en Afrique de l’Est et au Moyen-Orient. Outre la menace sanitaire dévastatrice que représente la pandémie, les mesures de confinement imposées par les gouvernements pour réduire la transmission touchent les populations déplacées de force de manière démesurée, contribuant à renforcer la pauvreté, la xénophobie et à créer de nouveaux problèmes de protection humanitaire. Compte tenu des exigences exceptionnelles en matière de distanciation physique liées à cette pandémie qui renforcent la tendance globale à la localisation des interventions humanitaires, nous décrivons également certaines des réponses locales contre la COVID-19 mises en œuvre par les communautés déplacées de force et les intervenants humanitaires au début de l’épidémie. Nous concluons en proposant des suggestions sur la façon dont une inclusion plus importante est susceptible d’aider à réduire la vulnérabilité des personnes déplacées à la COVID-19.

Andiko hili linatoa mapendekezo juu ya jinsi janga la gonjwa la COVID-19 linavyozidisha mazingira hatarishi kwa watu wanaolazimika kukimbia makazi yao kwa sababu ya vita (wakimbizi, watafuta hifadhi, watu waliokimbia makazi yao nchini mwao na wasio na uraia), katika maeneo ya Afrika Mashariki na Mashariki ya Kati. Pamoja na hatari kubwa ya kiafya inayosababishwa na janga la gonjwa hili, hatua za kuzuiwa kutoka nje zilizowekwa na serikali kupunguza maambukizi zimekuwa na madhara ya kupitiliza kwa watu waliolazimika kukimbia makazi yao, kuongeza umaskini, chuki dhidi ya wageni na kusababisha masuala mapya ya ulinzi wa kibinadamu. Kutokana na matakwa ya kipekee ya janga hili ya kutaka watu kutosogeleana kuwa chachu ya msukumo wa kimataifa wa ujanibishaji wa miitikio ya misaada ya kibinadamu, tunaelezea pia baadhi ya miitikio ya ndani ya COVID-19 iliyowekwa na jumuiya za watu waliolazimika kukimbia makazi yao na watendaji wa misaada ya kibinadamu mapema kabisa lilipotokea janga la gonjwa hili. Tunahitimisha kwa kutoa mapendekezo ya jinsi ujumuishwaji mkubwa unavyoweza kusaidia kushughulikia mazingira hatarishi ya watu waliokimbia makazi yao dhidi ya COVID-19. Andiko hili linatokana na mapitio ya haraka ya tafiti za sasa zilizochapishwa na ambazo hazijachapishwa na mawasiliano binafsi na watoa misaada ya kibinadamu, wataalamu wa sayansi ya jamii na wawakilishi wa asasi mahalia wanaofanya kazi katika mazingira mbalimbali ya watu waliokimbia makazi yao huko Mashariki ya Kati na Afrika Mashariki. Liliandaliwa kwa ajili ya Sayansi jamii katika jukwaa la vitendo vya kibinadamu(SSHAP) na mradi wa RECAP wa London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (kwa kuongozwa na Diane Duclos na Jennifer Palmer). Muhtasari wa maoni kuhusu njia ambazo watendaji wa masuala ya kibinadamu, asasi za kiraia na idara za serikali zenye wajibu mahsusi kwa watu waliokimbia makazi zinavyoweza kupunguza mazingira hatarishi wakati wa janga hili yanapatikana katika andiko fupi: COVID-19 katika muktadha wa kulazimika kukimbia makazi: Uzoefu kutoka Mashariki ya Kati na Afrika Mashariki.