ADVERTISEMENT

Coronavirus - Libya: UNHCR Update Libya

Population movement

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

As of 26 June, 5,049 refugees and migrants have been registered as rescued/intercepted at sea in 2020, by the Libyan Coast Guard and disembarked in Libya . On 26 June, 270 refugees and migrants were disembarked at the Tripoli Naval Base. The group included 13 women and 23 minors. UNHCR and its partner, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), were present at the disembarkation point to provide urgent medical assistance and core relief items (CRIs) before the individuals were transferred to Souq AlKhamees detention centre by the Libyan authorities. By way of comparison, over the same period in 2019, 3,457 individuals had been disembarked in Libya. UNHCR response**

Download Report: https://bit.ly/2CDJi6v

On the occasion of World Refugee Day , UNHCR organized events at the Community Day Centre (CDC), in Tripoli, jointly with partners CESVI and IRC. Two children’s art therapy workshops were held on 22 and 24 June, facilitated by a local psychotherapist along with co-facilitators from the refugee community. Similar workshops were held at a shelter in Misrata (190 km east of Tripoli) for 44 residents, including 15 children. The shelter accommodates persons of concern who are currently awaiting resettlement to third countries.

During the reporting period, 536 persons approached the CDC seeking assistance , most being spontaneous arrivals. They received available assistance as follows: 226 cases received primary medical assistance; 148 cases had protection interviews (including child protection, psychological support, and gender-based violence); 24 cases received hygiene kits. Partner CESVI provided cash assistance to a total of 74 urban refugee and asylum-seeker households, where regular cash assistance was delivered to 46 households (66 individuals) and emergency cash assistance was disbursed to 28 households (44 individuals).

ADVERTISEMENT

As a continuation of its COVID-19 response, on 21 June, UNHCR , in coordination with WHO and Benghazi health authorities, despatched five tents, four 80 kVA generators and two 60 kVA generators to Alkarama, Sidi Youness, Al Hadek, Tika, and Al Lithy clinics. In addition, 2,500 masks, 2,500 pairs of gloves, and 3,340 wet-wipe packages were provided to the same authorities for further distribution.

Registration at UNHCR’s Serraj Office continues . In the reporting week, a total of 187 individuals from Sudan, Syria, Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Palestine were registered. So far in 2020, some 4,000 refugees and asylumseekers were registered with UNHCR.

News story

Art provides comfort and hope to Eritrean refugee in Libya. Painting and drawing offers an escape for one refugee living in Tripoli at a time of conflict and a lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Painting means life to me, I don’t want to be separated from it,” said Solomon, as he displayed his sketches and drawings.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT