The new measures include stronger and deeper involvement of the refugee communities in the day-to-day running of the camps, by reaching out to different groups within the refugee population, such as elders, the business community, and youth. Complementing this, UNHCR is organizing additional training, mentoring and capacity building for refugee workers and volunteers.

Refugees have always had a role in making camps work. However at Dadaab that role is being expanded. Hospitals, for example, have remained open throughout this difficult period, staffed by refugees, nationals, and a limited number of international staff. Fur...

UNHCR is alarmed by a string of recent security incidents targeting the Dadaab refugee complex in northern Kenya. Dadaab is the world's largest refugee settlement and shelters more than 460,000 people.

An explosion on Monday at the Hagadera camp killed one person and seriously injured two police officers. Another improvised explosive device went off on Tuesday near the market at Ifo camp. Although there were no casualties a police vehicle was damaged.

In total there have been four such incidents at Dadaab since October when three aid workers were kidnapped. As a result three Kenyan police officers have been killed and four others wounded. There have also been threats against humanitarian agencies working in Dadaab. UNHCR condemns these attacks and calls for respect for peace and the civilian nature of refugee camps.

"We are deeply concerned for the well-being and saf...

In a statement issued today, UNHCR expressed alarm at the string of recent security incidents targeting the Dadaab refugee complex in northern Kenya. Dadaab is the world's largest refugee settlement and shelters more than 460,000 people.

In total there have been four explosions at Dadaab since October, when three aid workers were kidnapped. The blasts have killed three Kenyan police officers and wounded four others. There have also been threats against humanitarian agencies working in Dadaab. UNHCR condemned these attacks and called for respect for pea...

"I fell off a car when I was heading to Kenya from the Bay region [in southern Somalia]," the 31-year-old explained, sitting at the entrance of his white tent in the red earth. "When I arrived in Dadaab, I went to the hospital. But I left because I was afraid they would amputate it."

UNHCR field officer Henok Ochalla rebuked him for not using crutches, and called for an ambulance to take the father of six to the nearest camp hospital. "If only we had an extended presence in the camps, we would be able to assess the situation of families and to refer medical cases like Ibrahim's," said Ochalla.

He and his colleagues were going from tent to tent in Dadaab's Ifo 2...

Following last Thursday’s security incident in Dadaab, UNHCR and partner agencies have been continuing life-saving work for hundreds of thousands of refugees. Our staff and more than 30 partners remain operational in Dadaab’s three camps - Ifo, Dagahaley and Hagadera - as well as the new sites of Ifo 2, and Kambioos.

Together with the World Food Programme, UNHCR is distributing emergency food rations and relief supplies to recent arrivals. Water trucking to the new sites is ongoing while all three hospitals in Ifo, Dagahaley and Hagadera camps are providing health care to the re...