United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Nov 2021
InterWorks and the UNHCR Regional Centre for Emergency Preparedness – eCentre conducted a webinar for participants from the South Korean Ministry of Unification and other Partners in South Korea on 2 November 2021 on the topic “International Norms & Issues for Emergency Displacement Camps”.
The overall webinar design, preparation, and facilitation of case-study presenters was done by InterWorks with technical support and webinar invitation and hosting services provided by the UNHCR eCentre, UNHCR staff in South Korea, and 2 Korean/English language interpreters. The event was presented in English and Korean using the Zoom application language channels feature and live simultaneous translation. All prepared written and presented materials were also translated into Korean.
Based on discussions and review with the UNHCR staff in Seoul and the South Korean Ministry of Reunification, the webinar was designed to achieve the following stated session objectives:
- Provide an overview of the sectoral approach to emergency humanitarian response (similar to a mini-BIHR) using the Sphere Handbook as a core source and easy reference including the: Core Humanitarian Mandate, Protection Principles, and the four Technical Chapters
- Illustrate basic principles and international minimum standards in Sites and shelter, Emergency health services & standards, Psychological support services, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) minimum standards, and Emergency food and nutrition responses
- Illustrate an overall picture of international norms for camp-level management of: coordination bodies and structures for different emergencies, typical coordination working groups, sectors, or clusters, and means of providing accountability to those in need.
- Investigate management aspects and lessons learned of a real-world refugee camp example that would be relatable to the South Korean context using an in-depth case study and reflection questions to: address issues of registration, screening and security, clarify how standards and indicators are used in preparedness and contingency planning, and discuss issues and answer participants’ questions on any topic.
It was a good opportunity to think about displaced situations in Korea
– Workshop participant