An Evaluation of the Shelter Used to Accommodate Refugees at Buduburam Camp

Abstract

Since the end of the Second World War (1939-1945), the number of refugees continues to increase worldwide due to political crisis, civil wars, and human rights violations. Reports by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) indicate that the number of displaced people keeps escalating and that since 2015 the number surpasses 1% of the world’s population. This study conducted at the Buduburam Refugee Camp near Accra – Ghana, examined emergency shelters and the security situation at the camp in order to create prototype emergency shelters aimed at making secure and comfortable accommodation available to refugees in camps. Though the total number of refugees was 42,000, a sample of 300 respondents participated in the study. Structured questionnaire survey and observations were the tools employed for the study.  The results of the study indicated that by architectural and international humanitarian standards, shelter, sanitary, and emergency conditions in the camp were very poor and required some level of improvement to make life comfortable, healthy and secure in the camp. However, per the views of majority of the respondents, life in the camp was generally secure, and that a good relationship existed between the refugees and the Ghanaian community. Notwithstanding, there was the need for improvement in the shelter, sanitary, and emergency facilities of the camp.