Photo by Erin Patrick, Women’s Refugee Commission. Camp, Thailand.

The Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) sector is meant to improve living conditions for refugees and IDPs living in camps. It aims to ensure that beneficiaries are provided with assistance and protection and that any gaps in services are identified and addressed. CCCM is also responsible for working with refugee leaders, host governments and local communities to mitigate potential concerns or incidents regarding access to land and natural resources.

Cooking fuel—or lack thereof—impacts several areas within CCCM. Struggles over limited natural resources such as firewood can cause tensions between host governments and camp residents, as well as between refugees and local communities, since both groups are often dependent on the same scarce resources, either for their own consumption or as a means of earning income. Environmental degradation resulting from firewood harvesting can further exacerbate tensions between refugees and local communities, and can cause food insecurity and even increase famine risk for both groups.

Camp Management Resources

Camp Management Toolkit
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
Date: May 2008
Synopsis: This toolkit highlights essential issues of protection and service provision in camps, and offers practical advice for camp management staff on how best to ensure overall coordination of the camp, while respecting the rights of displaced persons. Of particular relevance are chapters 6 (environment), 8 (protection in camp setting), 10 (prevention of and response to gender-based violence) and 13 (food distribution and non-food items).

Timber as a construction material in humanitarian operations
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN/OCHA)
Date: April 2008
Synopsis: This book provides technical information on selecting, specifying, procuring, using and distributing timber as a material for the construction of small and medium sized buildings as part of humanitarian operations, including recognizing the link and possible competition between timber used for construction and for firewood. It is intended for engineers, program managers, logisticians and others working in humanitarian programs involving construction.

Community Based Approach in UNHCR Operations
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: January 2008
Synopsis: This manual provides practical guidance on how to implement a community-based approach in humanitarian settings that empowers displaced communities to actively participate in the planning and implementation of protection strategies.

Community Based Approach in UNHCR Operations—Annex 2: Toolkit
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: June 2007
Synopsis: This toolkit outlines specific methods for participatory data collection, analysis and planning to support a community-based approach in humanitarian settings that empowers displaced communities to actively participate in the planning and implementation of activities, such as protection strategies.

Sphere Humanitarian Guidelines and Minimum Standards: Chapter 4--Minimum Standards in Shelter, Settlement and Non-Food Items
Guidelines/Standards
Author: The Sphere Project
Date: 2004
Synopsis: This chapter of the Sphere Handbook is a practical expression of the principles and rights embodied in the Sphere Humanitarian Charter, which is concerned with ensuring that the most basic requirements for sustaining the lives and dignity of those affected by calamity or conflict are met by the humanitarian system. The minimum standards are broken down into shelter and settlement standards, and non-food items standards.

Cooking Options in Refugee Situations: A Handbook of Experiences in Energy Conservation and Alternative Fuels
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Date: December 2002
Synopsis: This handbook offers practical guidelines for the domestic energy sector in refugee settings. Topics include: energy conservation, alternative energy, and energy supply (the ‘when’ and ‘how’ of external fuel provision). Case studies illustrate the pros and cons of particular interventions.

UNHCR Handbook for Emergencies: Chapter 12—Site Selection, Planning and Shelter
Tools/Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Synopsis: This chapter is designed to help humanitarian workers find suitable sites and shelter to accommodate refugees in emergencies, taking into consideration environmental, sanitation and gender concerns, as well as water supply, transportation infrastructure, and fire prevention.

Assessment Tools/Sample Interview & Focus Group Questions: Peacekeepers
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: Women’s Refugee Commission
Synopsis: This document provides sample interview questions for Peacekeeping, Civilian Police and/or other security forces on the topic of firewood collection, protection concerns and physical protection strategies such as firewood patrols.

Assessment Tools/Sample Interview & Focus Group Questions: Beneficiaries
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC)
Synopsis: This document provides sample interview/focus group discussion questions for beneficiaries or women’s groups on the topic of cooking fuel needs & preferences.

UNHCR Handbook for Emergencies: Chapter 13—Commodity Distribution
Tools/ Manuals/Handbooks
Author: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Synopsis: In addition to food support, refugees need certain non-food items for survival. This chapter is a guidebook on how to provide life-sustaining commodities to the refugee community in a fair and organized system, according to specific needs and bearing in mind cultural, environmental and geographic considerations.