UN refugee chief Grandi has announced that UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is ramping up its humanitarian response to the dire situation of 1.3 million people.
UNHCR is "stepping up its presence and programmes in Libya in response to the worsening humanitarian crisis resulting from conflict, insecurity, political instability and a collapsing economy in the North African country," a statement by the UN Refugee Agency said last weekend.
Commissioner shocked at harsh conditions
Amid the increasing complexity of refugee and migrant movements through and from Libya, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, visited Tripoli on Sunday, May 21st. During his stay, he met refugees and migrants in some of Libya's many detention centres. "I was shocked at the harsh conditions in which refugees and migrants are held, generally due to lack of resources," Grandi said. "Children, women and men who have suffered so much already should not have to endure such hardship."
1.3 million people in urgent need
Some 300,000 Libyans have been displaced by ongoing conflict, according to UNHCR. In all, more than 1.3 million people - including internally displaced people (IDPs) as well as vulnerable Libyans, host communities, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers - are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Hundreds of thousands of people in Libya have been affected by the collapse of law and order, absent or insufficient health care assistance,and lack of essential medicines, food, safe drinking water, shelter and education.
UNHCR ramps up operations
In response to this situation, UNHCR is ramping up its existing humanitarian operations in the country and is strengthening cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to leverage the respective strengths of both organizations. "We should not underestimate the challenges of operating in an unstable and volatile environment such as Libya today," Grandi said.
"Our ability to access and effectively deliver much needed protection and assistance is a constant challenge. The people we are trying to help and my staff live and work under enormous strain and risks," he added.
In addition to new offices and community development centres for refugees and asylum seekers, UNHCR is also scaling up its presence in places of disembarkation for rescued people and those intercepted at sea. At the same time, access and humanitarian assistance to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in detention facilities run by the Libyan authorities will be increased, focusing on life-saving humanitarian activities and advocating for the release of detained migrants.
In the last year and a half, UNHCR has been able to secure the release of more than 800 vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers.