Migrants and refugees in Libya have limited access to economic resources and basic services due to their situation of vulnerability, according to a recent report drafted by the team REACH, a joint initiative of IMPACT, its sister-organization ACTED and the United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Program (UNOSAT).

"Libya has become the main country of transit and destination for over 700,000 refugees and migrants," said the report. It added that migrants and refugees "are among the most vulnerable groups in Libya and, as undocumented migrants are criminalized, many are held in detention centers facing harsh living conditions as documented by the media and aid actors. The majority of these migrants and refugees are however living outside detention facilities, but information on their needs, access to services and coping strategies remains limited."

Discrimination limits access to resources

REACH's team gathered information among migrants in Tripoli, Misrata and Sabratha. According to the team’s report, "the majority of refugees and migrants intend to stay in Libya to gather the necessary resources to return home in the future. However, their reduced purchasing power, struggle to meet basic needs and inability to save money is likely to affect their intentions to stay in Libya or move onward." Insecurity and discrimination in the North African countries are barriers to earn money: "refugees and migrants feel vulnerable to robbery and kidnapping, hindering their access to work spaces. One out of four migrants and refugees are not regularly paid by their employers primarily due to their inability to enforce their rights due to their undocumented status."

A difficult life due to financial vulnerability

Due to the difficult conditions migrants and refugees face, they are unable to purchase necessities, meaning "refugees and migrants are resorting to negative coping strategies such as reducing the quality and number of meals they eat, or borrowing money or food from social networks or family members." Based on the report's results, "refugees and migrants' irregular status, limited access to economic resources, and widespread discriminatory practices are hindering access to decent housing and healthcare." The study stressed that migrants and refugees "are residing mostly in overcrowded self-paid shared apartments, offering poor living conditions. Moreover, they are often not accepted in public medical facilities due to discrimination, leading to self-treatment and alternative medicine methods."