Zaatari refugee camp

Zaatari مخيم الزعتري
Refugee camp
Zaatari Location in Jordan
Coordinates: 32°17′44.4″N 36°19′25.5″E / 32.295667°N 36.323750°E / 32.295667; 36.323750Coordinates: 32°17′44.4″N 36°19′25.5″E / 32.295667°N 36.323750°E / 32.295667; 36.323750
Country	Jordan
Governorate	Mafraq Governorate
Settled	2012
Government
• Camp Manager	Hovig Etyemezian
Area
• Total	2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2)
Population (2015)
• Total	79,900
• Density	62,710/sq mi (24,212/km2)
	figures from August 23, 2015 (est.)
Time zone	UTC+2 (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (UTC+3)
Area code(s)	+(962)2

Zaatari (Arabic: مخيم الزعتري) is a refugee camp in Jordan, located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Mafraq which is gradually evolving into a permanent settlement.^[1] It was first opened on July 28, 2012 to host Syrians fleeing the violence in the ongoing Syrian civil war that erupted in 2011. On March 26, 2015, the camp population was estimated at 83,000 refugees.^[2]

It is connected to the road network by a short road which leads to the highway 10.

The camp features market-like structures along the main street where goods like vegetables, basic household equipment and clothes can be purchased. There are also coffee shops where shisha can be smoked.

Since the opening of the camp in July 2012, the camp population has repeatedly demonstrated. The main concern has related to the lack of sufficient food supplies and better accommodation.^[3][4] The camp has seen an increasing number of reports of crime, including prostitution and drug-dealing.^[5] Furthermore, demonstrations are used as a forum to create awareness of the conflict and to express political views against the current government led by Bashar al-Assad and the violence inflicted by the Syrian Armed Forces.^[6] Further the protesters declared support for the Free Syrian Army.

Due to the maximum capacity of 60,000 refugees in March 2013 a second camp was built 20 kilometres east of Zarqa in the Marjeeb Al Fahood plains.^[5][7] On 5 April 2014 a riot resulted in a number of injuries to both refugees and Jordanian police. One refugee was killed by gunshot.^[8]

In 2015, filmmakers Zach Ingrasci and Chris Temple lived in Zaatari for a month, resulting in the documentary Salam Neighbor.

Demographics

Accurate counting of the number of refugees in the camp stopped during March 2013 due to the high influx of refugees that skyrocketed that month. Current estimates put the number of refugees residing in the camp at about 79,900 (August 23, 2015 estimate).^[2]

Population growth

Since the opening of the refugee camp in July 2012, the camp saw a dramatic increase in its population, that made it the largest population center in Mafraq Governorate within a few months:

• On the 27th of August 2012, the number of refugees in the camp reached 15,000 refugees,^[9] comprising about 10% of the total number of Syrian refugees in Jordan.
• The camp was housing 30,000 Syrian refugees as of September 6, 2012 comprising about 30% of the total Syrian refugees in Jordan.^[10]

A bakery shop made by the residents of Al-Za'tari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Many Syrian refugees have started their businesses in the camp for living, which created a popular market in the camp. (By/ Mustafa Bader)

• On the 29th of November, 2012 the number of refugees reached 45,000,^[11] while the total number of Syrian refugees in Jordan was approximately 230,000.
• On the 10th of January, 2013 the total camp population reached 65,000 comprising 22% of the total Syrian refugees in Jordan.
• On the 5th of February, 2013 the number of refugees in the camp reached 76,000, while the total number of Syrian refugees in Jordan was more than 345,000.^[12]
• In March 2013, the Syrian security forces started a large-scale security campaign in the southern regions of Syria, resulting in a significant increase in the refugees crossing the borders to Jordan. By 11 March there were more than 156,000 refugees in the camp. These estimates make Zataari the fourth largest city in Jordan.^[13]
• On 30 April 2014, another refugee camp was opened in Azraq.^[14] All newly arrived refugees are now taken to Azraq, while the number of refugees in Zaatari have steadily depleted. By September 2014, the number of refugees in Zaatari has fallen to 79,000, according to the latest figures from the UNHCR.^[15]

The figures during the initial days varied slightly from day to day due to people 'escaping' or leaving the camp back to Syria, and partly due to initial over counting ^[16] Movement out of the camp remains restricted leaving many to label it a prison or detainment camp and going against core humanitarian principles. Most of the refugees are from the Governorates of southern Syria, Damascus and Homs.

Services

Zaatari refugee camp

USAid personnel visit the camp

Syrian Children filling drinking water in bottles at Al-Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. (By/ Mustafa Bader)

UNHCR remains responsible for the refugees and the camp is managed by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization / JHCO. In March 2013 the UNHCR called the German Mr Kilian Kleinschmidt to be the "Senior Field Coordinator" of the camp.^[17] Other actors include:

Community mobilization:

• InterSOS is in charge of distributing "stoves for tents, blankets and winter clothes" as a part of the winterization campaign.^[18]
• International Relief and Development Inc. (IRD)

Medical:

• Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
• International Medical Corps
• French military field hospital providing a "surgical unit specialised in treating war injuries"^[19]
• Moroccan military field hospital
• Syrian American Medical Society
• Italian Field Hospital
• UAE Red Crescent^[20]
• Jordanian Red Crescent^[20]
• Handicap International
• IOM / International Organization for Migration Screening and Health relations with Jordanian Hospitals and Health Ministry for treatment.
• IFH Noor Al-Hussein Foundation, Partner with UNHCR, UNFPA
• Two clinics operated by UNFPA for primary health care and reproductive health care^[21]

WASH (Water/Sanitation/Hygiene) coordination and overall responsibility:

• Unicef

Water and sanitation facilities:

• Federal Agency for Technical Relief THW constructed 160 kitchen units and 380 toilets.^[22] The THW was contracted by UNHCR.^[23]
• MSB
• MercyCorps
• Oxfam^[24]

Food:

• WFP

Hygiene Promotion:

• ACTED responsibility lies in the field of water treatment, water testing and waste management (liquid and solid).^[25]
• Jen
• Oxfam^[24]

Education:

• Unicef
• SCJ / Save the Children - Jordan "is working to enroll children of Syrian refugees in the Zaatari Refugee Camp in schools" as a part of "the educational outreach programme".^[26]
• UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Youth educational activities, Vocational Training and Higher Education
• IRC / International Rescue Committee is active in assessing the extent of gender based violence.^[27]
• IOM / International Organization for Migration ^[28]
• UNFPA
• Norwegian Refugee Council providing informal education services

Women's and Children's Protection:

• The International Rescue Committee(IRC) operates four women's centers in Zaatari camp, and works with UNICEF to care for unaccompanied and separated children.

Others

• World Vision International implements projects with regard to water drainage and road construction.
• ICRC is tracing families and relatives of refugees.^[29]

The Zaatari refugee camp is gradually moving away from a model of top-down service provision, as is usual with refugee camps administered by international humanitarian organisations. Instead, under the aegis of the UNHCR, the camp is gradually transforming into a self-provisioning urban conglomeration, where refugees are provided with various forms of cash-based assistance and encouraged to address their own needs.^[30][1]

Mapping

Since 2012 Zaatari shelters and other structures have been mapped more than 25 times using satellite imagery by UNOSAT.^[31] Zaatari is one of the first camps to be mapped in detail through OpenStreetMap.^[32]

See also

• List of Syrian refugee camps in Jordan
• Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp
• Syrians in Jordan

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zaatari refugee camp.

• UNHCR Data Portal
• Al-Zaatari Camp Map by UNOSAT accessed 2012-11-04
• Zaatari 360-reportage, by Martin Edström
• OpenStreetMap - Zaatari

Syrian refugee camps locations and populations as of 2015
Iraq 5,861 refugees  Iraqi Kurdistan 239,955 refugees  Jordan 628,427 refugees  Lebanon 1,196,560 refugees  Turkey 1,758,092 refugees Al-Obaidi 1,519 Arbat 5,878 Basirma 3,661 Darashakran 9,809 Domiz 1 43,235 Domiz 2 5,810 Gawilan 6,131 Kawergosk 10,215 Moqebleh unknown Qushtapa 6,285 Azraq 17,738 Mrajeeb Al Fhood 5,366 Zaatari 83,501 Sabra and Shatila 10,000-22,000 Ain al-Hilweh 50,000 Kilis Oncupinar 14,000 Islahiye refugee camp K.Maras refugee camp Osmaniye refugee camp Nizip refugee camp Karkamis refugee camp Akcakale refugee camp Ceylanpinar-Telhamut refugee camp

Syrian refugee camps in Jordan
Camps 1. Zaatari refugee camp 2. Rukban refugee camp 3. Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp 4. Azraq refugee camp 5. Hadallat refugee camp