Assessing disaster risk reduction in refugee camp design: the case of Al-Wehdat and Azraq refugee camps in Jordan

Abstract

Regionally, Jordan is considered one of the most refugee-welcoming countries, as today it hosts around three million refugees and asylum seekers. This situation puts cities in confrontation with accommodating these populations, whether it is in informal urban settlements or emergency planned camps. As a result, they are a burden to the existing social and urban infrastructure and natural resources to cope with refugees’ needs, which might hinder the national development plans, thus elevating the vulnerability of the cities and their dwellers to low-level hazards. The focus of this research is to advance an understanding of Disaster Risk Reduction frameworks that comply with refugee camp design and informal camp settlements. The research method consisted of an extensive review of relevant literature on Disaster Risk Reduction frameworks, camp design guidelines, coupled with a context-based review of case studies. The latter is based on comparative analysis of informal camp - protracted settlement within the urban fabric - and emergency camp - planned campsite in a remote area - in Jordan. The findings from this research show that refugee camp design parameters do not adequately represent Disaster Risk Reduction strategies, specifically in the informal camps. Also that introducing them in initial camp planning stages with including the local-based knowledge of disasters could benefit their sustainable urban upgrading, and raise their preparedness and risk mitigation profile.