(1) Produce a report focused on evidence of the most appropriate ways to support health and nutrition outcomes for management of protracted population displacement.
(2) Highlight information on psychosocial social impacts of protracted displacement (including gender).
Findings on health and nutrition management of protracted population
- A synthesis of food assistance programme evaluations finds
unacceptably high numbers of refugees were food-insecure, women more
so than men.
- A review of nutrition indicators evaluating performance of nutrition
programmes in more than 90 camps in 18 countries found supplementary
and therapeutic feeding programmes exceeded nearly all standards.
- A feeding programme in Thailand used funds to subcontract the Burmese
Border Consortium to organise food and fuel needs for Burmese
- Evaluation of managing health in a protracted refugee situation in
Kakuma, Kenya, shows the advantages of specialisation in delivering
- A district in Uganda used a planning mechanism called ‘Quality Design’
to bring user expectations together with technical standards for
- Long-term support for protracted refugees fits uneasily with
conventional donor funding modalities.
Findings on psychosocial impacts of displacement include:
- Experience of conflict and displacement inherently involves exposure
to a range of stressors and has the potential to negatively impact the
mental health and well-being of everyone affected.
- Although protracted displacement increases the risk of mental health
disorders, it is striking that more people do not develop them.
Factors preventing adverse mental health outcomes are likely to be
individualised and include an individual’s natural response to stress,
and social support networks available.
- UNHCR have recommendations and guidelines to operationalise mental
health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions in those
experiencing protracted displacement.
- Experience of gender based violence (GBV) has been significantly
associated with increased risk of poor mental health outcomes.
- Children experience stressors associated with displacement differently
Bolton, L.; Foster, G. Helpdesk Report: Health and Nutrition for Displaced Populations. Health & Education Advice & Resource Team (HEART), (2013) 30 pp.