Egypt Refugee Appeal For Refugees from Africa, Iraq and Yemen 2018 | Page 21

Egypt Response Plan 2018
NEEDS, VULNERABILITIES AND TARGETING
The majority of African, Iraqi, and Yemeni asylum-seekers and refugees registered with UNHCR in Egypt have
substantial psychosocial, protection, and livelihood assistance needs. The partner agencies in this appeal continue
to advocate for equity for all refugees in Egypt, yet disparity of funding available for Syrians and refugees of other
nationalities remains. Increasing cost of living, inflation, difficult socio-economic conditions and funding limitations
have impacted the ability of UNHCR and partners to meet the basic needs of increased numbers of arrivals from the
Horn of Africa to Egypt.
Responding to the needs of vulnerable girls and boys
through continued targeted services for all children
at risk remains a priority. Protection concerns of sub-
Saharan African, Iraqi, and Yemeni refugee children are
numerous, and include physical and legal protection
challenges; gender-based violence; lack of access to
sustainable formal education for certain nationalities;
limited livelihood opportunities for teenagers who will
soon turn 18 years old; costly secondary and tertiary
health care; and language barriers for non-Arabic
speakers. These concerns are aggravated by the lack
of support within their communities, the loss of hope in
the possibility to return to their country of origin, the host
country’s economic challenges and a perceived lack of
future in Egypt.
humanitarian assistance to those arrested for irregular
departure or entry, including children, as well as of legal
and counselling services upon release by protection
partners. The focus will remain on building existing
government capacities at both central and local levels
to address irregular movements and the protection
needs of those who are most vulnerable including those
fleeing persecution.
The capacity of child protection partners and national
child protection systems needs to be further strengthened
in order to address the continuous arrival of refugee
children from the East and Horn of Africa. The impact
of the humanitarian situation on affected adolescent
and youth, which represent 18 per cent of the refugee
population registered with UNHCR in Egypt, and the risk
of resorting to negative coping mechanisms, needs to be
further assessed and addressed.
African, Iraqi and Yemeni refugee children have been
greatly constrained by limited resources, and over the
years, challenges have become more complex and
deeply rooted, requiring greater investment. Sufficient
resources need to be allocated for community-based
child protection services to help in addressing basic
needs, strengthening community and family support,
and facilitating access to specialized services.
Targeted initiatives will be developed to respond to the
specific needs of women and girls and to foster their
empowerment and protection.
Some sub-Saharan African asylum-seekers and
refugees continue to be detained for having entered or
attempted to leave Egypt in an irregular manner. There
is a continuing need for the provision of emergency and
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