Attachments
Opened in 2014 to avoid overcrowding in Zaatari camp, Azraq currently hosts around 41,000 Syrian refugees. About 14.7 km2 in size, the camp has four operational villages. The village-based approach aims to foster a greater sense of ownership and community among residents. Some of the key facilities in Azraq camp include a hospital, health clinics, a solar power plant, schools and community centres. The Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate (SRAD) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, co-coordinate the camp management.
Main Activities
Registration
UNHCR works to ensure all camp residents are documented and have certificates proving their registration. It is essential for maintaining accurate records of the camp's population and ensuring that individuals' rights and needs are recognized and addressed. The UNHCR registration centre in Azraq covers refugees in Azraq camp, Emirati-Jordanian camp and Azraq town.
Protection
UNHCR leads the Protection working group and Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) subworking groups in the camp. Through its daily presence in the camp and its leading role in coordination, UNHCR monitors and addresses protection-related concerns including documentation, safety, legal assistance, child protection, GBV, voluntary return, resettlement, etc. UNHCR offers protection counselling, facilitates referrals, and operates a protection hotline.
UNHCR ensures that its partners adhere to the international protection standards on case management through regular monitoring, capacity development, and advocacy with authorities on individual cases.
UNHCR also coordinates with the Civil Status Department of the Ministry of Interior and family courts (“Sharia courts”) to facilitate issuance of civil status documents i.e. birth, death, and marriage certificates.