1. Transit and influx management
This session looks at transit and influx
management and different transit
facilities
Macedonia FYR, 1999

2. ! Session objectives This session will present an understanding of:
transit and influx management
transit facilities

3. ! Session objectives This session will present an understanding of:
transit and influx management
transit facilities

4. Overview of transit facilities
way stations
transit centres
reception centres
The network of transit facilities usually comprises:
direction of flight
host families
rural self- settlement
urban self- settlement
collective centres
self-settled camps
planned camps

5. Transit Transit is the process whereby displaced populations move
from a border, front line or hazardous area to a safer location
While in transit, displaced populations will require:
medical screening, first aid, inoculation and quarantine
water and food
transport assistance for vulnerable individuals and groups
registration and documentation including asylum seekers
support in identifying appropriate transitional settlement
options during displacement
Supporting transit enables the humanitarian community to:
identify vulnerable individuals and groups
develop a better understanding of the population
initiate influx management

6. Influx management: introduction
Transitional Settlement: Displaced Populations
(Corsellis and Vitale, 2005)
Influx management requires accurate and timely information on
the size, position and composition of populations as they displace
Adequate influx management makes it possible to:
prepare for the reception of the displaced population
ensure that sufficient capacity exists within one or more transitional settlement option
inform displaced population groups about appropriate transitional settlement options
phase shelter and NFIs provisions to match arrival
camps can be supported in phases, to match influx rates
phase 1
phase 2
phase 3

7. Transit and influx management: planning
Transit is often disrupted by bottlenecks forming due to:
families regrouping
changes in security situations
changes in risk from natural hazards
communities making a collective decision to move together
community members undertaking reconnaissance prompting the movement together of groups
Transit and the management of the influx may be improved by:
requesting an increase in resources
requesting support from other organisations
improving field communication and coordination
planning for the future upgrade of emergency facilities
including support to the faster and more flexible dispersed options for transitional settlement

8. Transit and influx management: assessment
Transit and influx management requires ongoing assessment of:
the rate of influx
the size of the displaced population
the likely size of the population in transit
the disaster situation and how this may change over time
likely variations in the rate of influx and size of the displaced population

9. ! Session objectives This session will present an understanding of:
transit and influx management
transit facilities

10. Standards and law
International refugee law and UNHCR guidelines should be applied when affected populations have been displaced across an international border, whether due to natural disaster or conflict
For internally displaced populations, ‘Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement’ (UN/OCHA, 2004, also called Deng’s Principles) should be referenced in order to:
Handbook for Emergencies
(UNHCR, 2007)
identify the rights and guarantees relevant to protection of the internally displaced in all phases of displacement
provide valuable practical guidance to governments, other competent authorities, intergovernmental organisations and NGOs in their work with internally displaced persons
Reference should also be made to the: ‘Handbook for the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons’ (Global Protection Cluster Working Group, 2007)

11. Facilities: site selection
Guatemala, 2005
When selecting a site for transit facilities consider:
A. protection and security
B. exposure to hazards
C. the location of facilities to serve as many people as possible
D. access to clean water
E. adequacy of sanitation and services
F. accessibility to roads, rails, ports and airports for supply

12. Facilities: contingency planning
People may remain in transit facilities for longer periods of
time if they are:
waiting for families or communities to re-group
unsure about the security and risk situation in front
unsure about the security and risk situation behind
unsure about shelter and settlement options in front
Each facility should be organised into an efficient system of
arrival, separating any vehicular traffic from pedestrians
preliminary or full registration, including health screening
support, including dry or cooked rations
onward movement, including transport for vulnerables

13. Facilities: standards
site
primary criteria
expected duration of stay
security
good access (road, port, airport)
availability of water,
good drainage (minimum 2% slope)
adequate conditions for sanitation
2–5 days, high turnover rate
fencing should be installed, depending on circumstances
space required
accommodation
food preparation
storage
layout
minimum of 3m2 per person in barracks or long houses
subdivided for groups or families
e.g. an 85m2 tent can accommodate 14–25 persons approximately
100m2 per 500 persons
150–200m3 per 1,000 persons
arrival and departure zones separated from accommodation zones
Handbook for Emergencies
(UNHCR, 2007)

14. Facilities: standards
Handbook for Emergencies
(UNHCR, 2007)
water supply
water supply per person
7 liters each per day minimum for survival, if possible
plus water required for kitchens, cleaning, and sanitation
sanitation
maximum no. per latrine
maximum no. per shower
20 persons
50 persons
other facilities
equipment
health
administration
lighting, public address system
a health post should be present
office and staff accommodation

15. Way stations, daytime support
Way stations are service points between overnight
accommodation facilities, located at a distance that it takes to
walk for approximately half a day
They should provide food and drink to displaced people en route,
but they are not intended to offer overnight accommodation
Facilities should include support to the following services:
A. preliminary health screening
B. clean water and sanitation
C. dry rations, such as high-protein biscuits
D. preliminary registration or counting of the number of people
transport for people unable to travel onward unaided
shaded assembly areas with water and sanitation
Transitional Settlement: Displaced Populations
(Corsellis and Vitale, 2005)

16. Way station: example from conflict or natural disaster assembly area S
storage G
tap stand
facilities: -registration -health check -dry ration distribution
latrines S G
guard
check point G
dry rations
departure area
assembly areas
to transitional settlement

17. Transit centres, overnight support
Transit centres provide support and overnight accommodation
There is usually one complete day’s walk between one transit
centre and another, or between a transit centre and a reception
centre
Facilities should include support to the following services:
A. preliminary medical screening
B. clean water and sanitation
C. dry rations or cooked food
D. preliminary registration
overnight accommodation
large shaded assembly areas with water and sanitation
Transitional Settlement: Displaced Populations
(Corsellis and Vitale, 2005)
USA, 2005

18. Transit centre: example
from conflict or natural disaster
assembly area G
facilities: -registration -basic medical screening -food distribution -overnight accommodation S
storage
S FP
tap stand
latrines G G
guard
space for overnight accommodation
check point
cooked food G FP
food prep
assembly areas
departure area
to transitional settlement

19. Reception centres, upon reaching safety
Reception centres act as an entry point to the transitional
settlement options. They are located in secure areas, at least
50km from an international border or the front line of conflict.
They should be planned to receive all displaced persons, and not
just those entering planned camps.
Facilities should include support to the following services:
A. full medical screening, including inoculation
B. full registration, to determine status and any vulnerability
C. issue of ration cards
D. distribution of food and non-food items
E. wider assistance and social services
F. allocation of a plot of land or room if transitional settlement is
offered in a camp or collective centre
Transitional Settlement: Displaced Populations
(Corsellis and Vitale, 2005)
Syria, 2006

20. Reception centre: example
from conflict or disaster
assembly area G
facilities: -full registration -full medical screening -food and NFI distribution -overnight accommodation
S FP S
storage
tap stand G
latrines G
guard
check point
space for overnight accommodation
cooked food FP
food prep
assembly areas G
departure area
to transitional settlement

21. Transitional settlement options
Transitional Settlement: Displaced Populations
(Corsellis and Vitale, 2005)
From the reception centre the displaced population will
move on to one of the 6 options for transitional settlement
Host families
dispersed
Urban self-settlement
Rural self-settlement
Collective centres
grouped
Self-settled camps
Planned camps

22. 10 mins Discussion conflict cyclone earthquake flood fire volcano
in pairs
In pairs, discuss how different hazards impact transit and influx
conflict
cyclone
earthquake
flood
fire
volcano
landslide
tsunami
Each pair agrees a key point
Key point

23. Bibliography
‘Transitional Settlement: Displaced Populations (Corsellis and Vitale, 2005)
‘Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement’ (UN/OCHA, 1998)
‘Handbook for Emergencies’ (UNHCR, 2007)