Within Dadaab, the collection of firewood is overshadowed by gender-based violence, environmental degradation, a unsupportive legal system, and a compromised system of distribution by agencies. Like many refugee settlements, the poor planning and increasingly high population of the camps have adversely affected the surrounding natural environment. The demand for firewood and building materials have stripped the landscape of foliage, leading to the depletion of the few available natural resources in an already fragile ecology. During the emergency phase in which the camps were initially constructed, little thought was given to the future ecological impact and many of the decisions made within the early stages later imposed ruinous consequences. When the first camp, Ifo, was created, the entire landscape was bulldozed to form a level surface for construction. Unfortunately, as the Somali dessert is known to reach average temperatures of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, the loss of shade trees for the population was known to frequently cause conflict among refugees. When the later camps were created, Dagahaly and Hagadera, a greater effort was made to retain trees.
However, as nearly 200,000 refugees inhabit these camps at a high density, the reliance on wood for fuel, construction, and the feeding of animals has demolished green vegetation of the hinterland. In an effort to reduce wood consumption, UNHCR has entrusted the NGO, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (the German Technical Cooperation, or GTZ) to assist refugees with the regulation of natural resources. Under GTZ’s operation, a greenbelt has been designated around each camp, energy efficient stoves have been distributed, and a firewood distribution project has been established. The Kenyan government has also enacted a ban on the cutting wood, consequently forcing Somali’s into an undesirable legal circumstance. Yet reliant upon wood for heating, light, cooking, and construction, the refugees are forced to choose between improving their way of life their asylum in Kenya. Unfortunately, the central location of the firewood distribution center has also failed to allow the proper distribution of the firewood throughout the camps, while a lack of funding has forced a production cut for efficient stoves, leading once again to only partial distribution. The inequitable distribution of firewood within Dadaab is likewise associated with gender-violence among women. As GTZ is unable to distribute firewood rations to the entire community, it is necessary for women to travel increasingly further distances away from the camp to collect wood for use, thereby placing themselves at great risk to rape and sexual abuse. While incidents of rape and violence are considered to be exceedingly high within the camps, the exact levels or frequency cannot be determined by UNHCR or other agencies as the social stigma and shame attached to gender-based violence serves to silence many women. In addition, this trend is not only limited to Dadaab, but can be found in refugee settlements throughout the world, as well as within low income communities who are dependent upon scarce resources.
