This document has been produced in time from November 2015 until January 2016 to reply to a demand for general guidance on sheltering refugees in the context of the “refugee crisis” experienced in Germany as of August 2015.

This guidance is based on accepted humanitarian standards (SPHERE) complemented with desk-review, field visits, and structured conversations with key stakeholders to tailor it to the German context. The IFRC-SR U has visited 9 GRC managed accommodations for refugees in Germany, designed for different lengths of stay. During each visit, all facilities provided for the refugees were assessed and interviews were conducted with managers and technical personnel.

The visited shelters in Bavaria are managed by the GRC Headquarters, all others by district branches. Documentation and analysis of shelter solutions assessed can be found in the Annex of this document (two short term accommodations in Bavaria (Erding and Feldkirchen), 2 in Brandenburg (Eisenhüttenstadt and Doberlug-Kirchheim) and 1 in North-Rheine-Westphalia (Solingen); two mid-term accommodations Brandenburg (Potsdam and Unterschleuse) and one in North- Rheine-Westphalia (Solingen); one long-term accommodation in North-Rheine-Westphalia (Mülheim an der Ruhr). The desk-review included internal key documentation provided by the GRC, main humanitarian standards, and guidelines, relevant codes and regulations, the latest related news, etc.

The aim of this document is to provide decision-makers and first responders with guidance on recommended sheltering practices, based on international humanitarian standards and guidelines applied to a comprehensive overview of different emergency sheltering typologies for Germany.

The longer-term vision is to set out the first steps to harmonize minimum standards for shelter solutions in the European context. The standards will provide all stakeholders with a common language, to inform and support the development and implementation of common integrated shelter strategies with the goal to ensure good and equal quality of services and facilities to beneficiaries, and simplify planning and coordination of shelter operations.

To read more, please download the document down below.