Camp Rights

Setting up a camp following a disaster requires experienced professionals and a number of guidelines to be carefully followed.

When choosing the area where the camp will be set up, for example, these 4 zones must always be present:

a) population area: tents and toilets

b) front office area: first reception and camp management services

c) social area/open spaces: social tent for the population and canteen

d) services and volunteer area: the kitchen area, toilets and volunteer tents

In addition to the 4 essential zones, it is important that the following elements are present in the camp:

- Fencing the area

- At least one emergency exit on each side of the fence

- Entrance for service vehicles separate from the pedestrian entrance

- parking area outside the camp

- accommodation and toilets for volunteers to be located in the service area, separate from those for guests

- electrical network

- water network

- sewerage network

- stable terrain

- kitchen and canteen area as far from the sanitary facilities as possible

- toilets for the disabled

- first aid and healthcare area

The teacher shows the class this video of how a civil protection camp is set up:

The teacher divides the class into 3 groups and assigns each group one of the following scenarios:

- Population of 150: 80 adults - 30 minors - 30 seniors. There are 4 children with motor disabilities.

- Population 150 people: 100 adults - 40 minors - 10 seniors. 5 non self-sufficient elderly people are present.

- Population 150 persons: 90 adults - 50 minors - 10 elderly. 3 adults with motor disabilities are present.

Each group will have to design a camp that meets the possible needs of the host population. You can draw directly on a poster board with coloured markers or glue the various shapes, the important thing is that each group follows these instructions so that at the end of the realisation the essential elements are clearly recognisable to all.

Shapes to use

- Square for service areas

- Triangle for tents

- Rhombus for toilets

- Rectangle for social areas

Rules for camp construction

Each group should start with the basic essential services that must be present and then imagine all the elements to be included in the various areas taking into account the population of their camp. At the end, the class shares the finished projects.

The teacher asks the class whether the newly established camp protects some important rights of children: right to medical care, right to play, right to study, right to privacy, right to gather, right to information.

Based on the observations that emerged from the activity, the teacher proposes that the class reflect on the need to guarantee respect for the rights of minors in emergencies and the critical issues that can arise when these rights are not protected.