13 May 2014: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) launched a global strategy to enable millions of refugees to have regular and reliable access to fuel and energy for cooking and lighting, without fear or risk to their health, personal security or wellbeing, through the Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) strategy.

Initially focusing on energy needs in camps, mainly for cooking and lighting at night, SAFE will provide a cross-sectoral approach to energy planning, addressing such areas as security, nutrition, health, environment, livelihoods and education.

Noting that fuel and energy are basic needs, like food, water, shelter, health care and education, Steven Corliss, UNHCR, stated that because of the cost of supplying fuel and access to refugees, UNHCR is starting by focusing on refugee camps in ten priority countries, namely Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda. In its first two years, SAFE will provide 175,000 refugees with stoves and another 150,000 with solar-powered lanterns, and install 2,000 solar-powered streetlights in households and communal areas to improve security.

Radha Muthiah, Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, said her organization is committed to “being a catalyst for energy technology innovation, public-private collaboration, and culturally-appropriate solutions for better energy access.” Biomass fuel, mainly firewood and charcoal, leads to risks for crisis-affected people and their environment, such as sexual and gender-based violence or assault during firewood collection, loss of livelihood and education opportunities, environmental degradation and respiratory illnesses caused by household air pollution. Thus, UNHCR is partnering on SAFE with the UN Foundation and the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves to support sustainable and safe access to appropriate energy for cooking, lighting and powering for affected populations in humanitarian contexts. [UNHCR Press Release] [Publication: Global Strategy for SAFE: 2014-2018]