Attachments
As of June 25th, there are 87 recorded active coronavirus cases remaining in Tunisia, down from 1,160 at its peak, and economic activities are resuming.1 This snapshot explores the impact that COVID-19 and the measures to prevent its spread have had on refugees’ and migrants’ employment and livelihood opportunities. It aims to inform the work of humanitarian and development actors assisting affected refugees and migrants.
Key recommendations
• Increase basic needs assistance – food, water, shelter – to vulnerable refugees and migrants across Tunisia, to avoid negative coping mechanisms due to loss of income;
• Increase cash programming, including cash for health services, for the broader refugee and migrant population based on their own assessment of their needs following the loss of work and income;
• The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on refugees’ and migrants’ access to work – largely in the informal sector – highlights the need for greater legal pathways so that refugees and migrants can access employment opportunities in the formal sector.
Profiles
This snapshot is based on 1,172 surveys and 12 key informant interviews with refugees and migrants in Tunisia conducted between April 6th and June 15th, 2020. Respondents were surveyed in 15 cities across the country; most notably, in Sfax (29%), Médenine (27%) and Tunis (21%). The main origin countries of respondents are Côte d’Ivoire (24%), Sudan (9%), and Eritrea (9%). Other countries include, but are not limited to Cameroon, Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Of those surveyed, 65% are men and 35% are women, ranging from 18 to 70 years of age (Figure 1).