Before the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, two non-governmental organizations took the floor to demand stronger engagement from UN mechanisms, broader access to the camps, and effective follow-up on individual cases deemed critical.
A call for independent access to the camps
Speaking on behalf of the Program for the Promotion of Economic and Social Development (PDES), Aïcha Dhihi framed her intervention around institutional cooperation. In her view, guaranteeing effective protection of human rights in the Tindouf camps necessarily requires stronger collaboration between Algeria and the relevant United Nations mechanisms.
Speaking during the general debate under agenda item five, Dhihi asked that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other competent bodies be granted independent, regular and secure access to the camps. This is not a new demand in the Western Sahara file, where the question of humanitarian access has long been a point of contention between the parties involved.
The PDES representative went further, questioning the reliability of the demographic data UNHCR uses for humanitarian planning. According to her, these figures do not amount to a complete and up-to-date demographic census of the camp population — a gap that, if confirmed, could directly affect how aid is calibrated. Dhihi therefore called for a transparent registration process for residents, paired with regular updates to demographic data.
Another point stood out in her remarks: the protection of individuals who cooperate with UN mechanisms against intimidation or reprisals. For Dhihi, humanitarian aid cannot be separated from the protection of fundamental rights or from efforts to find durable solutions for the populations concerned.
The individual case raised by CHRAPA
The second intervention, delivered by Mustapha Maalainin on behalf of the Centre for Human Rights and Peace Promotion (CHRAPA), took a different approach, focused on the follow-up of individual situations. The organization called on the Human Rights Council’s competent mechanisms to ensure effective handling of the cases submitted to them, rather than a purely formal review.
Maalainin cited the case of Lalla Haidas, described as a resident of the Tindouf camps, whose situation had reportedly been brought to the attention of the relevant UN bodies. According to CHRAPA, she suffers from a serious medical condition requiring specialized treatment. The organization asked that she receive appropriate and timely medical care and, if her condition requires it, that a medical evacuation be facilitated.
Building on this request, CHRAPA urged Algeria, as the host country of the camps, to facilitate access to the specialized care required, in line with its international human rights obligations. This framing echoes principles of international humanitarian and human rights law, which generally place particular responsibility on host states with respect to refugee populations present on their territory.
🚨انفجار الغضب في مخيمات تندوف لم يعد مجرد تململ عابر بل تحول إلى مواجهة مفتوحة وعمليات رد قاسية تعكس حجم الاحتقان المتراكم ضد قيادة البوليساريو وسياسات التضييق الممنهج. pic.twitter.com/aVXyyBWRJi
— مصطفى العلمي🇲🇦 (@alamimustapha00) September 25, 2026
Why this issue remains sensitive
The question of the Tindouf camps sits within the broader dispute over Western Sahara, which has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, for decades. The camps, located in southwestern Algeria, have hosted a population of Sahrawi refugees since the mid-1970s, and their exact size remains a recurring point of controversy between the parties.
This is precisely the issue raised by the PDES representative when she questioned UNHCR’s methodology. The absence of an up-to-date and transparent demographic census is an argument regularly put forward by organizations aligned with Morocco’s position, who contend that uncertainty over population figures complicates the assessment of actual needs and, by extension, the proper allocation of international aid.
On the matter of individual rights, highlighting a specific medical case reflects an advocacy strategy now common before UN bodies: giving a concrete face to broader concerns about access to care and living conditions in the camps. This kind of intervention aims to draw the Human Rights Council’s attention beyond general statements, appealing directly to the individual follow-up mechanisms available to the institution.
What these interventions mean for international monitoring
These statements before the Human Rights Council are not, in themselves, binding decisions. They form part of the general debate of a regular session, where non-governmental organizations holding consultative status may present their concerns without directly committing member states. Their significance lies more in their capacity to feed public debate and keep pressure on existing mechanisms.
Points raised during this session:
- Independent, regular and secure access for UNHCR and other UN mechanisms to the Tindouf camps
- Disputed reliability of the demographic data used for humanitarian planning
- Calls for transparent and updated registration of residents
- Protection of individuals cooperating with the UN against intimidation or reprisals
- Effective follow-up of individual cases, illustrated by the situation of Lalla Haidas
- Algeria’s responsibility, as host country, regarding access to specialized care
Whether these appeals have any concrete effect will largely depend on the response from Algeria, as the host state, and from UNHCR, whose refugee-protection mandate operates within a framework where field access remains conditional on local authorities’ consent. The Human Rights Council could return to this file in the coming months should new information or testimony emerge.
FAQ
What are PDES and CHRAPA?
Two non-governmental organizations that speak before the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in the Tindouf camps — one focused on institutional cooperation, the other on following up individual cases.
What do these NGOs criticize UNHCR for?
PDES argues that the demographic data UNHCR uses to plan humanitarian aid does not amount to a complete, up-to-date census of the camp population.
Who is Lalla Haidas?
According to CHRAPA, she is a resident of the Tindouf camps whose serious medical case was brought to the attention of relevant UN mechanisms, with a request for specialized care and, if needed, medical evacuation.
Do these interventions carry binding weight?
No. They are statements made during the general debate of a regular Human Rights Council session, which do not legally bind states but aim to keep pressure on the follow-up of these cases.
