Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés

What Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés does

Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés (O-CR) is an independent French nonprofit association (association loi 1901) founded in 2019 and headquartered at 50 rue de Montreuil, Paris. Its stated mission is the scientific study of refugee camps and the living conditions of encampment populations globally. The organization documents and tracks official refugee and internally displaced persons camps across five geographic zones (Europe, Americas, Africa, MENA, Southeast Asia), with documented coverage spanning more than 50 countries. It serves four primary user groups: academic researchers and students studying forced migration, journalists and media professionals, policymakers and government institutions, and humanitarian/advocacy NGOs.

Its core product portfolio consists of (1) a Leaflet-based interactive cartography tool providing real-time visualization of camps with filtering by region and status, (2) a publications suite including camp fact sheets (Fiches Camps), country reports (Rapports Pays), thematic notes (Notes Transversales), advocacy reports, and news reviews, (3) a database platform (Base de Données) under development to centralize open-access camp data, plus supporting outputs (monthly newsletter, 80+ term glossary, methodology documentation). The organization employs a multi-source data collection methodology combining field interviews, participatory observations, academic literature, and institutional databases, validated by a Scientific Council comprising researchers from CNRS, Sciences Po, and partner universities.

The business model is purely nonprofit: O-CR is 100% volunteer-run with no paid staff, financed entirely by individual donations (eligible for 66% French tax deduction) and a skills-based corporate sponsorship (mécénat de compétences) from APGAR supporting data platform development. All outputs (publications, data, interactive map, glossary, methodology) are freely accessible at no cost via o-cr.org. The organization obtained Statut d'intérêt général status in 2024 and has been featured in mainstream French media (Orient XXI, Sud Ouest, Rue89 Bordeaux) and is a member of the Migreurop euro-African network. Leadership transitioned in January 2026 from founder Rima Hassan (now Member of European Parliament) to Juliette Cailloux.

Name

Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés

Legal name

Observatoire des camps de réfugiés

Website

https://o-cr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés (O-CR) is a Paris-based independent nonprofit association founded in 2019 that produces independent data and research on refugee camps globally, operating interactive cartography, country reports, and an open database serving academics, journalists, policymakers, and humanitarian organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Research and Data

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Shelter, Camp Coordination & Camp Management (CCCM) (BPADADAB), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Refugee camp research
• Humanitarian data analytics
• Displacement camp mapping
• Migration policy research
• Encampment documentation

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: O-CR is financed 100% by private individuals through direct donations. The organization offers tax deduction benefits for donors (66% reduction for individuals under French tax law).
2. Corporate Sponsorship (Mécénat de Compétences): APGAR provides skills-based corporate sponsorship (mécénat de compétences) for the development of O-CR's data platform. Corporate donations are eligible for 60% tax deduction (40% for portions exceeding €2 million).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

L'Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés (O-CR) is an independent nonprofit research association that produces and disseminates verified scientific data on refugee and internally displaced persons camps worldwide. Its core deliverables include an interactive real-time cartography of official camps, a centralized database of camp data, and a suite of analytical publications (camp fact sheets, country reports, thematic notes, advocacy reports, and news reviews). All outputs are freely accessible to researchers, policymakers, humanitarian NGOs, media, and the general public.

Product overview

The Observatoire des Camps de Réfugiés (O-CR) operates as an independent research organization producing and disseminating data on refugee and displacement camps globally. Its product portfolio centers on three interconnected core offerings: (1) an Interactive Map (Cartographie) providing real-time visualization of documented camps; (2) a publications suite comprising camp fact sheets, country reports, thematic cross-cutting notes, advocacy reports, news reviews, and activity reports; and (3) an accessible database platform under development. Supporting offerings include a monthly newsletter, an academic glossary of migration terminology, and transparent methodology documentation. All outputs are freely accessible and designed to serve citizens, states, humanitarian organizations, media, and researchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cartographie (Interactive Map) A real-time interactive mapping tool documenting and visualizing official refugee and internally displaced persons camps across five geographic zones (Europe, Americas, Africa, MENA, Southeast Asia), allowing users to filter by region and view camp details, status (open/closed), geolocation, and data availability.
• Base de Données (Database Platform) An accessible database platform under development that centralizes and provides open access to camp-related data across five geographic zones, with verification, precise geolocation, and status tracking (opening, closure, displacement).
• Publications (Camp Reports) Rigorous analytical publications including camp fact sheets (Fiches Camps), country reports (Rapports Pays), cross-cutting thematic notes (Notes Transversales), advocacy reports (Rapports Plaidoyer), news reviews (Revues d'actualités), and activity reports (Bilans d'activité), all freely downloadable in PDF format.
• Monthly Newsletter A monthly newsletter providing a current affairs review on encampment, latest research and analyses on refugee camps, and organizational updates, distributed to subscribers via email.
• Glossaire (Glossary) A comprehensive terminology reference providing definitions and critical contextual analysis of terms related to encampment, migration, and refugee status, with 80+ terms freely accessible.
• Methodology Documentation Transparent documentation of data collection and processing methodology, including multi-source verification (field interviews, participatory observations, academic literature, institutional databases, satellite imagery) and Scientific Council oversight.

Quantifiable outcome

• Camps documented and tracked across Europe, Americas, Africa, MENA, and Southeast Asia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• MigreuropcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026O-CR joined Migreurop, a euro-African network committed to documenting and denouncing the effects of European migration policies. This partnership integrates O-CR into a broader research and advocacy ecosystem, enabling knowledge sharing and collaborative campaigning.
• AIMEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026O-CR partners with AIME to run participatory sensitization workshops on migration and encampment realities. This educational collaboration engages citizens and broadens public understanding of forced migration issues.
• APGARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPGAR provides skills-based corporate sponsorship (mécénat de compétences) supporting the development of O-CR's data platform. This is a significant in-kind technology contribution enabling the organization's core infrastructure for data management and accessibility.
• SINGAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2021, O-CR was integrated into SINGA's acceleration programme, which supports innovative organizations working on refugee integration and migration. SINGA is an international movement that creates meeting platforms around entrepreneurship and social innovation for refugees.
• Scientific Council Members (Gilles Boëtsch, Cyril Roussel, Thomas Tari, Katharina Tittel, Hala Caroline Abu Zaki, Michaël Neuman)coreOthersThe Scientific Council — composed of researchers from CNRS, Sciences Po, and universities — plays an essential role in strengthening the credibility, legitimacy, and relevance of O-CR's work by supervising the coherence and quality of outputs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Forced Migration Review: Oxford-based publication disseminating research and commentary on forced migration. Comparable as a knowledge-dissemination platform targeting policymakers and practitioners on camp and displacement issues, complementing O-CR's publication work.

Direct peers

• Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC): Global leader in monitoring and analysing internal displacement, including camp situations worldwide. IDMC is the closest direct peer in producing structured, verified data on displacement camps that researchers and policymakers consume, paralleling O-CR's mission.
• Migreurop: Euro-African research and advocacy network documenting the effects of European migration policies at borders and camps. O-CR is a member and direct collaborator; Migreurop shares O-CR's research-driven, advocacy-oriented posture and camp-documentation focus.
• Refugee Studies Centre (University of Oxford): Leading academic centre conducting multi-disciplinary research on forced migration. Compares to O-CR in its emphasis on rigorous, scientific study of refugee experiences and encampment, with research outputs serving academic, policy, and humanitarian audiences.

Broad incumbents

• Danish Refugee Council: International humanitarian NGO providing protection and durable solutions to refugees and displaced persons. Comparable in its advocacy, on-the-ground research, and emphasis on documenting displacement conditions globally.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): International humanitarian medical organization operating in refugee camps and conflict zones. Comparable as a large, well-funded humanitarian nonprofit producing field-based documentation on camp conditions, though focused on medical needs.
• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): The UN's global refugee agency with mandated responsibility for refugee protection and data. Comparable as the dominant producer of official camp and refugee statistics that O-CR positions itself against as an independent, alternative source.
• Amnesty International (France): Global human-rights organization with active documentation of refugee and migrant rights violations. Comparable as a Francophone advocacy organization producing independent reports on encampment and migration conditions, with overlapping media and policy audiences.

Regional players

• France Terre d'Asile: Major French nonprofit defending the rights of displaced persons and operating reception/accommodation programs. Comparable as a France-based refugee-focused organization with overlapping audiences, though it leans operational whereas O-CR is research-oriented.
• GISTI (Groupe d'information et de soutien des immigrés): Paris-based association providing legal support and advocacy for migrants and refugees in France. Comparable as a France-headquartered nonprofit combining documentation, training, and policy work on migrant rights, with overlapping audience of researchers and journalists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/observatoire-des-camps-de-r%C3%A9fugi%C3%A9s

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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