Uganda gets Shs13.3b for refugees

The Uganda government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Women (UN Women) and the Japanese Embassy, securing $3.6 million (Shs13.3 billion) to bolster peace and security in the country’s 13 refugee settlements. The settlements are a home to nearly 1.7 million refugees and asylum-seekers.

This two-year agreement aims to strengthen support for women peace-builders and women’s rights defenders, integrate gender considerations in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response, as well as enhance the capacity of humanitarian actors on gender issues. This seeks to close the gender gap in economic empowerment, and improve responses to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) stemming from insecurity in several refugee settlements and host communities.

It is targeting the provision of comprehensive training and skill sets to 11,000 individuals in the districts of Adjumani, Yumbe, Madi Okollo, Isingiro, and Kyegegwa. The aforesaid districts are the ones that have been hosting a significant number of refugees, primarily from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan, with more arriving on a daily basis.

With about 1.7 million refugees, Uganda is the largest refugee-hosting nation in Africa and is commended for its generous refugee policy, which grants asylum seekers relative freedom of movement, prima facie asylum for certain nationalities, and land for agriculture to each refugee family. But this has birthed some ugly revelations. 

The UN reports that women refugees in Uganda are impacted by deeply ingrained gender stereotypes. These, the report adds, hinder the ability of women refugees to meaningfully participate in decision making related to peace-building, including prevention and resolution, disaster mitigation, as well as income-generating activities.

The data is corroborated by several inbound studies, which have punched holes in the efficiency of numerous humanitarian responses in Uganda. Chief among these is adequately addressing gender-specific needs, most especially in refugee and internally displaced persons settings.

A 2019 report by the Refugee Law Project highlighted gaps in sexual gender based violence prevention and response in the country’s refugee settlements, something that caused survivors short, medium and long-term physical and mental health consequences.

“Clients [refugees] present[ed] a number of issues … that range from medical to resettlement, basic needs, legal advice/representation, distress, insecurity, file opening, sexual gender based violence, file update, marriage affidavit, education, torture, rejection sensitive dysphoria, family tracing and camp relocation,” the report noted in some of its lines. Another 2019 study by the International Peace Institute found that women’s participation in peace negotiations in Uganda was limited, hindering effective conflict resolution.

“Women are increasingly at risk in conflict and [they are] underrepresented in peace processes. These negative trends are setting back both gender equality and global peace,” said Dr Paulina Chiwangu, the UN Women Uganda Country Representative.

Selecting beneficiaries 

Despite these challenges, Dr Chiwangu expresses optimism that strengthening the capacity and leadership of women and girl refugees to participate in mediation and peace processes could lead to positive outcomes. Now, the United Nations, through its women support arm UN women, is looking to address this through a project funded by Japan and implemented by the Uganda government through its Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The OPM will identify the actual beneficiaries based on need. The project will also involve the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Ugandan humanitarian non-profits, UN Women, and Japanese private sector companies. It will be implemented through the Office of the Prime Minister, which will identify the actual beneficiaries based on need. The project will also involve the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Ugandan humanitarian non-profits, UN Women, and Japanese private sector companies.

This aims to provide timely and high-quality social protection services to refugees through strengthened protection, referral and access to justice mechanisms, and increased participation in disaster mitigation. It also seeks to catalyse more robust economic opportunities that can sustain their needs.

“We hope that this project will encourage gender equality and women’s empowerment in both refugee settlements and host communities,” said HE Takuya Sasayama, the Ambassador of Japan to Uganda, emphasising that women’s participation in peace processes through leadership roles is essential for building sustainable peace.

UN Women is working closely with the Japanese Embassy, which has been instrumental in funding various sector projects, including humanitarian responses in Uganda. Official government records from the OPM show that Japan has contributed over $22 million (Shs81.5 billion) through UN agencies to humanitarian support and refugee response in Uganda across the last four years.

“Japan will continue to cooperate in humanitarian assistance and national development to further strengthen bilateral relations between the countries,” said Ambassador Sasayama.

Lillian Aber, Uganda’s State Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees expressed the government’s relief at receiving support for its growing refugee population. Aber also emphasised that the country requires significant humanitarian assistance to sustain its open door policy to refugees and asylum seekers, which she said can be achieved through partnerships with non-profit organisations and several United Nations agencies.

In 2000, the UN Security Council recognised the gender dimensions of armed conflict through the unanimous adoption of Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, which put front commitments to preventing sexual and gender-based violence, protecting the unique needs of women and girls in conflict, and ensuring their participation in peace-building and recovery processes. 

This Resolution calls upon all parties to take special measures to protect women and girls from violence in armed conflict, particularly sexual and gender-based violence.

And Uganda has followed suit. In 2021, President Museveni inked the country’s National Action Plan for 2021 to 2025, whose objectives entail a comprehensive approach to women, peace, and security. 

This and other policies have recognised the additional barriers women face as refugees, such as limited access to education, social protection, and economic opportunities, which further hinder their ability to rebuild their lives and contribute to peaceful communities. But it’s worth noting that there is an increasing number of refugees due to wars and natural disasters that has led to their prolonged stays in host countries, where their economic potential often goes underutilised.

Traditionally seen as a humanitarian issue, refugees are sometimes viewed as competitors for limited resources, leading to negative public and institutional responses.

However, many economists like Dr Musallam Abedtalas, have argued that by rethinking refugees as valuable resources within a network economy and property rights framework, their integration has potential to enhance local economic opportunities.

And this can be achieved by recognising and formalising refugees’ property rights, such as residence and work permits, which can facilitate their participation in economic activities, benefiting both refugees and host communities in a more sustainable way.