Welcome to Edition 20
Livelihoods is the biggest section this month, a change from the COVID-19 related dominance of the recent past, although obviously this continues to be a significant concern.
And don't forget to make sure you scroll to the bottom this month as we have a special feature on U Learn's new service offering support to refugee response actors by improving learning and increasing the use of evidence and good practice.
it goes without saying that this is something URN certainly agrees with given that the idea behind this newsletter is to provide a round up and share new research and information relevant to or on the Uganda refugee response, to enable all interested or directly engaged in the response to work more effectively and efficiently.
Submissions are extremely welcome – please send to Ugandrefugeenews@gmail.com and wherever possible, they will be included in the next version.
Please share this newsletter with anyone you think could benefit from it and they can sign up to receive it directly by clicking here
Sector specific:
Education:
Global Press Journal - Young Refugees Battle Anguish, Isolation at School - many who fled conflict in their home countries now feel neglected by Uganda’s government. The youngest among them struggle simply to get a education.
Government of the Netherlands - Amsterdam-based KLABU brings sport to refugee camps
Refugee Education across the lifespan - (paid for content) - Speaking Rights: Translanguaging and Integration in a Language Course for Adult Refugees in Uganda
Health:
Behaviour, Research and Therapy - Improving mental health in low-resource settings: A feasibility randomized controlled trial of a transdiagnostic psychological intervention among Burundian refugee adolescents and their caregivers - NB - this research focuses on refugees in Tanzania but the findings are relevant to Uganda.
GAVI - Refugees included in Uganda’s COVID-19 vaccine drive - Uganda is setting an example by including its estimated 1.4 million refugees in its COVID-19 vaccine programme, however there are still barriers to overcome.
GoU/UNHCR/UNICEF/WFP/UBoS - Food Security and Nutrition Assessment in Refugee Settlements and Kampala, December 2020
University of Toronto - U of T researcher uses VR to improve mental health of urban refugees, displaced youth
Livelihoods
ILO -
Digital labour platforms offer young refugees a possible route to decent work - Digital labour platforms have the potential to transform how young refugees make a living, according to a new ILO report, but coordinated action is needed to help them access the gig economy and decent digital jobs.
Towards decent work for young refugees and host communities in the digital platform economy in Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Egypt - This report explores job creation in the gig economy from the unique experiences and perspectives of youth and refugees, as well as from the viewpoint of digital labour and e-commerce platforms, digital training providers, start-up incubators, social partners, and policymakers.
The Economist - Refugees in east Africa go hungry as funds dry up - In Uganda, rations have been cut by 40%
The Journal of Development Studies - (paid for content) - Refugee-Host Proximity and Market Creation in Uganda
Wageningen University - Food system analysis of Arua District in Uganda Report 1: Proposed research framework and description of the food system - This paper describes the different components of the food system of Arua. The inventory is a first step in a research assignment to understand how food systems in less favoured areas in East Africa can be enhanced. On the basis of a theoretical food systems model, data were collected on food production in the area, the socio-economic context, the environmental conditions, and food security status.
Protection
Comparative Migration Studies - Who is watching? Refugee protection during a pandemic - responses from Uganda and South Africa
The Asian Yearbook of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law - (paid for content) - Social Enterprise Groups for South Sudanese Refugee Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Torture Living in Settlements in Northern Uganda
WASH
FMR - The impact of COVID-19 on older refugees - Older refugees are particularly at risk from COVID-19. WASH services are key to reducing disease transmission for this vulnerable group
Other:
NEW - University of Antwerp - Sharing The Little There is. Towards A Durable Refugee-Host Relationship In Northern Uganda
Institute of Development Studies - The Right to Protection of Forcibly Displaced Persons During the Covid-19 Pandemic
FEWS-Net - Uganda Price Bulletin, August 2021
Office of Astronomy for Development - Cultural Astronomy Study in Ugandan Refugee Settlements: Feasibility Report - The aim of this project is to gather indigenous cultural and social knowledge about astronomy, such as local names of celestial bodies and their meanings in day to day lives, from the general public of the refugee settlement zones in the camp. The project will catalogue and provide a formal structure for storing and sharing this knowledge. And it will also facilitate the introduction of astronomy in the camps. Data gathered from this project will be incorporated in a mobile astronomy lab for replication in other regions of Uganda.
PML Daily - Germany increases support to refugees in Uganda
UNHCR -
University of Ottawa - Contextualizing Forced Climate Change Migrants in East Africa: An Analysis
VoA -World Bank, UN Say Pandemic is Pushing Displaced People to Take Extreme Survival Measures - U.N. refugee agency survey in eight developing countries finds the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened conditions for forcibly displaced people, pushing them to take extreme measures to survive. The data was collected from 90,000 phone interviews in Bangladesh, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya, Uganda and Yemen.
Training, Events etc:
Collective on Education, Decoloniality and Emergencies (CEDE!) will hold our first digital conference on the field of ‘Education in Emergencies’ (EiE) to explore the historic and ongoing forms of colonialism and imperialism that shape EiE policy, practice and research today. The conference will be arranged as a series of online events held between November 15-21, and will focus on activities that centre lived experience, non-academic dialogue and collective reflection. We invite submissions of all kinds, including video pieces, artistic or theatre interventions, podcasts, panels, and presentations, to name a few.If you are interested in participating, please fill out the conference proposal form found here by 26 September, 2021.
Feature: Tailored Evidence and Learning Service (TELS)
What is TELS? TELS is a free service designed to support cross-sectoral learning and the increased use of evidence and good practices in the Uganda refugee response.
Thematic Focus - Support provided through TELS falls under the following thematic areas: self-reliance, participation and the humanitarian-development nexus. Three work streams are prioritised for the April 2021 – March 2022 period: private sector/innovators, cash & social protection, and AAP.
How to request services from TELS - TELS is demand-driven. Refugee response actors can request services from TELS using the on-line application form
TELS services -
Resource curation: Bring together and select the most relevant existing knowledge and evidence. E.g. annotated bibliographies and analytical summaries.
Documentation & research: Capture and systematically document recent experiences and innovations of key actors from the Ugandan context. E.g. Good practice studies, case studies, discussion papers and deep dives.
Synthesis & Summaries: Make existing evidence and knowledge more accessible and synthesised. E.g. Short briefs, fact sheets, visuals, communication style products such as blogs or articles.
Convene: Bring actors together in face-to-face or on-line events to facilitate peer-learning. E.g. round-tables, learning consultations, learning discussions, or dissemination events.
Who can request support from TELS? - All refugee response actors working in Uganda can request support from TELS. This includes: Government actors, INGOs, UN agencies, National NGOs, Private sector actors, Innovators, Faith-based organisations, Refugee Led Organisations, and Academics.