Uganda Refugee News - December 2023

Welcome to the 48th edition of URN covering publications and news from December 2023.

Please remember that submissions are always welcome and can be shared, for inclusion in subsequent newsletters, via our email - ugandarefugeenews@gmail.com . In addition a small reminder that anything I come across that I missed when pulling together is added to the website easily identifiable as they start with NEW :)

Help spread the word and share this newsletter with anyone you think might be interested in its contents and they can subscribe to receive it directly below.

Sector specific:

Education:

• AHMR - Higher Education Policy and Access for South Sudanese from Bidi Bidi, Uganda

• BRAC - BRAC officially commissions 34 ECD Centres in Rhino and Imvepi Refugee Settlements in Uganda

• East African Journal of Education Studies - Stakeholders’ Interventions in Addressing Financial Constraints Restricting Women Refugees Access to Higher Education: The Case of Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda

• Education Development Trust -

• Teacher management in refugee settings: Uganda

• Education International - Education International puts teachers in the spotlight at the Global Refugee Forum

• Monitor - Government adopts inclusive learning for refugees

• Policy Commons - Teacher management in refugee settings: Uganda

• SIMI - The struggle for education faced by refugees girls in Uganda

• UNESCO - In Uganda, new evidence to support teachers in refugee settings

• UNESCO/UNHCR - Paving pathways for inclusion: Towards evidence-based policy-making for refugee education (August 2023)

• UNICEF - Including Refugee Learners in National Education Systems

• Windle Trust - Supporting Refugee Learners Transition to Uganda’s Education System Through Bridging Curriculum  

Environment & Energy:

• African Journal on Land Policy and Geospatial Sciences - Need for a tenure arrangement for refugees on customary land - A case of Uganda

• Al Jazeera - (video) Refugees use plants to fight malaria & climate change in Uganda - Refugees in Uganda are involved in a scheme to plant shrubs and trees to help local communities fight malaria and restore environments hit by climate change.

• CNA - Uganda seeks to rebuild forests as country's refugee settlements impact environment - Refugee settlements are heavily dependent on wood for fuel and construction, which has contributed to Uganda's deforestation problem.

• HMC - Haileybury Youth Trust training refugees in Uganda to be the next generation of climate-friendly builders

• The Journal of Environment & Development - The Search for Sustainability Amid Displacement: Exploring the Potential of Fast-growing Exotic Tree Species as Fuelwood Alternative for Refugees and Host Communities in Northern Uganda

• Solar Quarter - UNHCR Advances Renewable Energy Agenda With Groundbreaking Solar Projects In Kenya And Uganda

Health:

• AIDS and Behaviour - (pay for access) - HIV Vulnerabilities Associated with Water Insecurity, Food Insecurity, and Other COVID-19 Impacts Among Urban Refugee Youth in Kampala, Uganda: Multi-method Findings

• Global Compact - A Refugee-led Business Model for Menstrual Health - Promoting menstrual health and hygiene through local production of reusable sanitary pads and advocacy in Bidibidi refugee settlement, Uganda. 

• LWF - Prioritizing Mental Health is a Vital Step Towards Refugees’ Wellbeing in Uganda

• Makerere University - Knowledge and Practices of Malaria Prevention and Control among Caretakers of Children Less Than 5 Years in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement Camp.

• Medical Teams International - Behind the curtain: Our NICUs in Uganda

• Nile Post - Danish government and UNFPA launch ‘SAY’ initiative - Danish government and UNFPA launch 'SAY' initiative to empower Ugandan youth in Refugee communities

• NTV - (video) - Kyangwali Health Center Four in Kikuube District overwhelmed by high patient numbers

• Open Access Journal of Contraception - Adherence to Modern Contraceptives Among Female Refugee Adolescents in Northern Uganda: A Prospective Single Cohort Study

• PLOS - Does mHealth influence community health worker performance in vulnerable populations? A mixed methods study in a multinational refugee settlement in Uganda

• PML Daily - Danish Embassy in Uganda, UNFPA unveil transformative programme to enhance access to SRHR among young people

• Value in Health Regional Issues - Scoping Review of Health Economics Research on Refugee Health in Sub-Saharan Africa  

Livelihoods & Resilience:

• The Ankole Times - Soko Uganda and UGAFODE Partner to Digitally Empower Women Refugees

• BBW International - A new start through vocational orientation in Uganda - bbw promotes livelihood improvements of Ugandan youths and inner-African refugees in Uganda via vocational training

• Capital Radio - Refugees Engage in Productive Work

• CGIAR - Exploring the impact of gender-responsive circular economy solutions among refugee and host community households in Rhino and Imvepi refugee settlements in Uganda

• The Conversation - ‘You reach a point where you have nothing. You will just die’ – in East African refugee camps, food scarcity is a mortal concern

• Disrupt Africa - How Uganda’s Munakyalo Agrofresh is helping farmers avoid post-harvest losses

• Embassy of France -

• French Ambassador visits Action Against Hunger’s Nutrition and Resilience project in Nakivale

• Mission to Nakivale Refugee Settlement

• FinDev Gateway - (video) - Aqrchet Diana Salume, Opportunity Bank Uganda: Helping refugees deal with climate shocks

• FEWS-Net -

• Uganda Key Message Update: Second-season harvests improve food access in bimodal areas, November 2023

• Uganda Price Bulletin, November 2023

• Global Compact - Strengthening resilience of refugees and their host communities - Focus on women and young people in increasing agriculture production, averting malnutrition and value and income creation in Bidi Bidi, Uganda.

• The New Humanitarian - EXCLUSIVE: How a WFP food aid revamp has gone wrong for refugees in Uganda - ‘The community is not ready for the policy, and the policy is affecting the community.’

• Kampala International University - Cash-based intervention and host community livelihood in Kiryandongo refugee settlement, Kiryandongo District, Uganda

• Monitor - Microfinance institutions digitise funding for refugees

• New Vision -

• Refugees in Yumbe turn to climate resilient crops for food security

• Refugees set for second phase of hotel apprenticeship.

• Nakivale refugee settlement faces crisis as donor funding decreases

• Food supplies for refugees in Uganda declining - minister

• Open Repository of Knowledge - The Labor Market Impact of Forced Displacement: Jobs in Host Communities in Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Uganda (Executive Summary booklet)

• Research Square - Social Capital and Quality of Life among the Refugees residing in Mbarara City Southwestern Uganda

• SINA - (video) - A Tour of Youth Innovation Hub (YINNOH) in the Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement, Uganda

• Student’s Journal of Health Research Africa - Rights awareness and the livelihood of refugees in Kyaka II refugee camp in Kyegegwa District - A cross sectional study

• SSRN - Refugee Struggle, Professional Downgrading, and Skills Mismatches in the Labor Market: A Comparison with Hosts in Uganda

• UBC - (video) - Skilling for employability - Bidibidi refugee youths retooled for job creation

• UNHCR -

• Global survey on livelihoods and economic inclusion report - December 2023

• Presentation - UNHCR : Regional findings from UNHCR Global Survey on Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion - 7 December 2023

• Zahra - Upliftment of Refugees  

Protection:

• LWF - 16 Days: Faith actors join forces in prevention and response to SGBV  

WASH:

•  New Vision - Kagera water project will end water scarcity in Isingiro refugee settlements

• SJH Research - Physico-chemical and bacteriological quality of water from water sources and household drinking water at Nakivale refugee base camp, South-Western Uganda - a descriptive cross-sectional study

Other:

• ACT Alliance - Empowering Refugees through Humanitarian Quality and Accountability Programming in Uganda

• African Cities - Obuntubulamu: Care and solidarity among young refugees in Kampala’s informal settlements

• Boona FM - Kisoro RDC warns against illegal hosting of DRC refugees amidst Uganda forces withdrawal

• Brass for Africa - LAB UGANDA Community Music Programme in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement

• CECI - Report of the Refugee Women Conference on Women Participation and Leadership in Koboko, Uganda - December 2023

• The City Review - Kanyikwa urges on refugees in Uganda to return home

• EAAS - EU celebrates art by young refugees in Uganda

• Ethics in Progress - Whom Does the Knowledge Belong? The Researcher-Researched Relationship and Vulnerability in Refugee Studies

• EUTFA - EU Youth Art Competition in West Nile: Portraying Stories of Hope from Refugee Youth

• FAFO - How to move forward on implementing progressive refugee policies - Discussion paper

• GoU -

• Global Refugee Forum 2023: Pledges by The Government of Uganda

• Refugee pledges to global refugee forum (GRF) - 2023

• GoU/UNHCR -

• Refugee Statistics November 2023

• Refugee Statistics Map - November 2023

• Population Dashboard: Overview of Refugees and Asylum-seekers in Uganda as of 30 November 2023

• Suicide Dashboard November 2023

• Refugee Statistics November 2023 - Settlement & Urban Profiles

• The Guardian - ‘It’s a time to forget all the stress’: Christmas in Africa’s largest refugee camp - The UN’s reduction in emergency rations has hit many in Uganda’s Bidi Bidi settlement hard, but those who have food share with neighbours to keep the festive spirit alive

• International Journal of Qualitative Methods - Use of Photovoice in sub-Saharan Africa: Illustrations and Reflections From Research in Uganda

• Kampala International University -

• Peace and stability through bilateral diplomacy between Uganda and South Sudan

• United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and refugee crisis management in West Nile, Northern Uganda

• Finn Church Aid and youth empowerment in Rwamwanja refugee settlement, Kamwenge District South Western Uganda

• Makerere University - The role of international law in addressing the root causes of the refugee crisis in Eastern Africa

• Medium - Digital literacy in the spotlight - How UNHCR teams are thinking about and acting on the digital literacy needs and priorities of forcibly displaced and stateless communities

• Monitor -

• Art hands refugees a coat of many colours

• Refugee reintegration: The Journey of Safali Libia in Uganda

• Looming refugee crisis as more Sudanese flee to Uganda

• The Global Refugee Forum is a moment of unity

• Ismaili community, PAP donate relief aid worth millions to Kyaka refugees

• The Nation - The Progressive Refugee Policy That Puts the West to Shame - Uganda’s role as a co-convenor of the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva this week should raise urgent questions about the interests behind its much-lauded open-door refugee policy.

• New Vision -

• Refugees: Uganda is resource constrained says Museveni

• Refugee influx, DRC conflict to headline regional meeting in Kampala

• Uganda to lobby for more funding at Geneva

• PM Nabbanja to address global refugee forum in Geneva

• PM Nabbanja holds bilateral meetings at Global Refugee Forum

• Nile Post -

• Leaders in West Nile Urge Extension of Dr Dip for Unfinished Projects Benefiting Refugee Host Communities

• Minister Onek for Transparent NGO Spending in Refugee Assistance Programs

• Oxfam -

• Oxfam's Engagement with Refugee-led Organisations in West Nile (Uganda): Lessons on opportunities and challenges

• What Do Refugees From Across Africa Want to Tell the Global Forum?

• Save the Children - Countdown to the Global Refugee Forum: A Spotlight on Uganda

• UNDP - Uganda Host and Refugee Community Empowerment Project Safeguards for public consultation

• Uganda Radio Network

• Refugee Cultural Festival in Arua to Focus on Peaceful Coexistence

• (registration or required) - Gov’t to Relocate 1,300 Sudanese Refugees From Adjumani

• UNHCR -

• 19th Refugee Engagement Forum Meeting Report, Held from 1st – 3rd November 2023

• 18th Refugee Engagement Forum Meeting Report, Held from 19th – 21st September 2023

• Presentation - UNHCR : Overview of population trends and data for the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Region - 7 December 2023

• Presentation - UNHCR : Findings from the Global Compact on Refugees Indicator Report 2023, with a specific regional focus - 7 December 2023

• Democratic Republic of the Congo Regional Refugee Response Plan Dashboard - September 2023

• UNICEF - Humanitarian Action for Children 2024 - Uganda

• UN Women - UN Women programming supports refugees worldwide

• WFP -

• WFP Uganda Country Brief, November 2023

• Why funding for climate adaptation is key to any refugee and hunger response

• World Vision - A journey into World Vision's transformative work in the Uganda Refugee Response. 

Feature

Call for proposals: clean cooking solutions for the Uganda Refugee Response

The British High Commission in Kampala is looking for local and national NGOs to submit solutions to reducing the use of firewood and charcoal in the refugee response.

This will be a 1-year pilot project with up to £300,000 available for selected organisations. Not only will this be an important pilot in the clean cooking space, it will also test an approach to funding local organisations directly, with the ambition to advance localised action beyond this project. 

Please find full details on how to apply in the terms of reference.