Uganda Refugee News Edition 2: February 2020

Welcome to Edition 2

The idea behind this is to provide a monthly round up and share new research and information from the previous month, relevant to or on the Uganda refugee response. We do not pretend to be a comprehensive resource we just aim to include upcoming events, new publications and other interesting and relevant material. Submissions are extremely welcome – please send to Ugandarefugeenews@gmail.com and wherever possible, they will be included in the next version.

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Sector specific:

Education:

• Save the Children - A bridging programme for refugee children in Uganda: perspectives and recommendations https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/node/16813/pdf/A%20Bridging%20Programme%20for%20Refugee%20Children%20in%20Uganda%20-%20Perspectives%20and%20Recommendations.%20final_PDF.pdf

Environment:

• NEW - Assessment of Forest Resource Degradation and Intervention Options in Refugee-Hosting Areas of Western and Southwestern Uganda - A a follow-on from FAO, GoU and WB's 2018 assessment on forest resource degradation in the refugee hosting areas in the west and southwest. identifying potential intervention options to mitigate pressure on forest resources, restore degraded land, enhance sustainable wood fuel supply and contribute to resilience-building of both the displaced and host communities. http://www.fao.org/3/ca7832en/CA7832EN.pdf

• Circular solutions for refugee camps - Uganda factsheet: land use, energy and water https://www.wur.nl/upload_mm/e/d/1/d844351a-2890-47cf-af4a-fb794e2e638b_Factsheets%20UGANDA%20Circular%20refugee%20camps%202019.pdf

• K4D - Mapping of Climate Smart Programming in Refugee Hosting Districts in Uganda - This non-standard helpdesk report maps out current climate-smart programming in Uganda’s refugee settlement regions, with a focus on water source protection, waste management, agroforestry, agriculture and energy. https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/20.500.12413/15124/740_741_Climate_smart_programming_Uganda.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Health:

• NEW - Expanding the Psychosocial Support Policy to Address Sexual Violence in Conflict-Affected Contexts - reviews Uganda’s psychosocial support policy in addressing sexual violence in the country’s conflict-affected settings. The study establishes that inadequate psychosocial support not only protracts the effects of sexual violence in and after conflict; it also increases risk and vulnerability to the occurrence of incidents. https://youth4policy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Dinnah-Nabwire-Y4P-Policy-Papers-2020.pdf

• WHO's status of Uganda's preparedness on the 2019 Coronavirus outbreak https://www.afro.who.int/news/update-ugandas-preparedness-activities-2019-coronavirus-outbreak

• Updates on Ebola preparedness at screening points in: Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kisoro, Ntoroko, Kanungu,

• ADB approves $1m grant to stem Ebola transmission - approved in January, the funds will be disbursed through the WHO for the management of suspected and confirmed EVD cases and includes the procurement and distribution of medical supplies and to strengthen readiness at capacity including training and emergency support https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/african-development-bank-approves-1-million-grant-uganda-stem-ebola-transmission-34061

• PTSD, psychiatric comordities and associated factors among refugees in Nakivale camp in southwestern Uganda - Studies show that refugees living in Ugandan refugee settlements are at an increased risk for PTSD. However data on the prevalence of other mental health problems including depression, anxiety and substance use disorder among refugees in Uganda is lacking. https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-020-2480-1

• Modern contraceptive use among female refugee adolescents in Northern Uganda: prevalence and associated factors - contraceptive use among female refugee adolescents was very low, and few reported a desire to become pregnant, leaving them vulnerable to unplanned pregnancies. Least likely to use modern contraceptives were participants who were married/cohabiting and those having older partners implying a gender power imbalance in fertility decision making. https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-15271/v1

• Guided self-help to reduce psychological distress in South Sudanese female refugees in Uganda: a cluster randomised trial https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(19)30504-2/fulltext

• UNHCR's mental health and psycho-social support strategy (2019 - 2021) - to provide guidance to UNHCR and partners concerning strategic directions in MHPSS for refugees and host communities in Uganda. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/UNHCR%20Strategy%20MHPSS%20for%20Refugees%20Uganda_Dec2019.pdf

• UNHCR's health and nutrition highlights - January 2020 https://reliefweb.int/report/uganda/health-and-nutrition-highlights-january-2020

Protection

• Violence Against Women in Camps? Exploring Links between Refugee Camp Conditions and the Prevalence of Violence - Based on empirical research, mainly conducted with Congolese refugees, the chapter reveals that sexual violence, domestic violence and structural discrimination constitute the main forms. These occur despite humanitarian projects implemented to protect and assist refugees and especially women. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338997006_Violence_Against_Women_in_Camps_Exploring_Links_between_Refugee_Camp_Conditions_and_the_Prevalence_of_Violence

• UNHCR Monthly Protection Updates for November 2019 in: Urban protection response, legal and physical protection, child protection, SGBV, education, RSD, community based protection

Livelihoods & Resilience

• NEW - Mitigating Risks of Abuse of Power in Cash Assistance in Uganda - This document outlines lessons learned from a joint UNHCR/WFP project in Uganda with the aim to identify and mitigate the risks of abuse of power in cash assistance through the main delivery mechanisms used in-country: mobile money, e-cards and cash delivered through mobile vans - https://www.calpnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/unhcr-wfp-ugandall950.pdf

• URRP 2019-2020 Q3 snapshot https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/74063

• Japan provides 1.6bn ugx ($443,225) grant in Pagirinya settlement, through Terra Renaissance, for vocational training and business setup support https://www.softpower.ug/shs-1-6bn-japanese-grant-to-support-self-reliance-project-for-refugees-in-adjumani/

Other:

• NEW - Peacebuilding in South Sudan looks to refugees in Uganda - https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2020/02/25/peacebuilding-south-sudan-refugees-uganda-ngos/

• NEW - UNICEF Uganda Humanitarian Situation Report No.1 - January 2020 - https://reliefweb.int/report/uganda/unicef-uganda-humanitarian-situation-report-no1-january-2020

• Tufts University - Recovery in Northern Uganda: Findings from a panel study in Acholi and Lango sub-regions (2013, 2015, & 2018) This report describes household recovery in northern Uganda from the 20 years of conflict between the LRA and the GoU by following the same households between 2013 and 2018 https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/RecoveryInNorthernUganda_final.pdf

• South Sudan - Spontaneous Refugee Return Household Survey - October to December 2019 - From November 2017 to December 2019, UNHCR in partnership with South Sudan's Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) estimates some 235,802 South Sudanese refugees have returned to South Sudan spontaneously or in self-organized manner. The highest number came from Sudan, then Uganda https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/73894'

• UNHCR's Resettlement factsheet (1 Jan - 31 December 2019) - 7 countries agreed to resettle Uganda based refugees - 3,288 departed (against a target of 6,023) of which 91% were from DRC, 6% from South Sudan. UNHCR estimates 132,546 are in need of resettlement in 2020. https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/73838

• UNHCR's 2020 funding update as of 11 Feb 2020 http://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/Uganda%20Funding%20Update%2011%20February%202020.pdf

• URR refugee influx dashboard 31 January 2020 https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/73928

• UNHCR's Operational update, 1 - 31 January, 2020 https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/74074.pdf

• Updated statistics of the refugee population as of end of January 2020 https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/73993

• World Bank's - ESIA for the proposed upgrading of 105km Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo road http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/434711582226174477/pdf/Environmental-and-Social-Impact-Assessment-Uganda-Roads-and-Bridges-in-the-Refugee-Hosting-Districts-Project-P171339.pdf

• USAID - Food assistance factsheet Uganda https://www.usaid.gov/uganda/food-assistance

• GSMA - Proportionate regulation in Uganda: a gateway for refugees accessing mobile services in their own name - recognising the regulatory barriers that refugees in Uganda were facing, the GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation programme and UNHCR explored how access to mobile services could be improved for refugees. These efforts resulted in the GoU adopting a proportionate regulatory policy whereby the UCC issued a more enabling directive to the mobile industry. This case study explores how this led to the activation of SIM-enabled services by MNOs and the impact this has had on the lives of refugees. https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Uganda_Case_Study_Web_Spreads.pdf

• ZEF - “Us” and “Them”: Prosocial attitudes between refugees and host communities exposed to armed conflict: Experimental evidence from Northern Uganda https://www.zef.de/fileadmin/webfiles/downloads/zef_dp/ZEF_DP_292.pdf

Events and trainings:

• ODI - Global responsibility sharing for refugees: what next? - this event can be streamed online https://www.odi.org/events/16698-global-responsibility-sharing-refugees-what-next

• KAS - Kiryandongo refugee settlement peace building workshop dialogue https://www.kas.de/en/web/uganda/veranstaltungen/detail/-/content/kiryandongo-refugee-settlement-peacebuilding-workshop-dialogue-1

• Market based livelihood interventions for refugees and host communities - 20-24 April 2020 - ITC Turin - supports practitioners in the design of livelihood interventions based on a solid understanding of market trends and demand. It applies the "Making markets work for the poor" (M4P) approach and draws upon the joint UNHCR-ILO pilot projects that have tested the added value of market assessments and value-chain analyses in promoting the livelihoods of refugees in different countries, including Uganda.https://www.ilo.org/global/programmes-and-projects/prospects/news-events/WCMS_736600/lang--en/index.htm

• World Bank's Fragility Forum 2020 - streamed online - includes Uganda's refugee response March 3 at 9am Washington DC time https://live.worldbank.org/fragility-forum-2020

Funding opportunities

• DanChurchAid Uganda and Danida - Call for proposals in renewable energy in West Nile, Uganda to increase adoption of clean sustainable energy products by householdsfor cooking and lighting. Open to startups, SMES, youth innovators, NGOs and CBOS. Max UDS 40,000 Deadline for proposals March 4 https://www.danchurchaid.org/content/download/25295/440213/version/1/file/Call%20for%20ideas%20Green%20Challenge%20UG%202020%20110220-11th%20February%202020%20(002).pdf

• EEP Africa Call for Proposals - Clean Energy Powering Green Growth, with a particular focus on clean energy for productive use and clean energy in circular economy solutions. Grants between EUR 200,000 —500,000 Deadline 10 March 13.00 Helsinki time https://eepafrica.org/financing/call-for-proposals/

• Efficiency for Access invites funding applications for R&D projects that will develop enabling technologies or products for weak and off-grid areas, with a particular focus on inclusivity and interoperability. Grants between £50-300,000 Deadline March 15 18.00 GMT https://efficiencyforaccess.org/enabling-technologies-call

• Dubai Cares - supporting programs in early childhood development, access to quality primary and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training for youth as well as a particular focus on education in emergencies and protracted crises. https://www.dubaicares.ae/partner-us