Welcome to Edition 19
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the disparity in the vaccination roll outs around the world, and the knock on effects, is stark. The impact is both as a result of the disease and well as the related lockdowns and whilst we have all had to make extreme changes, its acknowledged that the "[s]ocioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 are disproportionately high for the forcibly displaced." This is exemplified extensively in this month's newsletter but no more sadly than the terrible and wholly unacceptable news that 10 Somali refugees have died of starvation in Kampala. On a more positive note, COVID has also forced many of us to be more innovative, finding new, often more efficient, ways of working, something that hopefully will be the positive legacy of this pandemic. I hope this newsletter continues to be is use and please share it with anyone you think might be interested and they can sign up to receive it directly by clicking here
Sector specific:
Education:
European Journal of Education and Pedagogy - Obstacles to Education of the Children of Refugees and IDP: Lessons and Policy Options from the European Union’s ‘Education for Life’ Project in Uganda and South Sudan
Childhood education - (paid for content) - A Sustainable Start for the Youngest Congolese Refugees in Uganda
Opportunity EduFinance - Can refugee communitiunfes benefit from education financing?
Health:
NEW - FMR - The impact of COVID-19 on older refugees
BMJ Sexually Transmitted Infections - Contextual approaches to understanding HIV testing and prevention engagement among urban refugee adolescents and youth in Kampala, Uganda - Participant narratives reflected material, symbolic and relational contexts that shaped HIV testing awareness, preferences and uptake. Material contextual factors that presented barriers to HIV testing and prevention engagement included: transportation costs to clinics, overcrowded living conditions that limited access to private spaces, low literacy, and language barriers. Symbolic contexts that constrained HIV testing engagement included medical mistrust of HIV testing, and inequitable gender norms. Religion emerged as an opportunity to connect with refugee communities and to address conservative religious positions on HIV and sexual health. Relational contexts connected with HIV prevention and testing engagement included linkages with professional support, family, friends, and intimate partners. Many participants suggested the need for mental health support alongside HIV care, particularly for HIV testing.
Conflict and Health - Prevalence and risk factors for hypertension and diabetes among those screened in a refugee settlement in Uganda - this research found that hypertension was common and diabetes was uncommon among those screened in a Ugandan refugee settlement. Routine blood pressure screening should be considered in this setting. Additional research could develop diabetes screening criteria to help identify at risk individuals in this limited resource setting.
Health Policy Watch - Living Conditions of Refugees in Uganda May Become ‘Untenable’, Warns Food Aid Head
UNHCR -
Uganda Refugee Settlements: COVID-19 Update As of 13 July 2021
Livelihoods
DRC/DANIDA/NURI/GoU - DRC Updates on RI and WRM Livelihoods Meeting
NURI/DANIDA - NURI presentation LRSWG Meeting - 22 June 2021
Protection
AA.com - 10 Somali refugees fall prey to starvation, COVID-19in 2 weeks - Somali Community Association in Uganda says helping vulnerable refugees difficult due to pandemic lockdown
Global Womens Institute -
Risk, Identity and Conflict (paid for content) -
Why GBV Survivors Cannot Seek Help: The Case of South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda - This paper explores how South Sudanese refugees in six refugee settlement areas in Uganda recognized GBV including their help-seeking pathways and identified what constitutes their decision to seek help/not seek help for themselves and even for others. The study confirmed that after residing in the settlement for several years, refugees’ GBV concerns are mainly domestic violence between partners rather than sexual violence committed by strangers. Their existing socio-cultural norms, the current referral mechanisms for help seeking within the refugee communities, and low expectation of outside services are barriers to refugees’ GBV help seeking. The paper recommended two forms for support: the support for social transformation on the existing gender norms within refugee communities, and the provision of material resources and capacity building for service providers in host-communities.
Negotiating the Gender-Based Violence Referral Pathway: Challenges and Opportunities in the Refugee Hosting Areas of Uganda - Based on a desk review of available literature, together with insights from previous field visits, this paper explores help-seeking strategies survivors adopt, forms of negotiations along the GBV referral pathway and reasons why survivors may choose either implicit or explicit forms of bargaining when seeking help.
Women Peace and Security: Sexual Gender-Based Violence Survivor Support in Refugee Settlements in Uganda - This paper is an attempt to identify the extent of which international gender norms have been materialized and implemented. The papers confirms the presence of support gaps and reiterates the need for further gender mainstreaming in both humanitarian aid and governmental policies and the role of humanitarian aid in the process.
WASH
Journal of International Humanitarian Action - Towards attaining the recommended Humanitarian Sphere Standards of sanitation in Bidibidi refugee camp found in Yumbe District, Uganda - This research implies that the sanitation facilities in Bidibidi need to be redesigned and improved especially the pit latrines and the solid waste disposal facilities in order to meet the minimum Humanitarian Sphere Standards. Also, there should be more provision of taps with flowing water in the camp for effective washing practices to minimize the spread of sanitation-related disease.
Other:
Daily Monitor - Somali refugees find solace in futsal, hope to pursue big dreams
Brass for Africa to help tap creative energy in Uganda - An Anglo/German partnership between Brass for Africa and Music Connects aims to help refugees reach out with their creative talents.
ILO -
• NEW - The ILO launches recovery grants for refugee and host community-owned businesses - To contribute to the recovery of COVID-affected businesses, the ILO has launched a small business grant scheme, targeting 200 enterprises owned by refugees and host community members in Rhino Camp, West Nile, and Nakivale in Isingiro District in Western Uganda.
Novo Nordisk Foundation supports 15 projects to respond to global humanitarian emergencies - including two in Uganda - CARE Denmark - Project title: CAMP+: Creating the World’s Most Sustainable Refugee Settlement (Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Grant amount: DKK 2 million and Caritas Denmark - Project title: Testing a Sustainable Model for Safe Water Access (Uganda) - Grant amount: DKK 1.6 million
Refugee History - The political history of Uganda’s refugee policies
U-Learn - Refugee Engagement Forum in Uganda - Good Practice Study Brief - A two page summary of the Refugee Engagement Forum (REF) Good Practice study.
UNHCR
Uganda: 2021 Funding Update as of 13 July 2021, as of 21 July 2021
University of Cambridge - Ugandan and British individuals' views o refugees in their countries: An exploratory mixed‐methods comparison - Using an exploratory mixed‐methods approach, this paper examined thoughts concerning refugees reported by participants from Uganda, and the United Kingdom. It explores whether, due to various sociocultural, political and geographic differences, critical features of refugee migration would be viewed differently by participants. Responses revealed several similarities between participants. For instance, similar proportions of participants from both countries acknowledged refugees' suffering before their migration and the forced nature of refugees' migration. However, more British participants referred to perils refugees suffer during their journeys, possibly resulting from differences in refugees' migration routes. Furthermore, Ugandan participants took pride in international praise their country received for its forthcoming treatment of refugees. There were no differences regarding the extent to which individuals exhibited prejudice towards refugees or experienced threats from refugees. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings for refugee integration.
WFP -
Training, Events, Opportunities etc:
WFP - Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mbarara, Arua - Deadline August 12
Feature:
2021 Regional NGO Consultations (EHAGL)
The UNHCR Bureau for East, Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes, (EHAGL), in collaboration with the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), organised the 2021 Regional NGO Consultations from June 28- July 1
The themes were:
Localization of Humanitarian Action and Engagement with Communities in the COVID-19 Context
Implementation of the Global Refugee Forum Pledges
Socio-Economic Inclusion of Refugees
Climate Action