Welcome to Edition 17
Health, is once again the lead in terms of research and news, but maybe of interest, is the SOAS journal on displacement in Africa - a whole journal, all open access, dealing with displacement issues across the continent.
A break from the norm also includes three funding opportunities - two with short deadlines (June 16) and one July 31. Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter for more information.
Submissions are extremely welcome – please send to Ugandrefugeenews@gmail.com and wherever possible, they will be included in the next version.
To sign up - please click here
Sector specific:
Education:
CrossBorderNetwork- Improving infrastructure for quality learning in refugees’ settlement
Environment
Cookstove implementation and Education for Sustainable Development: A review of the field and proposed research agenda - This paper argues that youth, current and future users of cookstoves, are systematically overlooked at all points along the cookstove value chain, and that their continued exclusion from implementation efforts is to the detriment of cookstove research an practice. It calls for their purposeful inclusion in development efforts through collaborations with Education for Sustainable Development providers whose work is complementary to the cookstove and sustainable development communities’ aims and aspirations.
Health:
BMC Public Health - Protocol for a caregiver psychosocial support intervention for populations affected by displacement in Uganda - Child psychological distress in refugee settings is a significant public health concern, which is exacerbated by poor caregiver mental health and functioning. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the Journey of Life (JoL) intervention to improve caregiver mental health in a refugee camp in Western Uganda.
World Bank - Monitoring Social and Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Refugees in Uganda : Results from the High-Frequency Phone Survey - Second Round - The High-Frequency Phone Survey for refugees in Uganda (URHFPS) tracks, on a monthly basis for a period of three months, the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on refugees. The World Bank, UBOS and UNHCR launched and conducted the URHFPS. Data collection for the first round of the URHFPS took place between October 22- November 25, 2020 and for the second round between December 5-24, 2020. This brief discusses results from the second round of the URHFPS. Where possible and appropriate, results are compared across the two rounds.
Livelihoods
ILO- Impact of COVID-19 on Refugee and Host Community Livelihoods - ILO PROSPECTS Rapid Assessment in two Refugee Settlements of Uganda - The assessment provides an evidence base for the needs of the refugee and host community populations and business enterprises in two locations targeted by PROSPECTS, in order to inform key stakeholders of market-based economic support opportunities and possible short- term, mid-term and long-term adaptations to programming that will allow PROSPECTS to effectively support populations in Isingiro and Arua, Uganda.
Protection
CrossBorderNetwork - Cases of defilement on the rise, in refugee settlements
Other:
SOAS- Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa - Volume 65 - Supplement S1 - May 2021
Assessment of the impact of refugee land rights on their relationship with host communities in Uganda: A case study of Kyangwali Refugee Settlement (2000 – 2017) - The study identified factors giving rise to conflicts among host communities and refugees in their enjoyment of land rights. Identified from a human rights point of view, the policy gaps in the legal and institutional frameworks used to regulate land rights for both refugees and host communities and also identified alternative key policy areas, strategies and initiatives to enhance the relationship among both communities due to limited resources. The findings indicated that the factors giving rise to conflicts among host communities and refugees in their enjoyment of land rights included; discrimination (nationals and refugees continue to be treated unequally), use of force in evicting nationals to accommodate refugees, bureaucracy (local leaders are not allowed to access the refugee camps before seeking permission from UNHCR, OPM‟s office), ambiguity in the demarcation of land boundaries and competition over scarce resources between refugees and nationals.
Deconstructing borders: Mobility strategies of South Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda - this paper explores how different forms of mobility enable South Sudanese refugees to better cope with the harsh conditions caused by their displacement. The results show how for these refugees, crossing borders can be empowering, although these complex strategies do not fit within the mutually exclusive ‘durable solutions’ proposed by the international refugee regime.
UNHCR
Training, Events, Funding etc:
Funding:
Embassy of Japan - deadline July 31 - Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects - Any projects geared towards grassroots assistance re Primary/secondary education, Vocational training, Primary health care, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS, Water and sanitation, Reconstruction for disaster areas and/or Agricultural development are eligible for financing, however particular attention will be given to projects designed to assist the most vulnerable groups such as women, children and the physically disabled. The grant amount per project is generally under 10 million yen (Approximately US$100,000 depending on exchange rates).
MIT Solve community - deadline June 16 - At least $10,000 is awarded to every selected team
Digital Inclusion - is looking for technology-based solutions that provide low-income, remote, and refugee communities access to digital infrastructure and safe, affordable internet; equip everyone, regardless of age, gender, education, location, or ability, with culturally relevant digital literacy skills to enable participation in the digital economy and/or scale safe and private digital identity and financial tools to allow people and small businesses to thrive in the digital economy.
Equitable Classroom - is looking for technology-based solutions that ensure all primary and secondary school learners have access to quality, safe, and equitable learning environments by increasing the engagement of learners in remote, hybrid, and physical environments, including strategies and tools for parental support, peer interaction, and guided independent work; enabling access to quality learning experiences in low-connectivity settings—including imaginative play, collaborative projects, and hands-on experiments; ensuring the physical safety and mental health of learners—for example, through tools for crisis support, reporting violence, and mitigating cyber bullying and/or supporting teachers to adapt their pedagogy, facilitate personalized instruction, and communicate with students and their families in remote and hybrid setting
Event - 2nd National Workshop on Validating the National Action Plan for Inclusive Entrepreneurship in Uganda - 15-17 June 2021 - The main goal of the National Action Plan is ‘to strengthen entrepreneurship in refugee hosting districts through improved inclusiveness of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Uganda’. A three-day workshop is being organized to validate the various components of the National Action Plan.
Training - Windle International Uganda (WIU) and UNHCR invites applications for sponsorship for Undergraduate/TVET Courses in accredited universities in Uganda. Deadline7 June . Applicants must be a registered refugee in Uganda, hold a UACE certificate with at least two principle passes or its equivalent and be below 35 years. All Applications MUST be submitted online, you can access the application form on this link https://forms.gle/GLkRFXmnwQBH2oNu6