56% Of refugees in Uganda are under the age of eighteen
120,208 Refugees and asylum-seekers living in Adjumani Refugee Settlement, Uganda’s largest settlement
2% Of refugees in Uganda are elderly (over the age of 60)
25,873 Refugees and asylum-seekers have arrived in Uganda in the first two months of 2016
Solutions Outlook
The UN family and the World Bank are in the process of developing a five-year Refugee and Host Population Empowerment (ReHoPE) framework that brings together the Government of Uganda, the UN family and the World Bank, supported by development partners, to enhance refugee and host community self-reliance and resilience through joint analysis, collective advocacy, the integration of service delivery and joint-resource mobilization. As a shared commitment, ReHoPE reflects and supports the priorities of the Government of Uganda, the UN and the World Bank. Not only is it in line with humanitarian prerogatives, but it is also incorporated into the National Development Plan II of Uganda. This innovative and transformative coming together of key stakeholders marks a shift in humanitarian assistance away from dependency towards empowering refugees and host communities, simultaneously promoting social cohesion and enhancing peace-building activities. To date, a number of initiatives have been launched in support of ReHope:
The Koboko Partnership - a public-private partnership between the Government of Uganda Office of the Prime Minister, Koboko District Local Government, UNHCR, ACAV (a civil society organization) and Kato EcoFarming (a private enterprise) to provide 7,500 refugee and host community households with training on modern agricultural techniques and improved access to markets.
Yunus Social Business – a partnership between UNHCR and Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus’ social entrepreneurship vehicle designed to leverage the strength of the private sector to create jobs, generate income, and empower and capacitate the youth - OPM-WFP-UNHCR Joint Project for Self-Reliance – a multi-year project in Rwamwanja and Kyangwali settlements to deliver comprehensive support in agriculture and non-farm income generating activities to 3,500 refugee and host community households, thereby reducing food dependency enhancing food diversity and increasing self-reliance and resilience.
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided support to 3 refugee settlement through their Promotion of Rice Development (PRiDe) project, enhancing refugee self-reliance by improving access to markets for cash crops.
A multi-disciplinary approach through innovative solutions is key for livelihoods including SGBV, youth employment and empowerment, and energy and environment.