With 1.6 million residents, Uganda is home to Africa’s largest refugee camp. More than twice as many as the population of the European Union, expressed as a percentage.
Yet, budget cuts might jeopardize its open-door policy. The majority of the refugees are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, two neighboring countries that are plagued by conflict and violence.
81% of them are women and children who frequently left their villages after their fathers and husbands were killed in attacks.
Every week, new people move into the 185,000-person Nakivale settlement in South West Uganda. “My family had left when I returned home from being outside. Therefore, I also departed. I’ve not seen them,” a disoriented child remarked.
Uganda welcomes all visitors benefitting from the humanitarian aid provided by international partners, who finance infrastructures like schools and hospitals, used both by refugees and the local population.
According to Claire Birungi Agaba of the Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the participating organizations, the government even provides instant protection to individuals who flee war-torn areas.
“Prima facie rights are available to Congolese, Sudanese, and South Sudanese. It permits the government to issue an order that leads to a significant migration of persons in the event of an emergency in the countries of origin. As a result, individuals are granted refugee status without having to go through the full registration process.” Norwegian Refugee Council’s Claire Birungi Agaba.
Every refugee in the settlement is given a small plot to cultivate and financial and food support; unaccompanied minors are placed with foster families of other refugees.
But challenges are huge. In Nakivale, poverty and school dropout are widespread, and refugees who don’t work struggle to cope with the 3kg of rice and half a kg of beans per month provided to them.
A stunting rate of 40%, and up to 10-15% acute malnutrition rate among children under five, reached during the emergency peaks, strongly affecting immune defences and child development.
Acute malnutrition in children increases their susceptibility to infections and death, making them vulnerable to infections. The level of global humanitarian assistance to Uganda has decreased over the years, with the EU contributing around 30 million a year. In 2018, $170 was spent per refugee per year, but now it is only $85. Uganda’s government is seeking more funds from international partners to maintain its unique policy on refugees, which has seen an increase in arrivals and a high birth rate in refugee settlements. The EU’s contribution remains at 30 million a year.
(Africanews)
