Upholding the Rights of Urban Refugees in Uganda

Author(s)
Monteith, W. et al.
Publication language
English
Pages
4pp
Date published
01 Oct 2017
Type
Research, reports and studies
Keywords
Protection, human rights & security, Urban, Forced displacement and migration
Countries
Uganda
Organisations
IIED DFID Urban Crises Learning Fund

Uganda is at the centre of current debate on urban refugees. The country’s Refugees Act 2006, which establishes refugees’ rights to live, work and own land in urban areas, has been hailed as exemplary and a global model for humanitarian responses. However, new evidence on refugee livelihoods in Kampala suggests that the rights to work and move freely, and without fear, are often unmet in urban areas. In the absence of financial assistance, urban refugees often struggle to find gainful employment and report frequent cases of discrimination by both the Ugandan state and the public.

This briefing outlines the barriers to upholding the rights of urban refugees in Uganda, and recommends ways in which these may be overcome.