Protracted refugees: Understanding the challenges of refugees in protracted refugee situations in Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to delve into the challenges that refugees in protracted refugee situations in Uganda face under the current refugee progressive policies that guarantee refugees the right to work, the freedom of movement, the freedom to establish businesses, and access to land. We used Focus Group Discussions to collect data from refugees in Arua city/District. The findings showed that despite refugee-friendly policies enacted and implemented by the Ugandan government; protracted refugees are confronted with challenges such as access to post-secondary school education, labor market integration, youth unemployment, high youth crime rate within the settlement areas and outside, the lack of elderly support, congestion in the settlement areas, urban integration challenges, overstraining of the environment and unpredictable relationship with the host communities. These challenges stand as a bottleneck to the promotion of the “Self-Reliance Strategy” and the integration of refugees in Uganda