The Plight of female Urban Refugees

By Clare Kyasiimire, Uganda National NGO Forum

Around the world, women and children undertake perilous journeys in search of safety, however, many nations attempt to prevent refugees from reaching their borders despite all individuals having a right to seek asylum; they detain those who arrive in facilities that violate their human rights, prevent them from having a fair day in court and make it difficult for them to access legal protections.

Uganda is at the centre of the current debate on urban refugees with an estimated number of about 100,000 urban refugees and an overall refugee population of about 1.4 million ranking it 3rd among the largest refugee hosting countries; however, verification of the actual number is ongoing. 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 right to work and move freely, without fear, are often unmet in urban areas.

As part of the Annual National Youth Festival that took place on 11th August 2018 at Makerere University, the Humanitarian Platform for Local and National Organisations held a session dubbed the Plight of Female Urban Refugees. This was to contribute to the ongoing discussions about the fate of urban refugees in Uganda, with more focus on female refugees. The session was rich in content from experts drawn from thematic
organisations such as Interaid Uganda, Refugee Law Project, and  Isis Wicce. To merge theory with practical experience of being a female urban refugee in Uganda, one of the refugees living in Kampala suburbs was invited to share her experience. Some of the highlighted issues during the session included sustainability of refugees in the urban areas where most unregistered forced migrants are concentrated. Most of these
migrants are unaware of the rightful processes to go through to be recognized as asylum seekers by the government and hence feel denied of their rights. According to the Refugee Law Project paper on “Assistance and Protection for Forced Migrants in Kampala”, The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has begun to allow refugees to remain in Kampala if they can prove “self-sufficiency.” Proof in this case requires evidence of employment in the form of a letter from an employer, and evidence of residency in the form of a letter from a local councilor of thearea where the refugee resides. OPM has stated that it wishes to discourage those refugees who cannot support themselves in Kampala from remaining in the city. Thus, even if the refugee status has been granted, the identification document which acts as tangible proof of refugee status may be withheld if the refugee in question wishes to remain in Kampala without being able to prove self-sufficiency.

However, for the registered forced migrants like Ms. Noella Kabale Kalu, the support they receive from the Government of Uganda as young entrepreneurs working to reconstruct their lives and achieve their dreams is highly appreciated. Sharing the experience of female refugees living in the city, Ms. Kabale requested the government authorities to rescue other young girls who have undeservingly resorted to other humiliating means of making a living like trading sex. It was noted that refugees feel constrained living in settlements because there is nothing much to hope for, for a skilled, talented and educated young person
with dreams for a future. “we need empowerment and not handouts, Noella”. Furthermore, the issue of unemployment was underscored as one of the major challenges facing urban refugees in Uganda.

This, according to Ms. Joyce Ameso a representative of the Refugee Law Project (RLP), is precipitated by the differences in education curriculum and language barriers. As such, RLP has over the years implemented the “English for Adults” course and registered numerous success stories with many learners attaining employment, enrolling into various academic institutions  and even attaining leadership positions on return to their first countries.

“These forced migrants are our brother and sister seeking for our support, Ms. Peninah Mugume, Interaid Uganda”

As the way forward, the array of recommendations from the meeting include the need to have safe spaces for young women to access information, sexual reproductive health services, and acquire skills to not only occupy them but also give them hope to achieve their dreams. It is imperative to underscore the fact that women face gender related challenges differently from men. They are faced with sexual harassment, gender based violence, early marriages, among others. As such, Ms. Juliet Were from
Isis-Wicce recommended that women specific policies should be enacted to meet the specific needs of female refugees.