Uganda
Uganda: Refugees and Host Communities in Yumbe and Terego Districts Rapid Gender Analysis
The conflict in South Sudan expanded to the southern parts of the country in July 2016, which led to an influx of refugees in Northern Uganda. Uganda hosts 1.5 mill. refugees in total, many live in refugee settlements. The four largest settlements in West Nile are Bidi Bidi, Palorinya, Rhino and Imvepi, with numbers of refugees ranging from 60,000 to more than 240,000. According to a report of the World bank and Uganda Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on gender-based violence (GBV) in Uganda from 2020, more than 80 % of the refugees and asylum seekers in Uganda are women and children. During the conflict, violence against women and girls such as the abduction of girls and the use of rape as a weapon of war was used. Women and girls fleeing to Uganda reported sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) “to have taken place throughout the route of migration within South Sudan itself as well as when crossing the border." Read More...
ON THE FRONTLINE: Lessons on health worker empowerment through the COVID-19 pandemic response
Around the world,frontline and community health workers serve to connecthealth services, commodities, and informationwiththose who need them. Equippedwith the relevant skills and community trust, theycanstrengthen health systems by bridginggeographic and financial accessibility gaps for rural, hard-to-reach, and vulnerable populations through last-mile health delivery. When integrated into national and local healthcare systems, community health workers can additionally help patients navigate complex systems of care and ensure care continuity across services. Historically during times of health crises, global governments and organizations have often relied on community health workforces as frontline responders to deliver life-saving care to disproportionate l y affected populations. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic was no exception, with many countries mobilizing their existing community health worker programs or initiating new ones to assist with pandemic response . Leveraging lessons learned through its decades long support and implementation of frontline and community health worker initiatives across 60 countries, CARE developed guidelines for community-level pandemic response and disease prevention during this time. In June 2020, CARE partnered with Abbott to launch a one-year in-depth primary care response to the COVID-19 pandemic Read More...
Access Protection Empowerment Accountability and Leadership (APEAL) II project Endline Evaluation
The APEAL II project was a follow on project to APEAL I. The purpose of APEAL 2020 was to Enhance multi-sectoral responses by providing targeted life- saving protection, mental health, Psychosocial support and inclusive services to Congolese refugees and vulnerable host communities in Kyangwali and Kyaka II settlements. APEAL II deferred from APEAL I by; increasing the Consortium members from six (6) to nine (9) after incorporating three (3) organizations, programme scope included changes from GBV to SGBV, disability and Inclusion Services and strengthening the capacity of community structures. The community structures were strengthened to identify, respond, support and refer persons in need of MHPSS, comprehensive rehabilitation, disability and inclusion, protection and SGBV services. The Project operated in a COVID 19 environment which was not present in APEAL 1. As such, the project embedded a specific focus on COVID 19 response.
The European Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) funded the Project with Euro3,462,889.15 spanning from May 01, 2020 to April 30, 2021.
The project targeted 40,000 beneficiaries split between Kyaka II and Kyangwali refugee settlements and distributed support to 20% of surrounding Host communities and 80% of Refugees. The APEAL II intended to achieve: Enhanced access to timely protection, SGBV, MHPSS and disability and inclusion services, Improved protection mainstreaming and strengthen the capacity of community structures, duty bearers and stakeholders, provide extra capacity in nutrition screening for young children, pregnant and lactating mothers and supportive advocacy for standards setting, and harmonized approaches to refugee protection and MHPSS at the national level.
The APEAL II project end line evaluation was conducted to assess change and impact by comparing data from before and after for APEAL Project implementation. The end line evaluation was constructed on a cross-sectional assessment of intervention focus area, the individual refugees and host community members. Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were applied with the former utilized to obtain information on project relevance, effectiveness and outcomes from Project key stakeholders including beneficiaries through key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Read More...
The European Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) funded the Project with Euro3,462,889.15 spanning from May 01, 2020 to April 30, 2021.
The project targeted 40,000 beneficiaries split between Kyaka II and Kyangwali refugee settlements and distributed support to 20% of surrounding Host communities and 80% of Refugees. The APEAL II intended to achieve: Enhanced access to timely protection, SGBV, MHPSS and disability and inclusion services, Improved protection mainstreaming and strengthen the capacity of community structures, duty bearers and stakeholders, provide extra capacity in nutrition screening for young children, pregnant and lactating mothers and supportive advocacy for standards setting, and harmonized approaches to refugee protection and MHPSS at the national level.
The APEAL II project end line evaluation was conducted to assess change and impact by comparing data from before and after for APEAL Project implementation. The end line evaluation was constructed on a cross-sectional assessment of intervention focus area, the individual refugees and host community members. Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were applied with the former utilized to obtain information on project relevance, effectiveness and outcomes from Project key stakeholders including beneficiaries through key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Read More...
Gender Analysis Uganda – Rhino Refugee Settlement – Omugo Extension and Ariaze
Since the last decade, conflict in South Sudan (SS) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has led to an influx of refugees to Uganda. Across the West Nile region of Uganda, the refuge influx has increased the strain on a chronically overburdened health system and other services.
CARE is working in a consortium of partners1 led by MSI Reproductive Choices (MSI) on a multi-country programme across Uganda, Niger and Madagascar named the ASPIRE Project to identify, test and develop innovative, sustainable and scalable approaches with the aim of reaching some of the world’s most marginalised groups with comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
To inform key programme design decisions, CARE conducted a gender analysis to understand the gendered dynamics around sexual and reproductive health, including barriers that women, girls, men and boys face with respect to accessing SRHR information, services and products, and present findings to the consortium.
This gender analysis provides information about the different needs, capacities and coping strategies of women, men, boys and girls in a crisis and how the crisis has impacted gender roles, relations and norms. The focus was on refugee women, men, boys and girls currently settled in Rhino Refugee Settlement in the West Nile Region of Uganda. Specifically, the study participants were from Omugo Extension Village 6 and Ariaze B. Read More...
CARE is working in a consortium of partners1 led by MSI Reproductive Choices (MSI) on a multi-country programme across Uganda, Niger and Madagascar named the ASPIRE Project to identify, test and develop innovative, sustainable and scalable approaches with the aim of reaching some of the world’s most marginalised groups with comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
To inform key programme design decisions, CARE conducted a gender analysis to understand the gendered dynamics around sexual and reproductive health, including barriers that women, girls, men and boys face with respect to accessing SRHR information, services and products, and present findings to the consortium.
This gender analysis provides information about the different needs, capacities and coping strategies of women, men, boys and girls in a crisis and how the crisis has impacted gender roles, relations and norms. The focus was on refugee women, men, boys and girls currently settled in Rhino Refugee Settlement in the West Nile Region of Uganda. Specifically, the study participants were from Omugo Extension Village 6 and Ariaze B. Read More...
WOMEN LEAD IN EMERGENCIES IN UGANDA
Women have a human right to participate in public life and decision-making, including in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural disasters, conflict, and other crises. Yet, women directly affected by crises are still excluded from most humanitarian responses and from public decision-making more broadly. Women’s participation in community responses and recovery saves lives and increases gender equality. Conversely, when women’s voices are not heard, women’s rights and needs are often not adequately met, and emergency response can reinforce inequalities that perpetuate vulnerability, insecurity, and poverty. Women Lead in Emergencies is a CARE global program that supports local women’s groups to take a lead in responding to the crises that affect them and their communities. It is the first practical toolkit for frontline CARE staff and partners with guidance on how to promote the participation and leadership of women in communities at the forefront of crisis within humanitarian programming. Read More...
PROMOTING SOLAR POWERED ENERGY EFFICIENT STOVES IN KYANGWALI REFUGEE SETTLEMENT PROJECT (PROSPERS)
This report presents the results of the baseline survey on the project “Promoting Solar Powered Energy Efficient Stoves in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement”. Kyangwali settlement is one of the eleven (11)1 refugee settlements in Uganda with a population of over 12,780 refugees who mainly come from DRC (118,390 refugees); South Sudan (3,383 refugees); Rwanda (1,124 refugees); Burundi (107 refugees); Kenya (11 refugees); Somali (7 refugees) and Sudan (2 refugees) (UNHCR, 2020). It is located in Kikuube district in Western Uganda bordered by DRC in the West, Hoima district in the North and Kagadi in the South.
This innovative clean energy project is being implemented by CARE International in Uganda in partnership with African Clean Energy (ACE) and Kabarole Research and Resource Centre (KRC) and is supported by the Dutch Relief Alliance Innovation Fund. It aims at improving the accessibility of quality and affordable clean energy solutions to refugees (particularly women) in the Kyangwali refugee settlement. The project’s innovative package includes two complementary programs namely; a) The User Referral Bonus (URB) model whereby the ACE package (ACE one stove + smart phone + solar powered lamp) will be made affordable to refugees in Kyangwali settlement and host communities, by allowing for payment in installments and also enabling URB participants to earn waivers on their monthly instalments through recommendation of peers; and b) Briquetting program whereby the first ten groups (farming cooperatives/VSLAs) which enroll at least half of their members into the URB will be supported with knowledge and equipment for clean, biomass briquette production, and also empowered to set up their own briquetting businesses. Read More...
This innovative clean energy project is being implemented by CARE International in Uganda in partnership with African Clean Energy (ACE) and Kabarole Research and Resource Centre (KRC) and is supported by the Dutch Relief Alliance Innovation Fund. It aims at improving the accessibility of quality and affordable clean energy solutions to refugees (particularly women) in the Kyangwali refugee settlement. The project’s innovative package includes two complementary programs namely; a) The User Referral Bonus (URB) model whereby the ACE package (ACE one stove + smart phone + solar powered lamp) will be made affordable to refugees in Kyangwali settlement and host communities, by allowing for payment in installments and also enabling URB participants to earn waivers on their monthly instalments through recommendation of peers; and b) Briquetting program whereby the first ten groups (farming cooperatives/VSLAs) which enroll at least half of their members into the URB will be supported with knowledge and equipment for clean, biomass briquette production, and also empowered to set up their own briquetting businesses. Read More...
Uganda Case Study External End Evaluation Partners for Resilience 2016-2020 programme
This report presents the findings and analysis from the evaluation of the PfR II Uganda country case. It is one of five case studies that were requested in the Terms of Reference (ToR) and subsequent exchanges with the PfR Evaluation Management Team (EMT) during the inception phase. The report starts with a short description of the PfR II Uganda country programme, followed by a clustering of findings and judgements along the structure of the evaluation matrix which had been agreed upon with the PfR EMT during the inception phase. The report ends with a section that lists a number of emerging observations and preliminary conclusions from this case. The annex compiles the documents reviewed, the persons interviewed and the results of the outcome harvesting workshop which was conducted at the end of the Uganda country visit. This visit was carried out by Mr George Kasumba, local consultant, and Mr Matthias Deneckere, ECDPM. The Uganda evaluation was supported by desk research conducted by ECDPM staff members Matthias Deneckere and Ashley Neat prior to the country visit. Read More...
Community Scorecard in Emergencies Learning Brief
To be effective and equitable towards global populations, humanitarian organizations must adhere to the core standards and principles on quality humanitarian response. Since the inception of ideas on the centrality of local participation in aid in the early 2000s and the more recent evolution of that concept into accountability towards affected populations, the humanitarian community has sought to turn this doctrine into reality.
Accountability in humanitarian response requires that organizations carry out their efforts in an ethically and legally responsible manner that is inclusive of the communities they are seeking to serve. Of UNICEF’s nine Core Humanitarian Standards (depicted here to the right), three specifically refer to mechanisms of accountability towards affected peoples: response is based on communication, participation and feedback; complaints are welcome and addressed; actors continuously learn and improve. In practice this could include centralizing the voices of affected peoples by engaging communities in needs and performance assessments and decision-making. Achieving this is often hindered by the constraints inherent to conflict settings such as lack of localization of assistance, communication between actors, and exploration of needs.
CARE’s Community Score Card
Seeking to actualize these principles of community participation and accountability into our programming, CARE developed the Community Score Card as part of a project aimed at developing innovative and sustainable models to improve health services. Working in crisis settings requires an understanding of the lived experiences of people, the power dynamics, and micro-politics that inform humanitarian response approaches. It also requires bridging the gap between civil society organizations, local and national governments, international non-governmental organizations, and impacted communities. Social accountability approaches do this by connecting citizens with those responsible for providing services. The Community Score Card (CSC) is a participatory social accountability mechanism for assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation of services. Designed for ease of use and adaptation into any sector with a service delivery scenario, the CSC brings together users and providers of a particular service or program to jointly identify service utilization and provision challenges, mutually generate solutions, and work in partnership to implement and track the effectiveness of those solutions in an ongoing process of quality improvement. The CSC has five phases: (I) planning and preparation; (II) conducting the scorecard with the community; (III) conducting the scorecard with service providers; (IV) interface meeting where the all parties present their findings in the presence of duty-bearers and then jointly develop action plans; and (V) monitoring of the action plans and evaluation of overall process. Read More...
Accountability in humanitarian response requires that organizations carry out their efforts in an ethically and legally responsible manner that is inclusive of the communities they are seeking to serve. Of UNICEF’s nine Core Humanitarian Standards (depicted here to the right), three specifically refer to mechanisms of accountability towards affected peoples: response is based on communication, participation and feedback; complaints are welcome and addressed; actors continuously learn and improve. In practice this could include centralizing the voices of affected peoples by engaging communities in needs and performance assessments and decision-making. Achieving this is often hindered by the constraints inherent to conflict settings such as lack of localization of assistance, communication between actors, and exploration of needs.
CARE’s Community Score Card
Seeking to actualize these principles of community participation and accountability into our programming, CARE developed the Community Score Card as part of a project aimed at developing innovative and sustainable models to improve health services. Working in crisis settings requires an understanding of the lived experiences of people, the power dynamics, and micro-politics that inform humanitarian response approaches. It also requires bridging the gap between civil society organizations, local and national governments, international non-governmental organizations, and impacted communities. Social accountability approaches do this by connecting citizens with those responsible for providing services. The Community Score Card (CSC) is a participatory social accountability mechanism for assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation of services. Designed for ease of use and adaptation into any sector with a service delivery scenario, the CSC brings together users and providers of a particular service or program to jointly identify service utilization and provision challenges, mutually generate solutions, and work in partnership to implement and track the effectiveness of those solutions in an ongoing process of quality improvement. The CSC has five phases: (I) planning and preparation; (II) conducting the scorecard with the community; (III) conducting the scorecard with service providers; (IV) interface meeting where the all parties present their findings in the presence of duty-bearers and then jointly develop action plans; and (V) monitoring of the action plans and evaluation of overall process. Read More...