Uganda Refugee Response Plan (RRP) 2022-2023, Protection Dashboard – Quarter 4, January – December 2022
The overall protection objective is to ensure that refugees and asylum-seekers have access to asylum, fair and swift asylum procedures as well as full enjoyment of their rights as set forth in international and domestic legal framework. It remains crucial for partners to continue strengthening the capacity of Government institutions to respond to emergencies, supporting improvements in registration and the asylum system. This needs to be done while continuing the provision of life-saving services, monitoring, mitigation of protection risks and finding durable solutions. Efforts will continue to reinforce comprehensive feedback and response mechanisms, to ensure accountability to affected populations (AAP). The response will continue to place a special emphasis on persons with specific needs (PSNs), ensuring that they have equal access to protection, assistance, and the opportunity to participate in community self-management and decision-making. The provision of mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) is key in responding to the negative social economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks, through a comprehensive coordination mechanism.
Product Scope
This product covers overview of the sector, key achievements, funding situation including Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Child Protection (CP), Registration, Refugee Status Determination (RSD), Community Based Protection (CBP), MHPSS, Legal and Feedback Referral and Resolution Mechanism (FRRM). It leaves out details of CP and GBV, which have been analyzed in separate dashboards.
Analysis of achievements of the sector
Refugee Status Determination (RSD)
Cumulatively, since January 2022 to December 2022, the Refugee Eligibility Committee (REC) held 14 sessions (06 in Kampala and 08 in the settlements; 5 Nakivale,1 Kyaka, & 2 Kyangwali) and adjudicated 18,168 asylum applications of 37,421individuals mainly involving Sudanese, Ethiopians, Eritreans, Congolese, Somalis, Rwandans, and Burundians with overall recognition rate of 90 per cent. Of the 18,168 asylum applications, 29,787 individuals were granted refugee status while 1,832HH of 6,893 individuals were rejected on first instance. South Sudanese refugees are granted refugee status on prima-facie basis, hence they do not go through individual RSD process except for a few cases. Most Congolese refugees are also recognized on prima facie basis, specifically those who enter Uganda through the official border entry points.
The limited number who go to the settlements directly or to the urban centers undergo the individual RSD process. The Refugee Appeals Board (RAB) continued to hear appeal applications for cases from the REC. Since January 2022, the Refugee Appeals Board held 12 sessions 06 Kampala and 06 field( 03 Kyangwali,02 Nakivale and 01Kyaka) and reviewed 277 appeal cases of 969 individuals largely concerning Eritreans, Congolese, Ethiopians,
Burundians, and Rwandans.
Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and Community-Based Protection (CBP)
The 16th Refugee Engagement Forum (REF) was held between 12-14 December in Kampala. It was the fourth and final session of the year where refugee leaders were informed about the food/cash prioritization exercise by World Food Programme (WFP), trained on Servant Leadership and identification and appropriate response to mental health and psychosocial distresses in the community among others.
UNHCR completed the Participatory Assessment (PA) exercise countrywide with preliminary findings indicating food, shelter/housing, livelihoods, healthcare and education mostly for the over 18 categories of services provided as the top needs reported by the communities. It also showed that over 75 per cent of respondents indicated that they reach out to community structures when they or members of their households face a challenge in accessing services. Perceptions of service provision showed that 75 per cent of respondents reported that their household received assistance in the last 6 months while 60 per cent of respondents feel that assistance has reached the most vulnerable of the community.
The inter-agency FRRM helpline received a total of 35,064 new queries during the year, which represents an 11 per cent decrease when compared to 2021. Significant decreases in call volume were observed in Kampala (107 per cent), Palabek (61 per cent) and Palorinya (28 per cent). This is largely attributed to a reduction in COVID-19 related calls throughout the year. 20,076 queries (57 per cent) were resolved directly at the helpline level using standardized FAQs, while 14,988 referrals (43 per cent of calls) were sent to UNHCR and partner focal points for follow-up and assistance. A total of 11,235 category 3 referrals were closed by UNHCR and partner focal points during the year. These included 10,768 received during the year and 467 backlog referrals from the previous year.
Efforts are currently underway to enhance the FRRM’s database of FAQs to ensure increasing numbers of calls can be resolved directly at the helpline level. This will help to reduce the number of referrals sent to partners. The highest number of queries came from Nakivale (7,039), followed by Kampala (6,291), Kyaka II (5,928) and Kyangwali (3,750). Call rates continued to be low in West Nile, with Bidibidi receiving the highest number of queries (2,871). Imvepi and Rhino camp received 1,984 and 1,949 queries respectively and all other settlements in the region received a combined total of 1,896 queries. The CBP sector received the highest number of queries during the year with 5,294 registered. This was followed by Food/Cash assistance (4,197 queries), Health and Nutrition (4,098), Durable Solutions (3,519), General Queries (3,233), Registration (3,117), Legal and Physical Protection (2,862), Education (2,166), Livelihoods (1,423), Child Protection (1,411), Shelter and NFIs (1,208) and others.
Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees