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DISASTERS -CROSS BOADER DISPLACEMENT; HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS . UGANDA PERSPECTIVE Woboya Vicent- Office of the Prime M inister- Uganda. Displacement- context.
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DISASTERS -CROSS BOADER DISPLACEMENT;HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS UGANDA PERSPECTIVE Woboya Vicent- Office of the Prime Minister- Uganda
Displacement- context • Conflicts & civil conflicts have caused displacement in Uganda, at the peak of LRA in 1990s, 2.4 million people were displaced • Gov’t assisted by humanitarian Agencies deals with all the challenges associated with IDP camps. • With sustained pressure against the LRA, peace was achieved and people began returning home by 2005.
Displacement- context cont’d • The ADF in the Rwenzori region and the West Nile Bank Front equally caused displacement in the 90s but to a relatively smaller scale. • Displacement as a result of the Karamojong cattle rustling occurred in the country for many years from the 1960s to early 90s. • Communities neighboring the Karamoja region were forced to flee away in search of safety for both their lives and animals. • Throgh the Government disarmament programme of the Karamojong , rustling has reduced & a number of people have returned.
Displacement due to Natural Disasters • Floods, Landslides & drought have displaced people from their local communities. • 2007, floods in Teso sub region affected 300,000 people and about 150,000 people were displaced. • 2010, 200 people were killed by landslides, 5000 were displaced Goverthad to relocate 3000 people to a new home at Kiryandong district & each household was given 2 and1/2 acres of land for resettlement • Govt. has to deal with a number of challenges including sustained provision of relief food in the emergency phase, provision of shelter and other social services , education & health etc
Refugees- the reality in Uganda • Uganda is faced with a huge challenge of forced migrants/refugees with a history of hosting refugees dating far back in 1960s ( Polish refugees fleeing the impact of world war 2) • Uganda continues to receive refugees from the Horn of Africa e.g recent South Sudan conflict, refugees numbers have swollen to 347,514. • The continued refugee influx calls for continued international support to find a durable solution to the problem.
Legal frame work • Uganda is a signatory to international & regional frame; • The Hyogo framework 2005-2015 on DRR, • the Kyoto Protocol, • The 1969 OAU convention on Refugees the 1951 Convention on Refugees and the AU Convention on IDPs, Returnees and Refugees • The OAU 1969 convention, • The 2009 Kampala convention on internally displaced people) • At national level, there are; • National Policy on IDPs 2004, the National Disaster Preparedness and Management Policy 2011 • The National Refugee Policy 2006
Lessons from Uganda • Legal framework; Uganda has adequately put in place policies on Displacement and Refugees • A host to a large number of refugees including providing land for cultivation and resettlement in safer areas. By end of this year there is a plan to resettle about 2000 households more victims of landslides and floods • There is a fully fledged Refugee department that deals with coordination of refugee matters
Lessons cont’d • National Emergency Coordination and Operations Center (NECOC) which coordinates emergency response and early warning programmes • DRR platform which seats regularly to discuss DRR issues • At the District Levels, DDMCs are charged with the coordination of DRR matters in the district
Suggested recommendations • Strengthen the resilience of most vulnerable communities to avoid the negative impacts of recurrent displacement • Mitigate the underlying causes of vulnerability of people by reducing poverty • Strengthen in-depth analysis of displacement trends to address causal factors and respond appropriately
Recommendations cont. • Enhance research capacity and products on disaster risk trends ,patterns and responses • Strengthening Early Warning- Early Action systems and the local communities’ response capacity • Develop bye laws on triggers of disasters eg on environmental conservation, land use and land water management • Government should adequately facilitate establishment of appropriate standards for migration , as a coping mechanism in displacement
Conclusion Uganda is fully behind the Nansen Initiative in finding long lasting solutions not only to the displacement caused by conflicts but also to the new driver of displacement (Disaster led) that is currently emerging especially in the horn of Africa Thank you