Uganda: a refugee haven? Assessing the “state” of self-reliance

Abstract

Against the backdrop of record-high refugee numbers and the lack of durable solutions, the self-reliance strategy has returned to the forefront of refugee governance. It is based on the idea that refugees should meet their own needs by accessing resources, opportunities, and rights while contributing to their host communities. In the process, policymakers and academics have praised Uganda as a “role model” for its progressive self-reliance policies. The Ugandan model equips refugees with a plot of land in a rural settlement, grants them the freedom of movement and the right to work, while offering integrated public services alongside local communities. Through a combination of desk research and qualitative interviews, this thesis attempts to verify whether this model translates into real opportunities for self-reliance in the settlements. The findings, while emphasizing the adverse effects of a strategy framed along the logic of cost reduction, reveal only minor positive results in Africa’s oldest refugee “camp,” Nakivale. In parallel, this thesis highlights the importance to support refugee-led organizations (RLOs) for service provision within the humanitarian establishment. While pushing for a wider understanding of refugee models encompassing regulatory framework for RLOs, the thesis urges Uganda to think beyond the settlement approach in order to adequately support refugees who opt to live out of them.