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Refugee Education Crisis Looming in Uganda

Uganda - Make or break for the global refugee compact

STATEMENT ON THE ARMED ATTACK ON A SCHOOL IN UGANDA in which almost 40 children were killed.

First child dies of Ebola in new outbreak in Uganda

Blog with a spotlight on Uganda as a refugee-hosting country ahead of the Global Refugee Forum.

Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa at a time where the refugee influx is increasing and the impacts of climate change are challenging the response. As a longstanding supporter of the Uganda refugee response, Denmark is delighted to launch the Uganda Refugee Resilience Initiative. With a budget of approximately USD 40 million (approx. 145 billion UGX), the five-year programme seeks to empower refugees and host communities through climate resilience and inclusive development.

Scaling up education to transform the lives of Uganda’s refugee children

Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa at a time when the refugee influx is increasing, and the impacts of climate change are placing further strain on communities and ecosystems. As a longstanding partner of the Uganda refugee response, Denmark and Save the Children are pleased to launch the Western regional roll-out of the Uganda Refugee Resilience Initiative in the district of Kyegegwa.

Food ration cuts by WFP in Uganda come at worst possible time

Uganda's new Education Response Plan launched for Africa’s biggest refugee crisis

OVER 6,500 CHILD REFUGEES ARRIVE IN UGANDA AS VIOLENCE SURGES IN DRC

Children in North East Uganda take younger siblings to school for food in hunger crisis

Save the Children Uganda officially launched its Localization Strategy, reaffirming its commitment to placing local actors and communities at the heart of development and humanitarian action. The strategy was designed through a participatory process and seeks to deepen engagement with local partners, government institutions, staff, and communities by leveraging their unique knowledge, capabilities, and leadership. This aligns with Uganda’s national frameworks, including Vision 2040, the Refugee Response Plan, and the National Development Plan IV, as well as the draft Uganda Localization Strategy.

Every child has the right to be protected from violence and live free from fear, neglect, abuse and exploitation. Yet three quarters of children in Uganda experience some form of violence. Most children (68% of boys and 59% of girls) have experienced physical violence, while one in three girls and one in six boys suffer sexual abuse. The scars can last a lifetime and often result in mental health issues and psychological distress during adulthood.Strengthening lawsEffective child protection needs strong laws and policies in place. In Uganda there are many positive steps taken on paper - for example there is a national strategy to end violence against children in school, and child marriage, corporal punishment and other forms of abuse are illegal. But in reality these laws are rarely enforced or resourced. Many people and officials are unaware of them. Perpetrators often go unpunished. Save the Children advocates for greater resourcing to implement and enforce these laws, and we are developing localised and child-friendly versions to make them more accessible to communities.Stopping violence in schoolsA child learns best when they feel safe and protected. Corporal punishment is illegal in Uganda but is still widely practiced - 90 percent of children say they first experienced physical violence at school from a teacher. Many teachers and parents think violence is necessary to instil discipline, but it has a hugely negative impact on learning and a child's wellbeing.We work with teachers and schools to promote alternative positive discipline methods built on mutual respect and participation, and set up children's councils to come up with more effective and appropriate disciplinary measures. We also work with schools, officials and the local communities to monitor and address other forms of violence in schools, such as sexual abuse and bullying.Protection for children affected by conflictUganda hosts almost 1.4 million refugees and 60 percent are children. Most have fled brutal conflicts, and many have witnessed terrible violence or lost friends and family. We run Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) which provide them with a safe place to play, learn and socialise with new friends, under the supervision of specialist caregivers. They can also access other services such as mental health and psychosocial support. Our teams of caseworkers identify the most vulnerable children and make sure they get the support they need – such as children who arrive alone or separated from their parents, orphans, children with disabilities or those in need of counselling.Tackling child marriage and teenage pregnancyForty percent of girls in Uganda are married before they turn 18. One in four teenage girls over 15 have already given birth or are pregnant. This has a devastating impact on their future – it forces children out of education, traps them in a cycle of poverty, and endangers the lives of young mothers and their babies.We work with communities to change attitudes and practices towards child marriage. We support adolescents to know their rights and the laws that protect them, and to get access to sexual and reproductive health information. We lobby officials to try and get laws enforced. We work with schools to improve girls' access to education, as staying in school longer can reduce the chance of girls becoming pregnant or married.Ending child labourMore than 2 million children in Uganda are reportedly engaged in child labour – most in agriculture or mining. The work is physically and mentally dangerous, and forces children out of education. We are working with businesses, communities and authorities to end the practice - by holding companies to account for exploiting children, and urging companies to sign and adhere to the global Child Rights and Business Principles, which we developed with UNICEF and the UN Global Compact.Strengthening child protection systemsAn effective and well-funded national child protection system is vital to ensure that we can prevent and respond to violence against children. But in Uganda the system is fragmented and weak – the referral system is poorly coordinated, services for survivors are scarce, children are not empowered to speak out and report abuse, and traditional beliefs often perpetuate certain forms of violence. Most cases are not reported, and only 32 percent of those reported result in arrests.We advocate for greater investment in strengthening these systems at national and district level; support government-led initiatives such as the 24-hour "Sauti 116" toll-free national child helpline; and work with schools to strengthen reporting and response mechanisms.Joining ForcesTo end violence against children in Uganda we must work together. The global Joining Forces coalition brings together six leading child rights organisations – Save the Children, Child Fund, Plan International, SOS Children's Villages, Terre des Hommes, and World Vision. In Uganda the coalition is campaigning to end corporal punishment, and supporting children to develop their own solutions to end violence in schools.

How teenage mothers and pregnant girls in Uganda have defied tradition and successfully campaigned to return to class

Every child, everywhere, has the right to a quality education. A leader in child education around the world, Save the Children works with children, families, schools and communities, as well as supporters, partners and leaders, to help children get ready for and succeed in school – so they can succeed in life. We ensure school is a safe place for children to learn and play, as well as a source for nutritious meals and medical care for children in need. We’re especially focused on schooling for those who tend to be overlooked, including girls, children living in poverty, children on the move and children caught up in conflict or crisis. Early Childhood Development (ECD)We ensure that deprived girls and boys aged 0-6 years in Uganda access holistic and inclusive Early Childhood Development (ECD) by supporting school readiness, training caregivers, and providing essential learning materials.Basic Education We enhance children's learning environments by training educators, engaging parents, improving school infrastructure, providing learning materials, and advocating for inclusive and non-formal education.High-impact approachesOur Boost for the Youngest approach works with parents to stimulate children aged 0-3 years through singing, storytelling and playing. Based on its success locally, Boost for the Youngest has now been endorsed by Uganda's Ministry of Education & SportsReady to Learn is our play-based approach that teaches children aged 3-6 years about books, the alphabet, sounds and words, and equips them with the foundational skills they need to learn.Literacy Boost gets the whole community engaged in activities that promote reading as a fun part of daily life. In rural Uganda this approach has doubled literacy rates in primary schools. Our Safe Schools approach works with the school management, teachers, parents, children and community leaders to improve safety and end violence against children in schools.Partnerships and innovationWe host the innovative NGO Education Consortium, which works with a range of partners to get thousands of out-of-school refugees and Ugandan children back into education. It aims to herald a new way of working more collaboratively, inclusively and sustainably.We explore new ways of using technology to improve the qualty of education, such as locally designed, culturally relevant video games on solar-powered tablets which teach children basic numeracy and literacy.

The last two decades have brought some important improvements in health indicators in Uganda. Maternal and under-5 mortality have decreased by around 50 percent, thanks to widespread immunisation campaigns, increased antenatal care and better access to health facilities. However, these rates remain very high and most children still do not have adequate healthcare. Health facilities are often in dilapidated condition and run out of drugs and electricity. Services for babies born prematurely or with complications are often not available. 29 percent of Ugandan children under five years old suffer from chronic malnutrition, known as stunting, which prevents their mental and physical development. Despite some progress, millions of children are being left behind. Improving Maternal and Newborn Child Health (MNCH)We support district authorities to improve access to quality MNCH services and get more mothers giving birth at equipped institutions rather than at home. In remote rural communities of Uganda our approach has helped reduce neonatal mortality by 51 percent and the number of children dying before their fifth birthday by 42 percent.We use a systems strengthening approach to train health workers on specialised care; equip clinics and hospitals with vital resources such as lifesaving resuscitation equipment, oxygen cylinders and incubators; and educate parents and pregnant women about good practices. We support local health committees and more than 1,000 Village Health Teams (VHTs) to disseminate information in the communities; and pilot innovative approaches, such as using motorbike ambulance taxis to reach pregnant women in the most inaccessible villages.WATCH: Motorbike ambulances help Ntoroko residents grappling with poor health servicesLISTEN: Podcast: The women who left everything behindSaving Newborn LivesThe first minutes and hours of a baby's life are critical, so we promote simple steps that can save lives. We train mothers on 'Kangaroo Mother Care' where skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding offer children warmth and nutrition at the most critical stage after birth. Asphyxia, or inability to breathe, is the biggest killer of newborn babies in Uganda, so we train nurses and midwives on basic skills to resuscitate babies immediately after birth.Read: Helping babies breathePromoting Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)Adolescents in Uganda do not have adequate access to sexual and reproductive health services or information. At least one in four women in Uganda get pregnant as a teenager, contraceptive use is limited, and teenage pregnancy is a key factor in girls dropping out of school. We work with schools, clinics, youth peer groups, village health teams and other platforms to increase adolescent knowledge of sexual and reproductive health. We support youth champions to spread messages and act as change agents in their communities.Boosting nutritionOur Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) programmes provide malnutrition screening, food and nutritional support to young children and their mothers. In the refugee settlements we run Mother & Baby Areas (MBAs) which promote breastfeeding and good nutrition among pregnant and lactating women and caregivers for children under two years old. Practising optimal IYCF, including breastfeeding and complementary feeding, is the most effective way to reduce child malnutrition in emergency settings.READ: Isabella - a champion for breastfeedingResponding to emergenciesWe work with the government to prevent and respond to deadly outbreaks when necessary. To prevent the spread of Ebola from neighbouring DR Congo we have trained health workers, provided equipment to hospitals and clinics, and run community awareness campaigns to dispel myths and rumours and provide accurate information.READ: Information can save lives as Ebola spreadsSystem strengtheningSustainable long-term change will only be possible if basic health systems are in place and strengthened. We work to improve the capacity of health facilities, strengthen leadership and governance structures and community health committees, and engage in national policy and technical working groups. We also support research and development. For example, we supported Makerere University School of Public Health to establish the Maternal and Newborn Child Health Centre of Excellence, the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.Last year our health programmes reached 182,000 people across Uganda.

Ebola: Even without WHO declaration, Uganda cases are “a clear warning that not enough is being done to curb the virus”

Save the Children signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals in order to strengthen child protection within Uganda’s fast-growing mineral sector. The signing took place in October during the 14th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference held at Serena Kampala.

Learning is key to strengthening policies, programs, and coordination in Uganda’s refugee response actors. Over the past five years, U-Learn has played a pivotal role in generating, synthesizing, and disseminating evidence to support adaptive programming and continuous learning. Through cross-sectoral exchange, U-Learn has helped drive the uptake of insights on best practices, challenges, and innovations across key thematic areas.