Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

The key objectives of the ICRC's work in Uganda are to

- foster respect, among the authorities and weapon bearers, for International Humanitarian Law

(IHL) and international standards for law enforcement,

- expand the provision of family-links services to refugees and continue to help the families of

missing persons,

- strengthen dialogue with the authorities and the police, on securing ICRC's access to all

detainees and on the importance of meeting internationally recognized standards for detention,

- and support the Uganda Red Cross Society in developing its operational capacities and in

undertaking organizational reforms.

Expected results

In total, the ICRC aims to reach the following results in 2018:

- Up to 5,000 individual stakeholders such as from among the police and other government authorities are sensitized regarding basic principles of International Humanitarian Law /International Human Rights Law (IHL/IHRL) and the ICRC’s Mandate.

- More than 43,000 individuals who fled from South Sudan, especially families of missing persons, have improved their livelihoods, socio-economic and psychsocial well-being as well as their health and have access to improved hygiene facilities.

- More than 100,000 individuals have been able to exchange messages with or trace their family members they are separated from, be it due to violence in neighbouring countries or due to detention of individuals in Ugandan prisons.

- The Ugandan Red Cross Society (URCS) is better able to provide services to about 2500 refugees in Bidi Bidi Settlement.

Target group / Beneficiaries

The total number of peope who will benefit directly from ICRC’s activities thanks to Austria’s support is an estimated 39.237 individuals, with further community members to benefit indirectly from its intervention. They include:

- Civilians (people, who do not take part in fighting, including IDPs, returnees and vulnerable residents).

- Detainees (people, who are deprived of their freedom and are held by the Ugandan Government or armed groups).

- Actors of influence (authorities, security forces and other weapon bearers).

- Members of the Ugandan Red Cross Society.

The ICRC works in close collaboration with the URCS and is present in Kampala, Kitgum and West Nile Region.

Activities

Activities include, but are not limited to:

- Promote the Red Cross Movement’s Family-Links services through leaflets, radio spots and other public communication methods.

- Register displaced vulnerable children and adults in settlements to carry out family tracing and refer children with other protection needs to child protection actors.

- Coordinate with UNHCR and the Office of the Prime Minister to reunite people with their relatives and refer individuals in need of services provided by UNHCR and their implementing partners to the latter.

-Conduct IHL/IHRL training to Police and Defence Forces (12 sessions planned for 2018 targeting approximately 5.000 individuals).

- Give officials and national authorities guidance for implementing key international conventions like the Arms Trade Treaty.

- Build a permanent structure for the Uganda Red Cross Society staff and upgrade their office tents in refugee settlements, to provide them suitable places to serve beneficiaries.

- Provide mental health psychosocial support to relatives of missing persons in two districts and economic support to the most vulnerable families in the form of village saving schemes and small scale agricultural projects, in addition to distribution of food and non-food items.

- Provide the Uganda Red Cross Society with technical and financial assistance for carrying out Family-Links Services, organizational development, financial management and operational management core activities.

- Foster a coordinated response of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners in Uganda.

- Strengthen emergency preparedness capacities of the Ugandan Red Cross Society.

Context

The ICRC has been present in Uganda since 1979. It helps reunite children who were separated from their families as a result of violence in neighbouring countries, such as South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. It is also striving to compel the authorities to clarify the fate of the persons who went missing (mostly children) during the Non-International Armed Conflict (1986-2006) in Northern Uganda and provide individual answers to their families. It has also been implementing programs since 2016 to address the needs of the families of the Missing in two of the affected districts. The ICRC monitors the treatment of detainees and strives to raise awareness of IHL and humanitarian principles among the armed and police forces. Whenever possible, the ICRC supports the Uganda Red Cross Society in its efforts to improve its capacities to respond to needs arising from situations of conflict, other situations of violence and natural disasters.