The Government of Uganda with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, concluded a comprehensive exercise to verify the identities of all refugees and asylum-seekers in the country, using enhanced biometric tools.

The analysis from the Verification Exercise in Uganda indicates that a majority of the refugees who were absent, originate from South Sudan and arrived between 2016 and 2017.

Two (2) refugees are elected to Uganda’s highest decision-making body for comprehensive responses. 2 out of 37 seats in the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) Steering Committee are reserved for refugees, with a view to involve them in the strategic direction and key decisions on the CRRF in Uganda.

The Regional Child Protection Network held an Information Sharing Session on Child Protection Responses to the Burundi and South Sudan Crises. The theme was 'The Critical Importance of Child Protection in Refugee Situations'.

Since 2014, UNHCR, in partnership with Safe from the Start, an anti-SGBV initiative supported by the US Government, has developed 15 new projects to reduce the risk of SGBV through access to cooking energy and the creation of livelihood opportunities for refugee women.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL SUDAN (PIS) COMPLETES FIELD SURVEY ON SCHOOL DROP-OUT FOR REFUGEE AND HOST COMMUNITY CHILDREN IN AL KHOWEY LOCALITY, WEST KORDOFAN – PIS and national partner ALAAN Charity Organization conducted home visits with 130 refugee and host community families in the locality to identify drivers of school dropout. The main reasons for dropout cited by families include: children needing to work to support household income; inability to cover costs of school fees and supplies; household responsibilities (i.e., the need to support sick parents and provide sibling care); and discrimination. These issues underscore the links between livelihoods gaps and education access for both refugee and host community children in West Kordofan. Protection and education partners are collaborating on ways to address these issues. Scale-up of diversified livelihoods interventions and education assistance to support school retention is needed.

CASH AND FUEL SHORTAGES DRIVING RESPONSE DELAYS – Persistent cash shortages is delaying assistance projects in all refugee locations, especially for procurement activities and the implementation of cash-based interventions. The situation is compounded by logistical delays due to ongoing fuel shortages. State authorities are working closely with partners to mitigate the situation and support activities where possible.situation and support activities where possible.

TOTAL SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEE POPULATION INCREASED TO 851,313 INDIVIDUALS, FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF UPDATED POPULATION STATISTICS – This revised figure incorporates updated statistics from finalized registration processes conducted by the Government of Sudan’s Immigration and Passport Police (IPP) in Gedaref, Al Gezira, Nile and Northern States. It also includes the increase of the out-of-the-camp population in White Nile State by 79,000 based on as inter-agency assessment targeting out-of-camp locations. The revised total population figure is reflected in the 2019-2020 Refugee Response Plan (RRP) and in the 2019 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). The revised figure will not affect RRP or HRP budgets, as refugee programming is based on assessed needs.

One of our anti-SGBV Initiatives is the MADE51. This artisan initiative allows refugee artisans, many of them women at risk of SGBV, to receive expert product development support and access to international marketing channels and sustainable livelihoods.

In Uganda, refugees from South Sudan continue to report fleeing primarily out of fear of attack by fighters from either side of the conflict inside the country.