We should work for peace in refugee settlements

Uganda is one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in Africa, with more than 1.5 million people. Most of these are from South Sudan, DR Congo, Somalia, and Burundi. 
South Sudan alone accounts for more than one million refugees, with 86 percent of these women and children in the world’s biggest refugee camp, Bidibidi in Yumbe District, north-western Uganda.
Refugees are perhaps one of the most vulnerable groups in Uganda. They witness horrendous atrocities and they are often reduced to a life of dependence on humanitarian aid. 
At the start of 2023, the World Food Programme (WFP) reduced the food rations to refugees in Uganda to 40 percent due to funding shortages. This is the equivalent of 4kg of maize grain and 1kg of beans for a month, yet it cannot sustain a family for even two weeks. This has created a lot of distress among the refugees. 
It is prudent, though, to appreciate the role played by various actors in furthering peaceful coexistence and respect for human rights, mutual respect, tolerance, interethnic dialogue, reconciliation and acceptance of ethnic and political diversity as an invaluable gift among refugees. The growing willingness of Ugandans and other stakeholders to coexist, dialogue, promote peace and move towards the much-needed reconciliation is commendable.
However, there is dire need to introduce mechanisms aimed at helping refugees adopt to non-food situations through addressing issues of food insecurity, constraints to embracing dialogue, reconciliation and nonviolence. Due to reduced food rations, refugee settlements are grappling with cases of land conflicts due to the need to cultivate food to supplement the WFP food, conscription of the youth into acts of violence and the neglect of post Covid-19 fragilities that have seen many youth drop out of school, and an increase in teenage pregnancies.
There is a surge in incidents of political intolerance and disgruntlement within the settlements. These incidents risk eroding our social, political, democratic and economic gains, as well as tainting the country’s image before refugees and other asylum seekers.
In all this, it is critical to work towards peace and make it a shared responsibility. I have seen close collaborative efforts by humanitarian organisations in the West Nile region; KRC-UGANDA, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the office of the Prime Minister (OPM), HEKS-EPER, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Caritas, and the local communities at large, which have demonstrated innate capacities to resolve emerging, potential and perceived conflicts between the refugees and the host by creating advocacy spaces and strengthening community peace-building structures for diverse constructive dialogue.
To consolidate this shared responsibility, I urge the UN refugee agencies and the Government of Uganda to support interventions towards enhancing food security through promoting the optimised land use model, small-scale household urban farming, introduction of mini-irrigation schemes and introducing quick maturing and/or draught-resistant crops in refugee-hosting communities. 
The government should adversely address issues related to land disparities between the refugees and nationals/host communities.  
The government should pay special attention to the post-Covid-19 fragilities that have accelerated the reduction in foreign aid, domestic and gender-based violence, especially among refugee teenagers, and households. 
Efforts should be geared towards skilling refugees through work-based learning, and giving psychosocial support as one way of helping them recover from the aftermaths of Covid-19, as well as past and recent waves of violence.
Elders, religious, cultural and political leaders should help nurture the youth as agents of peace and nonviolence and desist from conscripting them into acts of violence. The youth should stop availing themselves to be used as agents of violence.
Security agencies and citizens should collaborate in ending acts of violence and torture and apprehending perpetrators. 
Also, citizens should avoid at all times, provoking security personnel and using violence to settle political, social differences.

Francis Muhindo is the peace and conflict manager, KRC-UGANDA