Empowering Women and Girls: Key to Resilient Ugandan Communities

Uganda has been lauded globally for its approach to refugee management, fostering self-reliance and development alongside protection. However, as international funding dwindles, women and girls, particularly in refugee settlements, bear a disproportionate burden. They are often the first to lose access to essential services like education, reproductive healthcare, and protection from gender-based violence.

Access to skilled midwives and basic health facilities can be life-saving for pregnant women in refugee camps. Similarly, timely healthcare and psychosocial support are critical for survivors of gender-based violence, while education empowers adolescent girls to claim their rights and reach their potential. These are not mere aid provisions but fundamental investments in human dignity and resilience.

With protracted refugee situations and reduced funding, a shift towards long-term solutions is necessary. The Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus offers a framework to bridge immediate aid with sustained investments in national systems, social cohesion, and youth opportunities. Programs supported by Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, and the Netherlands are pioneering this approach by strengthening health systems, empowering youth, preventing gender-based violence, and expanding access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for both refugees and host communities.

These integrated investments, focusing on people, institutions, and communities, build crucial resilience, foster social cohesion, and promote peaceful coexistence. The long-term benefits are substantial: women and girls who are healthy, educated, and safe are better positioned to contribute to their families, communities, and the nation’s economy. Empowering them is thus a strategic investment in human capital, economic growth, and lasting peace.

As the humanitarian sector reforms, efficiency gains must not compromise the well-being of the most vulnerable. Essential services like reproductive healthcare and protection from violence are foundational to sustainable development. On World Refugee Day, the commitment to solidarity means ensuring that refugee women and girls are not left behind but are empowered for healthy, safe, and dignified lives. Investing in their futures is an investment in a more peaceful and prosperous future for all Ugandans.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)