Northern Uganda Internally Displaced Persons Profiling Study

The humanitarian situation in Northern Uganda is one of the worst in the world. Here 1.3 million people are internally displaced, dispersed among approximately 200 camps throughout the Northern Uganda region. The camps are overcrowded, and the IDPs are constantly afraid, both outside of the camps and inside them as well. They are extremely poor, with limited possibilities for cash income, almost no credit available, and very few receive remittances from relatives. They depend on humanitarian aid.

Only a minority believe that their situation will improve. Most believe it will deteriorate. Our research shows that, in their experience, the situation can almost always become worse, and if the war continues very much longer this is precisely what will happen.

The IDP population is young, more than 50 percent are under the age of fifteen. As many as 25 percent of the children have lost one, or both of their parents, and a huge number of the women are widows. The role of men in the camps has been noted in other studies and, while to a certain degree it appears that their traditional role is vanishing, the present study indicates that that men are just as involved as women in economic activities.

The IDPs are effectively displaced from their homes, but their displacement is only a short geographical distance. If a peace comes to Northern Uganda, as many as one third of the IDP population, or approximately 400,000 people, may start moving out of the camps spontaneously. Another third will move if some assistance is given, while a final third will remain in the camps, at least for a while. The implications are that assistance providers will have to plan for at least three scenarios that may take place at more or less the same time and place.

The study has been carried out under the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister, Department of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees. The Lead Donor Agency was United Nations Development Programme with co-financing support from European Union Acholi Programme, USAID Uganda and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affaires.

Researchers

Morten Bøås

Anne Hatløy

Results

Morten Bøås and Anne Hatløy (2005) Northern Uganda Internally Displaced Persons Profiling Study (pdf 2.51MB)

Morten Bøås and Anne Hatløy (2005) Fafo's Northern Uganda Study - powerpoint presentation (pdf 864k)