UN boss roots for inclusion of youth in strategic decision-making processes

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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Regional Bureau for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes has emphasized the need for the meaningful participation and inclusion of youth in all processes where strategies are developed and decisions are made.

The call made by UN Refugee Chief of Section (co-ordination and partnerships) Stella Ogunlade comes in the wake of ongoing challenges faced by young people in refugee communities who are often marginalised and excluded from key decision-making platforms.

Ogunlade made the call during the two-day meeting which convened in Kampala, on July 7-8, 2024, at Hilton Garden Inn to consult on the establishment of a Regional Refugee Advisory Forum to Enhance Meaningful Refugee Participation and Engagement.

She asserted that engaging youth at local, national, regional and global levels is essential for fostering inclusive and sustainable solutions to the issues affecting them.

According to Ogunlade, the youth, who make up a significant portion of the refugee population, possess unique perspectives and innovative ideas crucial for addressing the complex challenges faced by refugee communities.

“Youth make up a large proportion of persons affected by forced displacement in East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region — about 40% of 22.1 million Forcibly displaced populations (FDPs) as per April 2024 data,” she said.

Establishing a regional refugee advisory forum

In a landmark move to address the pressing issues of refugee displacement in the region, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) hopes to establish a regional refugee advisory forum (RAF) in Uganda.



Charles Obila, the co-ordinator of the IGAD Support Platform, underscored the significance of the forum, saying that it aims to enhance meaningful refugee participation and engagement in policymaking processes.

The meeting brought together representatives from refugee-led networks and stakeholders from IGAD member countries who agreed that the establishment of the forum holds great promise in addressing refugees’ issues across our region.

Highlighting the region's displacement crisis, Obila noted that over 23 million people are currently displaced, including more than five million refugees and nearly 19 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Obila emphasized that the IGAD regional framework on durable solutions and the implementation of the Nairobi Declaration have been pivotal in regional applications of the Global Compact for Refugees and the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework.

"The main purpose of this initiative is to create a space where the voices of refugees are not only heard but actively shape the policies and programs that affect their lives," he added.

Paul Dime Zbigniew, the senior community based protection officer at UNHCR Uganda, echoed the importance of refugee involvement in decision-making processes.

"We have to ensure that refugees are involved in the discussions that affect them so that they can be part of the solutions to issues that affect them," he said.

Zbigniew commended Uganda's leading role in refugee policy implementation and stressed the need for other countries to learn from Uganda's experience.

Uganda's commitment

John Bosco Ssentamu, the national field/emergency co-ordinator at the Office of the Prime Minister - department of refugees, highlighted Uganda's commitment to refugee welfare.

He pointed out that Uganda hosts about 1.7 million refugees from various countries, including Sudan and emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in handling refugee issues.

"There is a need for refugees to participate in the economy so that they can become self-reliant," Ssentamu noted.

He also called for robust refugee-led approaches to manage the increasing refugee influx and stressed the importance of self-reliance programs to reduce pressure on already constrained resources.

Refugee communities speak out

Representatives from various refugee networks deliberated on the critical nature of the forum. Milly Nancy Lagu, a South Sudanese refugee living in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, expressed optimism about the initiative.

"This platform will help in shaping and handling the issues that are affecting refugees since they will be directly involved," she said.

Noela Kabale, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo and leader of Will, a women-based refugee organisation, emphasized the importance of meaningful participation and engagement. 

"We will be in a position to advocate and have a say whenever decisions are made," she stated.

Jean Marie Ishimwe, the East African regional lead at Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table (R: SEAT), hailed the forum as a key progress in advancing refugee inclusion.

"The refugees have shown that they are able to engage meaningfully in these processes and they have experiences from the ground and local strategies that are successful," he said.

Ishimwe added that a regional focus is crucial in strengthening refugee roles and ensuring no one is left behind.

Financing gap

Stakeholders noted that refugee financing remains a critical issue, with funding heavily reliant on development assistance and subject to geopolitical and economic fluctuations.

However, the OPM highlighted that reiterated that government will continue to mobilise resources for the refugee programme through various engagements.

The UNHCR's 2023 report highlighted funding gaps, with only 28% of the required financing available by July 2023 for refugee response.

Refugee market

In 2021, a report from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) indicated that Uganda’s refugee market was valued at sh1.7 trillion.

The stakeholders said that the refugee community’s skills and experiences, in addition to market can be leveraged to drive social development since hosting countries become their second homes.

Looking forward

Teresa Dining, the team leader of forced displacement at IGAD said the engagement is key to amplifying refugee voices and promoting durable solutions across different contexts.

Teresa Diing, Capacity Building Officer Refugee Protection and Asylum Law at IGAD. (Courtesy)

“The IGAD Regional Refugee Advisory Forum aims to build an inclusive, representative, and responsive platform that addresses the diverse needs of refugees across the region. With continued collaboration and support from all stakeholders, the forum is poised to make significant strides in improving the lives of displaced populations,” she noted.

She said the establishment of RAF represents a monumental step towards greater solidarity, understanding, and collaboration among all stakeholders involved in supporting refugees and displaced persons in the IGAD region.