ReliefWeb

STRUCTURE OF THE UGANDA HUMANITARIAN PROFILE 2012

PART 1. CONTEXT OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION

The Uganda humanitarian profile 2012 is the second version after a decision was made to end the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) in Uganda. It builds on the humanitarian profile for 2011 to provide an update on the humanitarian issues in the country. This is both a preparedness and resource mobilization tool which is updated every year to inform government and the humanitarian community on key humanitarian issues in the country.

Western Uganda continues to be of minimal humanitarian concern at this point but the region also hosts refugees. Congolese refugees, in particular, are unlikely to return home in the near future given the fact that conflict continues in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In fact, fresh influxes are likely should the conflict continue or deteriorate. The discovery and development of oil reserves in western Uganda could also increase political tensions with local communities in western Uganda. Local opposition has already arisen over land rights and forced displacement, the oil development companies’ employment of foreigners rather than natives, and concerns over how the wealth will be distributed.

Internal conflicts, drought, floods, historical marginalization, poor infrastructure, and diseases still affect the Karamoja region, with significant impacts on human welfare and quality of life.

The sub‐region has the lowest human development indices in the country. Human rights concerns remain prominent as a result of the UPDF’s disproportionate use of force and violations during cordon and search operations associated with the forced disarmament programme. Nearly 80% of the population experiences some degree of food insecurity, mainly due to unreliable rainfall. The seven districts of Kaabong, Abim, Kotido, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Napak and Moroto, are all located within a "red" food security zone, according to a recent government assessment. WFP, working with the government's Karamoja Productive Assets Programme to increase household incomes and create assets, provided targeted relief food to the 140,000 extremely vulnerable persons in 2011. Malnutrition rates however, remained high in this region.

In Acholi sub‐ region, Residual IDPs persist in the Acholi sub‐region even as the development phase begins. Five years after the signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between GoU and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), the majority of IDPs have left the camps. More than 98% of the 1.8 million IDPs who lived in camps at the height of the conflict have returned to their areas of origin or have resettled in new locations. The sustainability of returns, however, remains in doubt. Despite the peace and stability in the region since 2006, returns have outpaced recovery planning and implementation. Most IDPs have returned to areas offering few basic services such as water, health care and education. Current and planned efforts notwithstanding, there is general agreement that it will take many years to rehabilitate northern Uganda.

The Elgon and Teso sub‐regions are suffering from landslides and floods, drought and famine, conflicts and cattle raiding. This vulnerability to floods, compounded by unpredictable weather patterns and Karamojong cattle raiding, continues to negatively impact the livelihood security of people at community and household levels in the sub region. While internal displacement has ended in Teso, several factors are undermining sustainable resettlement and recovery. Gaps in social service provision and limited livelihood opportunities continue to hamper the quest for durable solutions. A big number of people have been affected by mudslides and displaced by floods across eastern Uganda during the months of August and September 2011 following torrential rains that submerged homes and devastated villages. Government has resettled 602 house hold from the region, but the resettling and recovery programme is far away to be completed.

The humanitarian profile will be a living document which will be regularly updated to reflect evolving situation in the country. The Department of Disaster Preparedness in the Office of the Prime Minister spear headed the development of this version on the humanitarian profile and it will continue to coordinate the regular update of the document.