Abstract Type: Independent oral presentation
Abstract TitleScarcity or resentment: Understanding Natural Resources Conflicts among refugee and Host Communities in Uganda
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Abstract
Uganda has become the third-largest refugee recipient country worldwide with over 1.5 million refugees. In contrast to many other refugee-receiving countries, Uganda's policies allow refugees a plot of land and significant freedom of movement to work, establish businesses, trade within refugee settlements and elsewhere, and access public services such as education and health at par with host communities. Refugees and host communities are primarily dependent on natural resources to meet their basic needs for cooking energy, materials for shelter, and agricultural land. Some also generate income by selling biomass and non-wood forest products. Due to the high refugee population density in settlements and surrounding areas, environmental degradation has become a great matter of concern. The continued environmental degradation and reduced groundwater recharge and supply coupled with competition over diminishing natural resources have exacerbated tensions between refugees and host communities. Evidence indicates that tensions over water and grazing land between host and refugee communities are more pronounced than previously assumed. Despite a wide range of literature on refugee studies, there is scanty literature on the determinants of natural resource conflicts among refugees and host communities in Uganda. Some scholars have attributed the conflicts to limited resources while others have attributed the conflicts to Uganda’s unsustainable refugee open-door policies. Using a mixed methods approach and the environment-conflict nexus this paper aims to analyze the determinants of natural resources conflicts between refugee and host communities in Nakivaale and Oruchinga refugee settlements in Uganda. Findings indicate that the conflicts are driven by both scarcity and ambitious refugee self-reliance policies. To foster cohesion, the study recommends inclusive policies by providing sustainable livelihood to both host and refugee communities.
Related Conference Topic Area
competing and complementary land uses
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Presenter Information
First Name Resty |
Last Name Naiga |
Affiliation Makerere University |
Author(s) Information
Author | First Name | Last Name | Affiliation |
1 | Resty | Naiga | Makerere University |