Tag: refugees
Capacity needs for gender integration and women’s engagement in energy, environment and climate change action in refugee-hosting districts in Uganda
Settling displaced communities adds pressure on natural resources, especially where host communities also rely on the same resources to meet their needs. The capacity of individuals to cope with the results of conflict is strongly influenced by their gendered roles and responsibilities. Women’s participation in natural resource use and decision making is undervalued. This study was conducted to understand local government leaders and other stakeholders’ actions and capacity in gender integration in natural resource management, and the participation of women in existing environmental coordination mechanisms/structures in five refugee-hosting districts in Uganda.
Guidance for a Landscape Approach in Displacement Settings (GLADS): Kenya Case Study
The GLADS Case Study on the landscape of Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement in Turkana County, Kenya, presents insights from literature review, fieldwork, and local and national consultations. Lessons from the Case Study informed the GLADS Guidance Notes.
Guidance for a Landscape Approach in Displacement Settings (GLADS) is a European Union funded initiative led by CIFOR-ICRAF in partnership with key stakeholders [CIFOR-ICRAF.org/GLADS]. GLADS offers guidance to all stakeholders to contribute to the ecosystem and livelihood resilience of refugees and host communities
Guidance for a Landscape Approach In Displacement Settings (GLADS): Guidance notes
GLADS offers general guidance for all stakeholders in displacement settings to work at a landscape scale through collaboration and cross-sectoral planning in order to contribute to ecosystem and livelihood resilience for refugees and host communities. This GLADS Guidance Notes documents presents five key guidance notes on how to apply the integrated landscape approach in displacement settings, along with sub-notes and examples from three refugee hosting landscapes. More practical experiences from site consultations are published in separate reports, and can be accessed at: CIFOR-ICRAF.org/GLADS
Elemental profile of food aids and mineral provision for pregnant and lactating refugee women
In this study, the levels of Al, As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr and Zn were determined in 56 composite samples of food aids using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It also looked at the potential of food aids on mineral provision for pregnant and lactating women (PLW). The mean mineral contents in cereals were 46.3–378 mg kg-1 for Ca, 24.6–64.4 mg kg-1 for Fe, 2752–4072 mg kg-1 for K, 774–1510 mg kg-1 for Mg, and 14.1–26.1 mg kg-1 for Zn. Cereals presented low dietary significance for K, Ca and Zn as a daily portion (450 g) could only provide between 5% and 69% of Adequate Intake (AI) or Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for PLW. Conversely, corn soya blend (CSB) and pulses appear to play a key role in mineral intakes. However, the existing daily ration for pulses demonstrated little importance to complement dietary K and Ca deficits. Fortunately, Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values were low enough to guarantee no potential health risks associated with several toxic elements. Overall, it was observed that the food aids do not provide sufficient amount of selected minerals for PLW.
Promoting sustainable forestry resource use and improved livelihoods in refugee settings: A CIFOR-ICRAF-UNHCR partnership to support communities affected by displacement in Cameroon
Sub-Saharan Africa hosts 6.3 million refugees, more than 26 percent of the world’s refugee population. This represents an increase of 186 percent over the last decade compared to the previous figure of 2.2 million. As one of the most stable countries in the Central Africa region, Cameroon hosted about 2,190,106 forcibly displaced persons spread across the country as of 31 May 2023. This comprised 469,281 registered refugees, 8,825 asylum seekers, 1,066,254 internally displaced persons (IDPs), and 645,746 returnees arriving mainly from Central Africa Republic and Nigeria.
Circular economy solutions for resilient refugee and host communities in East Africa
“The Problem is a Lack of Firewood”: Charcoal briquettes for cooking energy in refugee and host communities
In Africa the population of refugees is increasing, resulting in ‘accidental urban centres’ often in remote arid landscapes. Firewood and charcoal, the main sources of cooking energy on the continent, are in short supply in refugee settings. This research is based on a series of interrelated studies conducted among Kalobeyei refugee and host communities in Northwestern Kenya using mixed methods from social and natural sciences. Firewood is inadequate, and 95% of households exchanged or sold food to buy cooking fuel. Energy poverty leaves women feeling disempowered and frustrated and causes conflicts between the refugee and host communities. Charcoal briquettes produced and used by the women emerged as a viable cooking fuel. Women stated that marketing challenges and difficulties in sourcing the raw materials may hinder growth of briquettes as a business. Possible solutions include using biomass from the invasive Prosopis juliflora (currently used for charcoal), establishing “briquette kiosks”, and integrating briquettes into development plans. In refugee contexts, approaches to food insecurity should integrate cooking energy and give women an opportunity to voice their needs and aspirations.
Guidance for a Landscape Approach in Displacement Settings in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case Study on the Landscape of Garamba, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
The report aims to provide guidance to support the implementation of a set of integrated interventions based on the landscape approach and to improve the living standards of refugee and host communities. It seeks at once to expand the opportunities available to refugee and host communities, to improve their socioeconomic context, and to conserve the biodiversity of the Garamba landscape where the refugee sites are located.
Scaling circular bio-economy solutions in refugee settings: a peer-to-peer capacity building approach
Africa hosts a significant portion of the global refugee population, notably in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. Despite prolonged stays in host countries, refugees often struggle to establish self-reliant livelihoods due to legal restrictions on work permits and travel, hampering economic empowerment. Indeed, there is a need for livelihood models that do not undermine the economies of low-Participants are shown how to set up a vegetable nursery in Rhino Refugee Settlement, Uganda (photo: Danish Refugee Council). RRR in Refugee Settlements in Africa Project Brief Series – No. 4and middle-income countries where local populations are already struggling. As a result, food insecurity and cooking energy poverty are major challenges facing humanitarian work. Food rations, primarily cereals and pulses, require intensive cooking, while firewood provision is limited, leading to food-for-fuel exchanges or conflicts.