Promote refugee participation in Uganda’s labour market

Participation of refugees and nationals in the labour market remains skewed in favour of nationals for both formal and informal jobs. Agriculture, which accounts for about 70 percent of employment nationwide, presents a particular challenge. Nationals have a significant advantage in terms of access to, ownership of, and utilisation of land. According to the Refugee Act of 2006, refugees cannot own land but can only access it through renting from owners or landlords.

A study conducted by KRC-Uganda among the settlements of Rhino, Bidibidi, and Palabek found that the cost of renting land is prohibitive for many refugees, limiting their ability to access land. The size of land allocated per household, typically 30 by 30 metres, is barely sufficient for both shelter and agriculture. Consequently, refugees often seek additional land for farming from host communities, renting it on an annual or seasonal basis. In contrast, nationals generally access land at little to no cost, as they are often considered clan members or tribesmen.

Efforts by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), UNHCR, and other livelihood partners to secure blocks of land for refugee farming have not met the increasing demand. In formal employment, refugees face challenges such as low levels of education and technical skills, language barriers, and the costs associated with job searching. Despite these obstacles, refugees are offered free education at pre-primary, primary, and secondary levels, as well as some university scholarships and technical education opportunities through various partners and agencies. Although the skills development and education levels of refugees have improved over time, they have not yet reached parity with their competitors in the job market.

Urban refugees, compared to their settlement-based counterparts, have an edge in the job market due to their proximity to areas with high labour demand and greater exposure to working modalities. However, their ability to compete with nationals remains uneven. 

The limited access to the job market and low absorption rates into informal and formal employment hinder refugees’ ability to diversify their income sources, leading to increased dependency on aid and compromising their resilience. Unlike other refugee-hosting countries, Uganda implements a settlement approach that seeks practical solutions to enable refugees to contribute significantly to the labour market and the country’s overall development. However, full integration into the labour market has not yet been fully achieved, and several challenges remain.

To ensure favourable participation of refugees in the labour market, coordinated efforts by key decision-makers and implementing partners are necessary to reduce the imbalance between refugees and nationals. Refugees should also take advantage of existing education and job opportunities in Uganda.

Refugees are provided with free education at pre-primary, primary, secondary levels, and some university scholarships and technical education through various partners and agencies. The skills development and education levels of refugees have improved over time but have not yet matched their competitors in the job market.

Urban refugees, compared to their settlement-based counterparts, have an edge in the job market due to their proximity to areas with high labour demand and greater exposure to working modalities. However, their ability to compete with nationals remains uneven. Current statistics indicate that only 29 percent of refugees are employed, compared to 67.8percent of nationals.

The limited access to the job market and low absorption rates into informal and formal employment hinder refugees’ ability to diversify their income sources, leading to increased dependency on aid and compromising their resilience. Unlike other refugee-hosting countries, Uganda implements a settlement approach that seeks practical solutions to enable refugees to contribute significantly to the labour market and the country’s overall development. However, full integration into the labour market has not yet been achieved, and several challenges remain.

To ensure favourable participation of refugees in the labour market, coordinated efforts by key decision-makers and implementing partners are necessary to reduce the job market imbalance between refugees and nationals. Refugees should also take advantage of existing education and job opportunities in Uganda.

Henry Kamanyire, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, KRC-Uganda