HOT is working with UNDP and Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to provide additional data and mapping inputs to hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and risk profiling in support of the development of the “Refugee hosting district Risk profiles” and Risk Atlas, based on the methodology developed by the OPM.

HOT is working with UNDP and Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to provide additional data and mapping inputs to hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and risk profiling in support of the development of the “Refugee hosting district Risk profiles” and Risk Atlas, based on the methodology developed by the OPM.

Since the outbreak of violence in South Sudan in July 2016, Uganda has been receiving an unprecedented number of refugees fleeing from fighting, acts of violence, drought and famine. Uganda is hosting well over 1 million refugees and asylum seekers, making Uganda the largest refugee hosting country in Africa and one of the world’s fastest-growing refugee crisis. The majority of the South Sudanese refugees are settled in five districts of West Nile, namely Adjumani, Arua, Lamwo, Moyo and Yumbe. 82% of the refugee population are women and children under 18.

Arua district is currently hosting refugees in two refugee settlements, Rhino refugee settlement and Imvepi refugee settlement. The influx of refugees mainly from south Sudan has led to increased pressure on the already scarce resources in Arua district. This has amplified the already risks and sprung up new ones especially in the refugee hosting sub counties. The population in the district has almost doubled since the refugee influx and thus having more people exposed to the various risks and hazards in the district.

Considering the environmental and economic strains in the refugee hosting districts, the refugee settlements require careful spatial planning and management of the local environment to avoid, mitigate and reduce risk exposure to hazards and to increase the resilience of refugees and host communities. This necessitates investing in improved capacity of local communities and (district) local government, to which this project is contributing by strengthening the district disaster management committees, and building an evidence base for integrated planning and budgeting at sub national level through the development of a risk atlas.