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Refugee Education Crisis Looming in Uganda

Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa at a time where the refugee influx is increasing and the impacts of climate change are challenging the response. As a longstanding supporter of the Uganda refugee response, Denmark is delighted to launch the Uganda Refugee Resilience Initiative. With a budget of approximately USD 40 million (approx. 145 billion UGX), the five-year programme seeks to empower refugees and host communities through climate resilience and inclusive development.

Uganda - Make or break for the global refugee compact

Blog with a spotlight on Uganda as a refugee-hosting country ahead of the Global Refugee Forum.

First child dies of Ebola in new outbreak in Uganda

Uganda's new Education Response Plan launched for Africa’s biggest refugee crisis

Scaling up education to transform the lives of Uganda’s refugee children

Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa at a time when the refugee influx is increasing, and the impacts of climate change are placing further strain on communities and ecosystems. As a longstanding partner of the Uganda refugee response, Denmark and Save the Children are pleased to launch the Western regional roll-out of the Uganda Refugee Resilience Initiative in the district of Kyegegwa.

STATEMENT ON THE ARMED ATTACK ON A SCHOOL IN UGANDA in which almost 40 children were killed.

Food ration cuts by WFP in Uganda come at worst possible time

OVER 6,500 CHILD REFUGEES ARRIVE IN UGANDA AS VIOLENCE SURGES IN DRC

Save the Children Uganda officially launched its Localization Strategy, reaffirming its commitment to placing local actors and communities at the heart of development and humanitarian action. The strategy was designed through a participatory process and seeks to deepen engagement with local partners, government institutions, staff, and communities by leveraging their unique knowledge, capabilities, and leadership. This aligns with Uganda’s national frameworks, including Vision 2040, the Refugee Response Plan, and the National Development Plan IV, as well as the draft Uganda Localization Strategy.

Children in North East Uganda take younger siblings to school for food in hunger crisis

Discover all you need to know about Save the Children's work in Uganda.

Learning is key to strengthening policies, programs, and coordination in Uganda’s refugee response actors. Over the past five years, U-Learn has played a pivotal role in generating, synthesizing, and disseminating evidence to support adaptive programming and continuous learning. Through cross-sectoral exchange, U-Learn has helped drive the uptake of insights on best practices, challenges, and innovations across key thematic areas.

How teenage mothers and pregnant girls in Uganda have defied tradition and successfully campaigned to return to class

Ebola: Even without WHO declaration, Uganda cases are “a clear warning that not enough is being done to curb the virus”

Save the Children signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals in order to strengthen child protection within Uganda’s fast-growing mineral sector. The signing took place in October during the 14th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference held at Serena Kampala.

Every child has the right to be protected from violence and live free from fear, neglect, abuse and exploitation. Yet three quarters of children in Uganda experience some form of violence. Most children (68% of boys and 59% of girls) have experienced physical violence, while one in three girls and one in six boys suffer sexual abuse. The scars can last a lifetime and often result in mental health issues and psychological distress during adulthood.Strengthening lawsEffective child protection needs strong laws and policies in place. In Uganda there are many positive steps taken on paper - for example there is a national strategy to end violence against children in school, and child marriage, corporal punishment and other forms of abuse are illegal. But in reality these laws are rarely enforced or resourced. Many people and officials are unaware of them. Perpetrators often go unpunished. Save the Children advocates for greater resourcing to implement and enforce these laws, and we are developing localised and child-friendly versions to make them more accessible to communities.Stopping violence in schoolsA child learns best when they feel safe and protected. Corporal punishment is illegal in Uganda but is still widely practiced - 90 percent of children say they first experienced physical violence at school from a teacher. Many teachers and parents think violence is necessary to instil discipline, but it has a hugely negative impact on learning and a child's wellbeing.We work with teachers and schools to promote alternative positive discipline methods built on mutual respect and participation, and set up children's councils to come up with more effective and appropriate disciplinary measures. We also work with schools, officials and the local communities to monitor and address other forms of violence in schools, such as sexual abuse and bullying.Protection for children affected by conflictUganda hosts almost 1.4 million refugees and 60 percent are children. Most have fled brutal conflicts, and many have witnessed terrible violence or lost friends and family. We run Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) which provide them with a safe place to play, learn and socialise with new friends, under the supervision of specialist caregivers. They can also access other services such as mental health and psychosocial support. Our teams of caseworkers identify the most vulnerable children and make sure they get the support they need – such as children who arrive alone or separated from their parents, orphans, children with disabilities or those in need of counselling.Tackling child marriage and teenage pregnancyForty percent of girls in Uganda are married before they turn 18. One in four teenage girls over 15 have already given birth or are pregnant. This has a devastating impact on their future – it forces children out of education, traps them in a cycle of poverty, and endangers the lives of young mothers and their babies.We work with communities to change attitudes and practices towards child marriage. We support adolescents to know their rights and the laws that protect them, and to get access to sexual and reproductive health information. We lobby officials to try and get laws enforced. We work with schools to improve girls' access to education, as staying in school longer can reduce the chance of girls becoming pregnant or married.Ending child labourMore than 2 million children in Uganda are reportedly engaged in child labour – most in agriculture or mining. The work is physically and mentally dangerous, and forces children out of education. We are working with businesses, communities and authorities to end the practice - by holding companies to account for exploiting children, and urging companies to sign and adhere to the global Child Rights and Business Principles, which we developed with UNICEF and the UN Global Compact.Strengthening child protection systemsAn effective and well-funded national child protection system is vital to ensure that we can prevent and respond to violence against children. But in Uganda the system is fragmented and weak – the referral system is poorly coordinated, services for survivors are scarce, children are not empowered to speak out and report abuse, and traditional beliefs often perpetuate certain forms of violence. Most cases are not reported, and only 32 percent of those reported result in arrests.We advocate for greater investment in strengthening these systems at national and district level; support government-led initiatives such as the 24-hour "Sauti 116" toll-free national child helpline; and work with schools to strengthen reporting and response mechanisms.Joining ForcesTo end violence against children in Uganda we must work together. The global Joining Forces coalition brings together six leading child rights organisations – Save the Children, Child Fund, Plan International, SOS Children's Villages, Terre des Hommes, and World Vision. In Uganda the coalition is campaigning to end corporal punishment, and supporting children to develop their own solutions to end violence in schools.

PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate ReleaseEuropean Union Provides Additional €3 Million to Strengthen Education Access for Refugee and Host Community Children in UgandaKampala, Uganda – May 22nd, 2026As Europe Day 2026 was celebrated on Saturday, 9 May 2026, and as the European Union marks 50 years of partnership with Uganda since the establishment of the EU Delegation in Kampala in 1976, the European Union, through its humanitarian funding, has provided an additional €3 million to the Building Resilient Inclusive Systems for Locally Led Education and Protection (RISE) Project in Uganda. This additional funding, allocated through the Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) 2026, builds on the EU’s initial €5 million contribution in 2025 and further strengthens efforts to ensure that refugee and Ugandan children affected by displacement can access safe, inclusive, and quality education. The additional funding is accompanied by a project time extension from February 2027 to April 2027, enabling partners to consolidate gains and sustain impact.