An assessment of the rights to protection of orphans and vulnerable children in refugee settlement: Case study of Nakivale refugee settlement- Isingiro districto

Abstract

The study assessed the rights to protection of OVC in Nakivale Refugee settlement. The objectives of the study were; to assess rights to protection, examine use of rights based approach and assess ways in which protection agencies enhance rights of OVC rights. Data was collected from 56 respondents including staff from protection and implementing agencies, OVC and foster families from Congolese and Rwandese villages, teachers, health workers and UNHCR. The respondents were purposely selected and the interviews were used as the main research tool and Focus Group Discussions. The study findings were analysed manually by grouping the data into themes. The study findings pointed out that; rights to protection of OVC in refugee settings influence their wellbeing. When the protection agencies provide appropriate education, health, food, shelter, psychosocial services, security and safety, prevents violence, exploitation and abuse of children, extend legal services, offer access to justice and provide durable solutions in the best interests of the child, it significantly influences the wellbeing of OVC. Rights protection for refugee OVC likely to be effective if the basic needs are satisfied, the OVC participate in affairs affecting them and the effectiveness of OVC rights can be realized if the hosting government and the mandated UN agency ensure that all the basic rights are enshrined in the protection measures employed in refugee settlement. The researcher recommended that UNHCR should recruit more teachers in the primaries so as to reduce teacher pupil ratios to manageable number if children are to acquire quality education, introduce fertilisers in the seed programme, encourage family planning and agro-forestry. The school clubs should be strengthened, encourage competitions among groups of children, introduce school feeding programmes, more sustainable income generating and improve frequency of legal services.