DFID's Humanitarian Assistance and Response to Conflict in Northern Uganda
Background
 Image courtesy of World Food Programme/Simon Crittle
The conflict between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of
Uganda (GoU) has lasted since 1987. The conflict has led to the mass
displacement of people in the affected areas, with over 1.7 million people
displaced in camps at the conflict’s height in 2002.
Conditions in the camps led to high rates of morbidity and mortality.
Violence against civilians, including the abuse of children and young people
have sadly been defining features of this conflict, and ensuring adequate
protection has proved a major challenge. As a result of the conflict, the north of Uganda lags behind the rest of the country across a range of human
development indicators, and in 2002 poverty levels were 30% higher than the
national average (figures according to  Uganda
Bureau of Statistics).
In the 20 years of the LRA insurgency there have been a number of attempts to
broker peace. Currently the Government of South Sudan is leading an initiative
facilitated by Vice President Dr Riek Machar, who is acting as mediator and
hosting talks in Juba. The outcome of the talks remains uncertain but since the
signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement in August 2006, northern Uganda
has seen its most peaceful period for many years, with a much improved
humanitarian situation.
DFID has provided
£250,000 through a UN fund to help to support the peace talks.
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Current situation
 The
Juba peace talks have led to significant improvements to security in northern
Uganda, but they remain fragile. According to the UN, the current total
displaced population is now estimated to be under 1.4 million. Approximately
400,000 people have returned to their homes and a larger number of people have
begun to move to smaller camps nearer their places of origin, where they are able
to access their land. It is envisaged that people will continue to return,
particularly if there is a positive outcome to the Juba talks. Inevitably, a
failure by the parties to reach an agreement in Juba will most likely slow down,
and in some areas could reverse, the process of returning home.
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DFID’s assistance
 Image courtesy of World Food Programme/Simon Crittle
In the last year two years DFID has provided nearly £38 million in humanitarian
assistance, primarily through the UN. This has included: £11 million supporting
a UN inter-agency health programme; £22.7 million to theWorld Food Programme (WFP)
to provide for food shortages; £6.37 million toUNICEF
for water and sanitation, protection and essential household items; £1.67
million for theRed
Cross which is also being used for water and sanitation and essential
household items.
The food aid provided by the UK has paid for the purchase and distribution of
approximately 10% of overall food aid requirements to the displaced. There is
strong evidence that food aid has played a major part in saving lives and
improving nutritional status.
The funding for UN Emergency Health Interventions has provided measles and
polio vaccinations for 500,000 children, over 70,000 bed nets to women and
children, basic essential medicines for 600,000 people and procured over 200,000
HIV test kits and 27 million condoms. It has also protected 600,000 people
through residual indoor spraying and provided malaria treatment for 400,000
children. We are helping to finance the renovation of 30 health workers' houses,
the construction of 21 new houses and the construction of 17 health units in
areas in which IDPs are going home.
As a result of UK assistance for water and sanitation, 36 motorised water
systems are being established providing over 600,000 litres of safe water per
day to over 750,000 people, including in schools and health facilities. Sixty
new boreholes have been drilled, 25 boreholes rehabilitated and 35 shallow wells
constructed in areas where people are returning nearer to their homes. 1,357
latrines have been constructed and 100 latrine blocks built for schools. Latrine
construction kits have been provided to 2,800 households returning home.
Up-to-date details of our support to humanitarian programmes can be found on
the Financial Tracking Service of UNOCHA
Relief Web.
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Future Support
It is important that efforts to end the conflict are underpinned by
transition and recovery programmes that bring tangible benefits to the
population, particularly as they return to their homes. Over the next year we
plan to continue to provide humanitarian assistance as necessary to meet the
needs of those remaining in camps for the internally displaced. We are also
committed to supporting the recovery effort as the situation allows, using the
framework of priorities set out in the Government’s Peace Recovery and
Development Programme.
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DFID’s work on conflict
Since 2000 DFID, working in close co-operation with theForeign
and Commonwealth Office, has supported a range of activities including on
the promotion of human rights and targeted support to reconciliation and
stabilisation processes with an emphasis on locally driven initiatives.
Since 2000 we have spent approximately £2.5 million on programmes that have
included:
- The establishment of an
FM radio station in the conflict affected areas
- Work with religious and traditional leaders and a national
level non-governmental organisation (NGO) research and advocacy umbrella
group
- Work with the Acholi Diaspora
- Support to the Uganda Amnesty Commission
- Work with children and youth affected by the conflict, including
ex-child combatants
- Direct support to peace processes, including the current Juba
Initiative
- The provision of communications equipment and vehicles to the Uganda
Police Force as part of efforts to re-establish civilian policing in the
north
- Funding for Conciliation
Resources who are supporting the building of links and dialogue
between communities affected by the conflict
An independent
evaluation of our work was completed (171
kb) in late 2005 by Bradford University and will form part of the basis for
considering how we should develop our work in the future.
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Links
Last updated: 20 July 2007
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