From the fringes to the forefront: Refugee leadership within Uganda’s humanitarian coordination mechanisms

Overview

This briefing note examines refugee leadership in humanitarian coordination in Uganda, a country widely recognised for its progressive refugee policies and its leadership in promoting refugee participation. Uganda’s legal framework provides a strong foundation for inclusion, although gaps remain in practice due to barriers such as limited funding, information gaps, and language challenges. This can hinder meaningful engagement – especially for women, young people and people with disabilities. However, a number of well-established and steadily strengthening practices are evident, including the creation of RLO networks and platforms such as the Refugee Engagement Forum.
To achieve a more effective and locally led response, this paper calls for inclusive coordination structures, direct funding and policy reforms that recognize and empower refugee leadership as a core part of humanitarian action.