Formal Social Support Influence on Socio-Economic Rights of Refugees in Uganda’s Refugee Settlements
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57125/FEL.2025.06.25.02Keywords:
Formal social support, Socio-economic rights, Refugee protection, Uganda, Refugee settlements, Humanitarian-development nexus, Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework.Abstract
Against the backdrop of 117.3 million globally displaced persons — 75% hosted in low- and middle-income countries — this study examines the influence of formal social support systems on refugees' access to socio-economic rights in Rhinocamp and Imvepi refugee settlements in Northern Uganda, where progressive legal frameworks, including the Refugee Act 2006 and the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework, provide a unique institutional context for refugee protection. The study was guided by three objectives: (i) assessing the level of formal support available to refugees; (ii) evaluating refugees' access to socio-economic rights across education, healthcare, water and sanitation, and livelihood; and (iii) examining the relationship between formal support systems and access to these rights. A triangulation convergence mixed methods design was employed, combining quantitative surveys (n = 400, drawn from 220,331 refugees using Slovin's formula) with qualitative key informant interviews (n = 15) and focus group discussions (n = 55). The findings revealed a robust formal support system (mean = 4.0 on a 5-point Likert scale), with humanitarian organisations rated higher (mean = 4.35) than government services (mean = 3.68). Refugees reported a high overall level of access to socio-economic rights (mean = 3.7), with healthcare (3.85) and water/sanitation (3.72) scoring highest, while livelihood and employment opportunities scored lowest (3.38). Regression analysis confirmed a statistically significant positive relationship between formal support systems and access to socio-economic rights (F(1, 397) = 81.585, p < 0.001). However, persistent constraints included inadequate physical infrastructure, declining donor funding (UCRRP funded at only 15% of the USD 858 million requirement in 2024), and restrictive eligibility criteria excluding refugees from national empowerment programs. The novelty of this study lies in shifting the academic focus from informal to formal support mechanisms by empirically linking institutional structures to specific dimensions of socio-economic rights. The findings provide actionable guidance for policymakers, development actors, and humanitarian agencies designing context-specific support systems for refugee settlements transitioning from humanitarian relief to long-term development.
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