Severe aid cuts are pushing Uganda’s refugee response system toward crisis, threatening healthcare, food security, and essential services for the country’s 2 million refugees. The UN refugee agency has received just 12% of the $850 million required for operations this year, forcing major humanitarian organizations to scale back services. The International Rescue Committee is one of the worst hit, with its health budget collapsing from $18 million to $4 million. This has prompted clinic closures and staff layoffs across 11 of the country’s 13 settlements. Funding cuts have also forced the World Food Programme to reduce food assistance, resulting in slashed rations from 1.6 million to 663,000 recipients. Humanitarian agencies warn that without additional funding, years of progress in refugee protection and public health could be reversed.
The Guardian