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Research & Advocacy

Highlights:

While research outputs are not always immediately available, our current work includes:

Beyond Juba Project
The Beyond Juba Project is a joint initiative of the Refugee Law Project (RLP), the Human Rights and Peace Centre (HURIPEC), and the Faculty of Law (FOL) Makerere University. The project builds on the participating organisations' work on peace and conflict related issues in Uganda, and in particular reflects the outcome of a three day stakeholders dialogue under the same title which was hosted in Kampala by the three collaborating partners in December 2006.
[SIDA and NORAD]
Effective protection of IDPs in northern Uganda.
[ Funded by Oxfam N(O)VIB. ]
Facilitating the East African section of the African Transitional Justice Researchers Network (ATJRN)
Study on refugee children, young people and their families
Justice Issues Study in West Nile.
[ Funded by DANIDA ]
Humanitarian agencies' approaches to protection
[Overseas Development Institute consultancy]
Local integration survey on refugees and host communities [ Funded by University of Witwatersrand ]

Research

Implicit in the RLP's vision is the belief that, while it is imperative to provide support and assistance to displaced persons, steps must also be taken to improve the conditions which make legal aid necessary.

Action-oriented research for advocacy purposes is one of the hallmarks of the RLP. It is usually generated in response to issues identified by our Legal Aid and Training Departments. In turn, our research analysis informs and guides the activities of the other departments while providing a critical analysis of refugee policy in Uganda.

Research within the RLP consists of two main categories, both of which provide the springboard for our advocacy activities:

Fundamental: Pertaining to the situation of displaced persons in Uganda, this research seeks to improve the policy environment and provide government officials, the United Nations, and NGOs with substantive analysis of policy and current practice regarding displaced persons. Such research is summarised in Briefing Papers, and presented in more depth within the RLP's Working Paper series.
Investigative: Verifying reports of human rights violations among displaced persons, this research allows the RLP to publicly challenge incidents when current law is not upheld, and to monitor the full implementation of international and domestic human rights law. Such research is followed up in a number of ways � including a briefing paper for wide dissemination and private meetings with key individuals and organisations.

Advocacy

As each research project is completed, RLP decides how to advocate for change most effectively. Advocacy activities include writing articles in the media, direct discussions with policymakers in the Ugandan government and UNHCR (both in-country and internationally). Networking also takes place with UN OCHA and other human rights organisations and humanitarian aid agencies. Where possible we work collaboratively with like-minded organisations to leverage change, as in our NRC-IDMC sponsored presentation on northern Uganda to the European Parliament in October 2006.

Advocacy activities also respond to current events that affect refugees and IDPs. Investigative missions are often conducted in response to changing circumstances and result in RLP Fact Sheets or Briefing Papers.

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