As conflict continues to escalate in both the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, neighbouring countries are increasingly having to find new and improved strategies for dealing with the influx of refugees.
In Uganda since 2008 the American Refugee Committee has been working with partners and refugee communities to specifically address the risk of gender-based-violence in refugee settlements.
The committee and the US Bureau of Population Refugee and Migration (BPRM) have implement a number of measures such as:
- Training health workers on clinical management of rape survivors (CMRS),
- Training partners at Kyangwali refugee settlement camp on caring for survivors of gender-based violence,
- Comprehensive supplies of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, and
- Train Refugee Welfare Committee and Community Activists on response and prevention of gender-based violence in the settlement;
- Train officials from the Office of the Prime Minister, police, and health workers on gender-based violence, gender-sensitive mediation skills, and referral pathways;
- Develop the Standard Operating Procedures in collaboration with other partners to guide the implementing partners in gender-based violence intervention (the Procedures have been agreed upon and signed by all partners and is in operation); and
- Staff an ongoing 24-Hour GBV Hotline, which serves as a direct information point to survivors who need support from ARC psychosocial support officers.