From 16–18 June 2026, representatives from 45 refugee-led organizations (RLOs) gathered in Kampala for a three-day capacity-strengthening training organized by the Refugee-Led Organizations Network Uganda (RELON). The training provided an important platform for refugee leaders to deepen their understanding of refugee rights, leadership, advocacy, organizational development, and collaboration.
The Integrated Refugee Organization (IRO) was honored to participate in this important learning opportunity alongside fellow refugee-led organizations working to advance the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of displaced communities in Uganda.
Refugee Rights: The foundation of protection and dignity
A central theme of the training was the importance of understanding and promoting refugee rights. Uganda continues to be recognized globally for its progressive refugee protection framework, which is rooted in both international and national legal instruments.
The Refugees Act, 2006 provide the legal framework governing refugee protection in Uganda. This law recognize refugees as rights holders and provide protections that enable them to live in safety and dignity while rebuilding their lives.
Under Uganda’s refugee framework, refugees are entitled to several rights, including:
- Protection from forced return to countries where they may face persecution, conflict, or serious harm.
- Access to education and healthcare services.
- Freedom of movement, subject to applicable regulations.
- The right to work and engage in income-generating activities.
- Access to justice and legal protection.
- The right to own movable property and access land for livelihoods.
- Protection from discrimination and exploitation.
Understanding these rights is essential for refugee communities and the organizations that serve them. Knowledge empowers refugees to advocate for themselves, participate in decision-making processes, and contribute meaningfully to their host communities.
The New York Declaration and refugee participation
The training also explored global commitments toward refugee protection, particularly the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants adopted during the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2016.
The Declaration marked a significant milestone in international efforts to address forced displacement. It reaffirmed the responsibility of States and international actors to protect refugees while emphasizing the importance of burden and responsibility sharing.
Importantly, the Declaration recognized the need for refugees to participate in decisions that affect their lives and communities. This principle has since become a cornerstone of refugee inclusion efforts worldwide and laid the foundation for the Global Compact on Refugees.
For refugee-led organizations, this commitment reinforces a simple but powerful message:
Refugees must not only be consulted; they must be active participants and leaders in designing, implementing, and evaluating solutions that affect their lives.
The principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us” remains as relevant today as it was when the Declaration was adopted.
Leadership beyond titles
The training provided valuable reflections on leadership within refugee-led organizations.
Effective leadership is not measured by position or authority alone. It is demonstrated through accountability, service, integrity, inclusion, and the ability to inspire collective action.
Refugee leaders often operate in challenging environments characterized by limited resources, increasing needs, and complex protection concerns. In such contexts, leadership requires:
- Listening to communities.
- Building trust and credibility.
- Promoting transparency and accountability.
- Encouraging participation and inclusion.
- Supporting the emergence of new leaders, particularly women and youth.
- Creating opportunities for collaboration and collective impact.
Strong leadership strengthens organizations and ensures that refugee communities remain at the center of decision-making processes.
Understanding the difference between projects and advocacy
One of the most important discussions during the training focused on the distinction between project implementation and advocacy.
Projects are designed to address immediate needs and provide direct support to communities. They deliver services, build capacities, and improve livelihoods.
Advocacy, on the other hand, seeks to influence policies, systems, practices, and decisions that affect people’s lives.
While projects may address the symptoms of a problem, advocacy often seeks to address its root causes.
For refugee-led organizations, both approaches are necessary.
Providing education support to refugee children is important. Advocating for inclusive education policies is equally important.
Providing protection services to vulnerable individuals matters. Advocating for stronger protection mechanisms and access to justice matters as well.
The training emphasized that effective organizations must balance service delivery with strategic advocacy to create both immediate and long-term impact.
The importance of branding and organizational visibility
Another important area of discussion focused on branding and visibility.
Many refugee-led organizations undertake remarkable work but often struggle to communicate their impact effectively. Strong branding is not merely about logos, websites, or social media presence. It is about establishing a clear identity, building trust, and communicating purpose.
Effective branding helps organizations:
- Increase visibility and credibility.
- Strengthen relationships with communities and partners.
- Attract funding and partnership opportunities.
- Demonstrate accountability and professionalism.
- Amplify the voices and achievements of displaced communities.
As refugee-led organizations continue to mature and expand their impact, investing in strategic communication and organizational visibility becomes increasingly important.
Building partnerships and collective action
The training also created a valuable opportunity for networking and collaboration among refugee leaders from diverse backgrounds and nationalities.
Although many organizations operate within the same geographical spaces, opportunities to engage, learn from one another, and identify areas of collaboration are often limited.
The discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships among refugee-led organizations, civil society actors, government institutions, humanitarian agencies, and development partners.
Collective action enables organizations to share resources, exchange experiences, amplify advocacy efforts, and achieve greater impact than any single organization could accomplish alone.
IRO’s commitment to action
Participation in this training has reinforced IRO’s commitment to promoting refugee rights, strengthening leadership, advancing advocacy, and enhancing organizational development.
Moving forward, IRO is committed to:
- Increasing awareness of refugee rights among displaced communities.
- Strengthening advocacy initiatives that elevate refugee voices and influence policy discussions.
- Promoting meaningful refugee participation in decisions affecting their lives.
- Investing in leadership development, particularly for women and youth leaders.
- Enhancing organizational branding, visibility, and strategic communications.
- Building stronger partnerships with refugee-led organizations and other stakeholders.
- Supporting refugee self-reliance, resilience, and social inclusion.
- Upholding principles of accountability, transparency, and community-centered programming.
The knowledge gained during this training will be integrated into IRO’s ongoing programs, partnerships, and advocacy efforts to ensure that learning translates into tangible benefits for refugee communities.
Looking ahead
The future of refugee protection and inclusion depends on informed communities, strong leadership, effective advocacy, and meaningful collaboration.
As refugee-led organizations continue to play an increasingly important role in humanitarian and development responses, investments in knowledge, capacity, and leadership become essential.
IRO remains committed to advancing the rights, dignity, resilience, and leadership of refugees and other displaced populations. The lessons learned during this training serve as a reminder that sustainable change is achieved not only through service delivery but also through collective advocacy, strategic partnerships, and the meaningful participation of refugees themselves.
The challenge now is not simply to retain the knowledge gained, but to apply it, share it, and transform it into action that strengthens refugee communities across Uganda and beyond.
