Uganda’s Refugee Policy Under Pressure: WASH Services Feeling the Strain
Uganda has earned global praise for its progressive refugee policy, granting nearly two million refugees’ freedom of movement, access to land, and public services. But today, this model is under serious strain and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems are among the hardest hit.
By September 2025, Uganda had already received more than 131,000 new arrivals, mainly women and children fleeing conflict in eastern DR Congo. Settlements and host communities are struggling to cope. Boreholes are overstretched, latrines are few, and safe water supplies are falling short. In overcrowded schools and health centers, inadequate sanitation and hygiene facilities are exposing both refugees and host populations to disease risks.
Funding shortfalls are deepening the crisis. In 2024, less than 40% of Uganda’s Refugee Response Plan was funded, forcing cuts to food, protection, and WASH programmes. Hygiene promotion activities, latrine construction, and borehole maintenance have all been scaled back, leaving families to share facilities or resort to unsafe practices.
For women and girls, the consequences are especially severe: long walks to fetch water increase protection risks, while lack of menstrual hygiene materials keeps many girls out of school. Health centers, already stretched thin, lack the water and sanitation supplies needed to provide safe care.
The Danish Refugee Council warns that without urgent international support, Uganda’s refugee model could collapse under its own success. For the WASH sector, this means redoubling efforts to invest in sustainable, community-led solutions that protect dignity and health for both refugees and host communities.
Uganda has shown remarkable generosity but generosity alone cannot sustain clean water, safe sanitation, and hygiene for millions. Now, more than ever, global solidarity is needed to keep WASH at the heart of refugee protection.
Read the full Danish Refugee Council position paper here:
