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Population Council Knowledge Commons 2023 Violence against children and adolescents in refugee settings in Uganda Together for Girls Population Council Population Council Kenya African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) Follow this and additional works at: https://knowledgecommons.popcouncil.org/hubs_humanitarian How does access to this work benefit you? Click here to let us know! Recommended Citation Together for Girls, Population Council, Population Council Kenya, and African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC). 2023. "Violence against children and adolescents in refugee settings in Uganda," fact sheet. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 This Fact Sheet is brought to you for free and open access by the Population Council. The first experience of violence often occurs after arriving in the settlementChildren and adolescents who have been affected by humanitarian settings may face an increased risk of violence. However, there is a significant data gap on the magnitude, consequences, and implications of violence against children in refugee contexts. The adaptation of the Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS) for humanitarian contexts is an important step towards addressing this research gap and providing reliable data to inform response to violence.In 2022, the Baobab Research Program Consortium (RPC) piloted the first-ever VACS to take place in a refugee settlement in partnership with the Government of Uganda Office of the Prime Minister and the UN RefugeeAgency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Together for Girls provided technical support. The Baobab RPC is led by Population Council, in collaboration with Population Council Kenya and the African Population and Health Research Center. Read on for highlights from the data about the experiences of children and adolescents in 13 refugee settings in Uganda. Percentage of young people who experienced the first incident of sexual or physical violence before age 18 after or before arriving at the settlementMany adolescents experienced violence in the past yearPercentage of adolescents (ages 13-17) whoexperienced sexual or physical violencein the past 12 monthsAll data among 18-24 year olds living in Ugandan refugee settlements, unless otherwise indicated. Childhood violence refers to violence that occurred before age 18.Violence affects too many children in refugee settlements in UgandaPercentage of young people who experienced physical, emotional,sexual or any type of violence before age 18Note: the sum does not add up to 100% because it was generated from multiple variablesGirls are more vulnerable to sexual violence, while  experience high prevalence of physical violenceboysPhysicalEmotionalSexualAny violence19%28%43%14%10%41%50%23%Sexual violence7% 7%Physical violence35%26%Violence Against Childrenand Adolescents in Refugee Settingsin UgandaBefore AfterSexualviolencePhysicalviolence47%56%53%43%SexualviolencePhysicalviolence21%31%73%67%Before AfterSexual violence against children and adolescents in refugee settlements in Uganda[1] Intimate partner includes: current or previous boyfriend, girlfriend, romantic partner, husband or wife[2] Other includes: family member, relative, neighbor, and friend**Unreliable estimatePerpetrators of sexual violence are often someone knownto the child survivorPerpetrators of the first experience of sexual violence among young people who experiencedany sexual violence before age 18Intimate partner [1] Stranger Other [2]Classmate/schoolmateAuthority figure31% 14% 22%22%6%29% ** 53%17%**The age of first experience of sexual violence differs between  and girls boysAge at first experience of sexual violence among young people who experiencedany sexual violence before age 1813 or younger 14 – 15 16 – 1713 or younger 14 – 15 16 – 1738% 35% 27%8% 23% 69%Childhood sexual violence takes many forms Percentage of young people who experience different types of sexual violence before age 18Unwantedsexual touchingUnwanted attempted pressured or physically forced sexPressured orphysically forced sex13% 8% 11% 5% 12% 3%All data among 18-24 year olds living in Ugandan refugee settlements, unless otherwise indicated. Childhood violence refers to violence that occurred before age 18.Child and adolescent survivors need additional supportto access critical servicesPercentage of young people who have disclosed, sought, and received services for any incident of sexual violenceTold someone Knew of a place to seek help Sought help Received help17%31%55%73%5%17%3%Refugee settlements serve as a safe haven for those forced to flee their homes. Concerted efforts must be made to ensure that more children and adolescents know about the wide range of available services and how to access them. Prevention efforts should also be strengthened and scaled up.Thoughts of suicide are more common among those who experienced childhood sexual violencePercentage of young people who ever thought about suicide by experience of sexual violence before age 185%23% 36%8%17%Consequences of sexual violence and access to servicesGirls and  often miss schooldue to sexual violence boysPercentage of adolescents (ages 13-17) who missed school due to any experience of sexual violence 26%58%All data among 18-24 year olds living in Ugandan refugee settlements, unless otherwise indicated. Childhood violence refers to violence that occurred before age 18.All data among 18-24 year olds living in Ugandan refugee settlements, unless otherwise indicated. Childhood violence refers to violence that occurred before age 18.Suggested citation: Together for Girls, Population Council, Population Council Kenya & African Population and Health Research Center (2023) Violence Against Children and Youth Survey in Refugee Settings in Uganda: factsheet.This factsheet was developed with technical support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Percentage of adolescents (ages 13-17) who experienced food insecurity in the past month Percentage of child marriage among young people, including cohabitation For both and , the proportion experiencing any sexual violence is higher among thosewith disability than among those without disabilitygirls boysPercentage of adolescents (ages 13-17) who worked for money or other payment in past 12 monthsMany may require support due to disabilityAdolescent girls continue to face additional barriers Food insecurity is more common for adolescent girls  Adolescent boys have higher prevalence of employment GirlsBlind or has serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glassesSerious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisionsSerious difficulty walking or climbing stairsDifficulty dressing or bathingDifficulty doing errands aloneDifficulty communicating (understanding or being understood)Any of the above forms of disability Boys14%7%4%1%3%2%22%6%12%7%2%9%11%27%34%20%Contextual factors for children living in refugee settlements in Uganda9% 2%Child marriage primarily affects girls Among married , more than 1 in 3 were married before age 18, often to someone significantly olderyoung womenProportion ever married Proportion married before age 18 Age difference 5 years or more40% 37% 49% 1%12%16%Most common form of disability among adolescents (ages 13-17)A high proportionof adolescents are enrolled in school 92% 93%

Violence against children and adolescents in refugee settings in Uganda

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Violence against children and adolescents in refugee settings in Uganda

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