As of 31st December 2021, Uganda hosted a total of 1.57 million individuals of which 97% were refugees and the remaining 3% asylum seekers. The refugee population is dispersed across 13 settlements and Kampala for urban refugees. The population remained relatively stable with a 7% increase compared to the 1.45 million individuals reported at the end of 2020. Demographically, the population is relatively balanced with 51% of the population being female and 49% male. Children make up 58% of the population while women and children account for 81% of the population. Uganda hosts refugees and asylum seekers from 30 different countries but refugees from South Sudan and the DRC make up 90% of the total population. Burundi, Somalia, Rwanda, and Eritrea account for 9% of the total population with 3% each for Burundi and Somalia, 2% for Rwanda and 1% for Eritrea. The other 24 countries make up 1% of the population.
Registration activities in 2021 continued to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in the border closure hence suspension of reception of new arrivals and continuous registration activities including the renewal of documents in late March 2020 based on ministerial directives. COVID-19 guidelines developed in 2020 continued to guide registration activities primarily focusing on backlog processing and new birth registration. Some of the key changes whose implementation continued in 2021 included the use of contactless biometrics, scheduling of people of concern to ensure social distancing is maintained based on the capacity of the reception, introduction of temperature screening and full adoption of COVID-19 hygiene procedures. During the year, 54,000 individuals were newly registered, and 58,000 new births recorded making a total of 111,000 individuals.
Refugees were also issued with both family and individual documentation. 386,000 individuals were issued with refugee certificates, 39,000 with asylum seeker certificates while 75,000 refugee ID cards were issued. These documents greatly helped refugees and asylum seekers with freedom of movement as well as accessing services and assistance.
In 2021, 1,500 individuals departed for resettlement while 4,600 refugees departed on organized return to Burundi in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the Government of Burundi. 28,000 new asylum applications were received with Eritrea, Somalia, DRC, and Rwanda accounting for 94% of all application. 19,000 individuals were recognized while 4,600 individuals were rejected by the refugee eligibility committee bringing the total number of asylum seekers to 43,000 by the end of 2021. UNHCR estimates that 67,000 individuals are dejure or de-facto stateless in Uganda. A joint legal study by UNHCR and the Government, that is planned in 2022, which will help to validate the exact numbers, profiles, and legal status of the so-called stateless persons in Uganda.