South Sudanese or Australian or Both or Caught in Between? A Qualitative Study Examining Identity Among South Sudanese Refugees Living in Sydney, Australia.

Background: The majority of the current South Sudanese population in Australia arrived as refugees in the early 2000s, facing challenges related to dislocation, navigating a new culture while honouring their own own. Much of the research on the South Sudanese experience has been conducted in the early years after arrival, with resettlement stressors likely to influence narratives of identity as new immigrants.This study aimed to understand the lived experiences of identity among South Sudanese who are long-term residents of Australia after fleeing their birth country, migration, and re-building their lives.Methods: The qualitative study was underpinned by a phenomenological framework that characterised the experiences of study participants. Purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit Sydney-residing adults who arrived in Australia through its humanitarian refugee program 10 or more years ago and were born in South Sudan. Semi-structured interviews explored how participants identified themselves in Australia, changes in their experiences over time, their social and general life situation in Australia, and perceptions (self and other) of South Sudanese people in Australia.Results: The 26 participants from refugee backgrounds all had similar experiences of dislocation, most arriving in Australia 10-19 years ago with family members. Most participants were in employment and had attained (sometimes multiple) educational qualifications.Participants described a multiplicity of interconnected domains that governed the negotiating and making sense of identity. Three key themes were identified: mutable identities - dependent on context; Identity in relation to children; and the influence of limited opportunities. These themes were mediated by other interwoven personal and structural factors that shaped experience and perception. Expressions of hope, pride and achievement were threaded through several of the interviews, particularly in relation to their children. There was also frustration related to employment challenges and discrimination that limited identity reconstruction.Conclusions: Our exploration of long-term lived experiences for South Sudanese migrants highlights the evolving and often conflicting factors that shape domains of integration and identity construction. The deeper, more nuanced understandings of bicultural identity within a strengths-based framework calls for better partnerships and services to support strengthened community and acculturalisation.

More Local is Possible: Recommendations for enhancing local humanitarian leadership and refugee participation in the Gambella refugee response

The Gambella region of western Ethiopia hosts over 300,000 South Sudanese refugees in seven camps. The refugee response is dominated by UN agencies and international NGOs and staffed mostly by Ethiopians from outside of Gambella, creating a gap between humanitarian actors and the people they seek to assist. In order to realize commitments to localization and refugee participation made in the Charter for Change, the Grand Bargain and the Global Compact for Refugees, it is critical for refugees and local populations to be more involved in shaping and leading the delivery of aid. This could be achieved through increasing the role played by Gambella-based NGOs, engaging with faith-based actors, facilitating diaspora initiatives and supporting the development of refugee-led organizations.

Suicide ideation and psychosocial distress among refugee adolescents in Bidibidi settlement in West Nile, Uganda

This study investigated the factors associated with suicidal ideation and psychological distress among Sudanese refugees (aged 10–19 years) in Bidibidi refugee settlement, Yumbe district, Uganda. The analysis is based on cross-sectional data collected as part of the implementation of a project on sexual and reproductive health in Bidibidi refugee settlement. Data were collected from 284 South Sudanese adolescents in July 2020. We estimated the prevalence of psychological distress and suicidal ideation, and their associated profiles. Odds ratios and their 95% Confidence Intervals based on a logistic regression model were used to assess the effect of different potential factors on the risk profiles for suicidal ideation and psychological distress. The prevalence of psychological distress (on KS-6 scale) was estimated to be 12.3% (95%CI: 8.7, 16.7%). The risk for psychological distress is low among male adolescents (AOR = 0.51; 95%CI: 0.23, 1.02), older adolescents, (AOR = 0.12; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.40), and adolescents with a friend or family members they can confide in (AOR = 0.33; 95%CI: 0.11, 0.96). Both suicidal ideation and psychological distress are very high among the female adolescents. Familial and individual interventions can be potentially useful for female adolescents who have a high risk of suicide and psychological distress.

Local Integration as a Durable Solution? Negotiating Socioeconomic Spaces between Refugees and Host Communities in Rural Northern Uganda

With a growing number of displaced people, there is a need for robust approaches to coping with displacement. Uganda has a progressive refugee policy that promotes freedom of movement and the socioeconomic rights of the refugees. Specifically, refugees are often allocated land to settle and cultivate rural settlements, and the integrated social service provision facilitates interaction with host communities. However, there remain challenges in creating sustainable livelihoods for refugees in rural settlements. There exist significant tensions over shared resources such as land, water, woodlots, and grazing areas. Based on a survey of 416 households and key informant interviews with South Sudanese refugees in selected settlements in the Adjumani district, the paper highlights refugees’ access to social and economic spaces as critical pathways to sustainable livelihoods and integration. Uganda’s progressive policy expands the opportunity space; however, refugees still encounter significant barriers in accessing the socioeconomic spaces.

Suicide Ideation and Psychosocial Distress Among Refugee Adolescents in Bidibidi Settlement in West Nile, Uganda

BackgroundThis study investigated the factors associated with suicidal ideation and psychological distress among 281 Sudanese refugees (aged 10-19 years) in Uganda. Adolescents refugees have been reported among the groups vulnerable to mental health and psychosocial challenges including suicidal ideations and attempts. MethodsThe analysis is based on cross-sectional secondary data collected as part of the implementation of a project on sexual and reproductive health in refugee settlements. Data were collected in July 2020. We estimated the prevalence of psychological, distress and suicidal ideation, and the associated profiles. Odds ratios and their 95% Confidence Intervals based on a logistic regression model were used to assess the effect of different potential factors on the risk profiles for suicidal ideation and psychological distress. ResultsThe prevalence of psychological distress (on KS-6 scale) was estimated to be 12.3% (95%CI: 8.7, 16.7%). This was dominated by lack of hope in the future - at 11.6% (95%CI: 8.1, 15.9%). Suicide ideation within the past four weeks was reported by 5.3% (95%CI: 3.0, 8.6%) of the respondents while suicide attempt in the last six months was reported by 0.7% (95%CI: 0.1, 2.5%). Both psychological distress and suicide ideations are more common among girls than boys, 11.6% vs. 2.6% and 18.6% vs. 9.2%, respectively. Suicidal ideation and distress are also less likely among adolescents with friends or family members with whom they can confide in. At univariate level, girls and very young adolescents, (OR=0.16; 95%CI: 0.05, 0.50) and (OR=0.39; 95%CI: 0.14, 1.05), respectively. At multivariate analysis, the risk for suicide ideation was low among male adolescents (aOR= 0.16; 95%CI: 0.05, 0.52) and adolescents with a friend or family members they can confide in (aOR=0.14; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.50). Similarly, the risk for psychological distress is low among male adolescents (aOR= 0.51; 95%CI: 0.23, 1.02), older adolescents as compared to those aged 10-12 years (aOR= 0.12; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.40), and adolescents with a friend or family members they can confide in (aOR=0.33; 95%CI: 0.11, 0.96).ConclusionBoth suicidal ideation and psychological distress are very high among the female adolescents. Familial and individual interventions, particularly those focused on encouraging emotional expression and familial cohesion will be potentially useful for female adolescents who have a high risk of suicide.