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‘He always thinks he is nothing’: The psychosocial impact of discrimination on adolescent refugees in urban Uganda

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  • Stark, Lindsay
  • DeCormier Plosky, Willyanne
  • Horn, Rebecca
  • Canavera, Mark

Abstract

Armed conflict causes massive displacement, erodes the social fabric of communities, and threatens the healthy development of a nation's future – its youth. Although more than half of the world's registered refugees under the age of eighteen currently reside in urban areas, research on the unique needs of and realities experienced by this population remain limited. In Uganda, as in many refugee-receiving countries, most regulated refugee protections and entitlements fail to extend beyond the confines of official settlements or camps. This dearth of support, in combination with few material resources, uncertain local connections, and little knowledge of the language, leaves refugee families vulnerable to the added burden of an unwelcome reception in cities. Drawing on qualitative data from a study conducted in March and April 2013 with Congolese and Somali adolescents, caregivers, and service providers in refugee settlements in Kampala, this manuscript explores the pervasive nature of discrimination against urban refugees and its effects upon adolescent well-being. Findings suggest that discrimination not only negatively impacts acculturation as youth pursue social recognition in the classroom and among neighborhood peers, but it also impedes help-seeking behavior by caregivers and restricts their ability to ameliorate protection concerns, thereby lowering adolescents' psychosocial well-being. Youth reported low self-worth, withdrawal from school, and an adverse turn toward street connections. Targeted and innovative strategies along with reformed policies that address the unique challenges facing urban refugees are paramount to ensuring that young people in this population experience greater protection, well-being, and future success.

Suggested Citation

  • Stark, Lindsay & DeCormier Plosky, Willyanne & Horn, Rebecca & Canavera, Mark, 2015. "‘He always thinks he is nothing’: The psychosocial impact of discrimination on adolescent refugees in urban Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 173-181.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:146:y:2015:i:c:p:173-181
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.10.045
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Correa-Velez, Ignacio & Gifford, Sandra M. & Barnett, Adrian G., 2010. "Longing to belong: Social inclusion and wellbeing among youth with refugee backgrounds in the first three years in Melbourne, Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(8), pages 1399-1408, October.
    2. Krista M. Perreira & India Ornelas, 2013. "Painful Passages: Traumatic Experiences and Post-Traumatic Stress among U.S. Immigrant Latino Adolescents and their Primary Caregivers," International Migration Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 976-1005, December.
    3. Arnold, Christine & Theede, Jason & Gagnon, Anita, 2014. "A qualitative exploration of access to urban migrant healthcare in Nairobi, Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 1-9.
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    Cited by:

    1. Meyer, Sarah R. & Meyer, Elizabeth & Bangirana, Clare & Mangen, Patrick Onyango & Stark, Lindsay, 2019. "Protection and well-being of adolescent refugees in the context of a humanitarian crisis: Perceptions from South Sudanese refugees in Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 79-86.
    2. Robinson, Jude & Chiumento, Anna & Kasujja, Rosco & Rutayisire, Theoneste & White, Ross, 2022. "The ‘good life’, personal appearance, and mental health of Congolese refugees in Rwanda and Uganda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    3. Bermudez, Laura Gauer & Parks, Lauren & Meyer, Sarah R. & Muhorakeye, Liberata & Stark, Lindsay, 2018. "Safety, trust, and disclosure: A qualitative examination of violence against refugee adolescents in Kiziba Camp, Rwanda," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 83-91.
    4. Selcuk Besir Demir & Volkan Ozgul, 2019. "Syrian Refugees Minors in Turkey. Why and how are they Discriminated Against and Ostracized?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(6), pages 1989-2011, December.

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