Uganda Refugee Voice for Rights (URVR) was born out of lived experience. Founded at Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District, Uganda, URVR emerged from the determination of refugees who witnessed daily violations of human rights and decided to act. Nakivale is one of the oldest and largest refugee settlements in Africa, hosting over 130,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, and other countries. Despite their resilience, refugees at Nakivale face significant challenges — limited access to justice, SGBV, child abuse, statelessness, and marginalization. URVR was founded to bridge this gap — to give refugees a voice, document violations, provide legal aid, and advocate for lasting change. What began as a small community initiative has grown into a recognized organization working at the intersection of human rights, protection, and community empowerment. Today, URVR serves both refugee and host communities, believing that human dignity are universal and that every person — regardless of nationality or status — deserves to live in safety, dignity, and freedom.
Uganda Refugee Voice for Rights (URVR) was born from the lived realities of one of Africa's most complex humanitarian crises. Founded in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Isingiro District, Uganda, URVR emerged as a direct response to decades of armed conflict in the African Great Lakes region — a context marked by widespread human rights violations, sexual violence used as a weapon of war, and the forced displacement of millions of civilians.
In an extraordinary general assembly, a group of committed men and women — themselves affected by these realities — came together to create a community-based, non-profit association. They recognized that lasting peace and sustainable development could only be achieved through justice, the restoration of human rights, and the empowerment of vulnerable people.
From its founding at Nakivale, URVR has grown into a recognized advocacy and legal aid organization serving refugee and host communities across Isingiro District, with a mandate to expand wherever the needs of vulnerable people require action.