An Investigation Into the Mediating Role of Inter-organisational Coordination Towards Refugee Protection: A Case Study of Nakivale Refugee Settlement Uganda

Abstract

This study examines the role of Inter-Organizational Coordination (IOC) towards refugee protection in Nakivale settlement located in Isingiro district in Uganda. Coordination takes place when organizations work together towards a common purpose. As the world is witnessing a dramatic increase in the number of refugees, the need for a strong international protection regime has never been more apparent. In reality, governments may be unable to provide such protection, and they may require the support of the international community. The inability of states to ensure protection to people who flee from conflict situations and the member states at the same time necessitates Inter-organizational innovations. I investigated the role of IOC within refugee protection because of its relevance in understanding how organizations can operate as part of a wider environment involving different actors to achieve a common goal. This study is motivated by three research questions: (1) what is the process of Inter-Organizational Coordination between organizations involved in refugee protection? (2) Under what conditions do organizations establish linkages or exchanges with one another? (3). what kind of coordination exists between organizations involved in refugee protection? It was hypothesized that refugee protection is positively related to mandated interactions, active leadership, a common goal, and mutual trust. Previous studies have focused almost exclusively on IOC and crisis management. Therefore, a gap exists in literature on the role of IOC towards refugee protection in a rural area such as Nakivale settlement. This study has employed the exchange theory and contingent theory to account for the wide approaches towards IOC. The study advances our understanding on the motive for IOC and relationship between IOC and refugee protection. To date, no systematic investigation has considered the role of IOC towards refugee protection in Nakivale settlement. It is in this context that I examine how organizations operating as part of a wider environment can effectively deal with refugee protection issues. A qualitative case study research design has been selected as most appropriate in order to address the research question. An in-depth examination using different tools of data collection such as semi-structured interviews, participatory observation and documentary review has been used to obtain data from various organizations engaged in refugee protection. Based on their experience in providing services geared towards refugee protection in the settlement, a sample of 8 organizations has been selected for this study: OPM, UNHCR, ARC, AIRD, FRC, TUTAPOA, MTI and Samaritan's Purse. The findings from the research illustrate that Nakivale refugee settlement is administered based on division of labor. However, contrary to my expectations, division of labour was hampered by lack of adequate skilled personnel to effectively carry out the assigned tasks, poor communication technology, and inadequate power supply. These hindrances negatively affected effective implementation of service geared towards refugee protection in the settlement. The findings also illustrate that mandated interactions were the most effective form of achieving effective refugee protection, though voluntary interactions were also employed to achieve effective refugee protection in a more informal way. [...]