Navigating Refugees’ Information Landscapes: Examining Impediments to Refugees’ Information Access and Use in North Western Uganda

As a result of looming conflicts in countries neighbouring Uganda, many people are seen fleeing their home countries for asylum in Uganda. In the process of their integration, refugees search for information to aid their survival in the social, technological, and economic contexts. The study purpose was to qualitatively investigate difficulties encountered by refugees in their access and use of information in North Western Uganda (NWU) at Bidi Bidi settlement camp. Findings indicate that refugees are exposed to psychological, sociological, technological and physical difficulties in their quest for information. These findings offer insights that can help ameliorate refugeehood by means providing measures to overcome information seeking and use challenges among refugees. The study recommends establishing adequate information delivery mechanisms to support refugee sustenance and integration. Ensuring open communication networks, equity, trust, impartiality and inclusiveness can foster a levelled information terrain for refugees to support their integration and sustenance in host nations. Policies and systems that support refugees’ training in basic information and digital literacy are critical. Policies towards information packaging and repackaging for refugees are necessary for refugees’ information access and use.