Lack of access to documentation remains a core issue that undermines refugee protection, inclusion and mobility and impedes refugees’ access to essential services, including healthcare, education, social protection and employment opportunities. 

The landscape of refugee documentation in the East Africa region has seen significant improvements in recent years, with member states, including Kenya and Uganda, harmonizing refugee laws and championing reforms. Yet despite this progress, refugees and asylum seekers continue to face several challenges in obtaining necessary documents, including Identification Documentation (ID) cards and travel permits. These difficulties are further compounded by political, logistical, and bureaucratic barriers that refugees and asylum seekers encounter when trying to access various forms of documentation, impacting their socio-economic stability and violating regional human rights commitments.