Govt to popularize social protection coverage

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development has convened a national dialogue to broaden the understanding of social protection for the vulnerable Ugandan population prone to poverty.

The national dialogue will take place today at Hotel Africana, Kampala under the theme; “Investment in social protection across the life cycle”. Through the event, stakeholders will also brainstorm on how to increase the fiscal space for Uganda’s social protection.

According to the Ministry, eight million people, (about 20.3%) of the 45 million Ugandans live below the poverty while 43% of the population has a high likelihood of falling into absolute poverty in case of a shock such as crop failure, chronic illness, disability, job loss, or death of a breadwinner. Further, less than 2% of the population has access to health insurance.

The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development defines social protection in terms of preventing, managing, and overcoming adverse life situations that affect people’s well-being such as disasters, and lack of jobs among others.

Silas Aogon, the Kumi Municipality Member of Parliament and Member of the Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection says while the Government has established the National Social Protection Policy (2015), the scope and coverage of the system in the country is still very low.

Aogon notes that while there are already existing Government flagship programs to deliver social protection, there is a need to create more awareness among the population to safeguard against adverse life situations that affect people’s well-being such as disasters, and lack of jobs among others.

Flavia Kabahenda, the Kyegegwa District Woman Representative, also Chairperson of the Forum expressed concern as Social Protection Financing in the National Budget Framework Paper for the Financial Year 2023/24 is being affected by extreme funding shortfalls.

In an attempt to deliver comprehensive social protection, the Government has implemented the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) which is currently benefiting 302,000 older persons aged 80 years and above across the country.

Through the Special Enterprise Grant for Older Persons (SEGOP) program, the government is also disbursing grants of five million Shillings to groups of 5 – 10 older persons aged 60-79 years with a. Under the SEGOP scheme, so far over 560 groups have benefited and 800 more are pending.

Equally, the Government through the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project – DRDIP is assisting 43,084 households, (about 285,500 people) in refugee-hosting districts across the country through Labour Intensive Public Works.

According to the Uganda National Household Survey, UNHS – 2019/2020, approximately 43% of the population is economically vulnerable and risks a high likelihood of falling into absolute poverty.

Uganda’s overage of the social protection scheme is still very low at less than 4% while only 0.7% of the Gross Domestic Product – GDP is allocated for financing it. This is one of the lowest in the region compared to neighbors such as Kenya (1%), Tanzania (1.7%), and Rwanda (1.8%) in the East African Community block.

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