Africa-Press – Uganda. Social protection, according to the National Social Protection Policy, refers to public and private interventions that reduce risks and vulnerabilities, helping individuals avoid insecurity and social deprivation and enabling them to live dignified lives.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of Uganda’s social protection system, leaving a large number of citizens vulnerable to shocks that could easily push them into poverty and destitution.
The crisis highlighted the urgent need to improve identification and outreach mechanisms to target the poorest and most undeserving, mitigate the impacts of shocks, and build resilience against future vulnerabilities, according to discussions at the National Social Protection Dialogue 2025, held at Serena Hotel, Kampala.
The current state of social protection in Uganda reveals significant urban-rural disparities, with rural populations having relatively better access to social services.
People with disabilities continue to face marginalization despite legal protections, while internally displaced persons and refugees strain existing resources and humanitarian efforts.
“All Ugandans, regardless of social or economic status, require guarantees of some form of social protection across the life cycle, including social care and support such as food, housing, education, and healthcare,” said Dr Fred Muhumuza, director of economic Forum at Makerere University Business School.
Dr Muhumuza emphasized that government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, the Grow Project, Youth Livelihood, and other initiatives should be explicitly linked to social protection.
Uganda Vision 2040 underscores social protection as vital for addressing risks and vulnerabilities.
The vision calls for a system that includes universal pensions for older persons, public works schemes for vulnerable unemployed individuals, and social assistance for children, persons with disabilities, and the destitute, with universal health insurance highlighted as a key intervention.
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