{"id":117771,"date":"2025-12-21T17:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-12-21T17:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action"},"modified":"2025-12-21T17:37:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T17:37:30","slug":"uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action","title":{"rendered":"Uganda Ratifies AU Social Protection Protocol Urged Action"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. <\/strong><\/span>Uganda\u2019s ratification of a new African Union protocol recognising social protection and social security as enforceable rights is a \u201chistoric milestone\u201d, civil society groups said on Friday, while warning that major funding and coverage gaps threaten to blunt its impact.<\/b><\/p>\n

The government ratified the AU Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples\u2019 Rights on the Rights of Citizens to Social Protection and Social Security on September 18, aligning the country with a continental framework that obliges states to build comprehensive and sustainable social protection systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a historic milestone that affirms social protection and social security as fundamental human rights and essential pillars of inclusive and sustainable development,\u201d said Fredrick Bwire, chairperson of the Social Protection Platform Uganda (SPPU), during a press briefing in Kampala.<\/p>\n

Uganda\u2019s population now exceeds 49 million, with more than 75% under the age of 30, placing increasing pressure on jobs and household incomes, SPPU said.<\/p>\n

Between 70% and 75% of workers are employed in the informal sector and lack access to contributory social security, while less than 10% of the labour force is covered by formal schemes, largely through the National Social Security Fund.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout deliberate expansion, adequate financing and institutional reform, millions of Ugandans will continue to live without protection against poverty, vulnerability and economic shocks,\u201d Bwire said.<\/p>\n

According to SPPU, more than one in five Ugandans live below the national poverty line, while climate-related shocks such as floods and droughts are increasingly undermining livelihoods.<\/p>\n

Public spending on social protection remains below 1% of gross domestic product, far below regional and global benchmarks.<\/p>\n

The AU protocol is considered a \u201cgame changer\u201d because it treats social protection as a legal right rather than discretionary welfare.<\/p>\n

It obliges states to establish accessible and sustainable systems and requires special measures for women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, as well as informal and migrant workers.<\/p>\n

\u201cRatification therefore creates a clear obligation on the state to act,\u201d Bwire said.<\/p>\n

SPPU called on government and parliament to urgently domesticate the protocol through national legislation, increase and ring-fence financing for social protection, and expand programme coverage.<\/p>\n

The platform urged authorities to scale up the Senior Citizens Grant nationwide, extend both contributory and non-contributory schemes to informal workers, and ensure gender- and disability-inclusive programme design.<\/p>\n

\u201cRatification alone does not put food on the table, protect workers from shocks, or guarantee dignity in old age,\u201d Bwire said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese outcomes will only be realised through domestication, financing and effective implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n

SPPU said it was ready to work with government and development partners to translate the commitment into \u201creal, measurable change\u201d for Ugandans.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Uganda<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. Uganda\u2019s ratification of a new African Union protocol recognising social protection and social security as enforceable rights is a \u201chistoric milestone\u201d, civil society groups said on Friday, while warning that major funding and coverage gaps threaten to blunt its impact. The government ratified the AU Protocol to the African Charter on Human […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":117770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[234],"class_list":["post-117771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-uganda"],"yoast_head":"\nUganda Ratifies AU Social Protection Protocol Urged Action - Uganda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Uganda\u2019s ratification of a new African Union protocol recognising social protection and social security as enforceabl ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Uganda Ratifies AU Social Protection Protocol Urged Action\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Uganda\u2019s ratification of a new African Union protocol recognising social protection and social security as enforceabl ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Uganda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-21T17:00:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-21T17:37:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2025\/12\/sm_1766325898.580661.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1728\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1152\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Uganda Ratifies AU Social Protection Protocol Urged Action\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-21T17:00:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-21T17:37:30+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action\"},\"wordCount\":446,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2025\/12\/sm_1766325898.580661.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"uganda\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"community\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/uganda-ratifies-au-social-protection-protocol-urged-action\",\"name\":\"Uganda Ratifies AU Social Protection Protocol Urged Action - 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