Uganda

This country page features an interactive, icon-based data dashboard providing a national-level overview of the status of children’s care and care reform efforts (a “Country Care Snapshot”), along with a list of resources and organizations in the country.

List of Organisations

demographic_data

Demographic Data

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45.70 million
Total Population
Population Reference Bureau, 2020
25.14 million
People
Total Population Under 18
Estimate
55%
Population Under 18
 
Census report, 2014
4.7
People
Mean Household Size
Census report, 2014
28.3%
Prevalence of Female-Headed Households
 
2018-2019 MIS
Low Income Country
World Bank GNI Status
World Bank, 2019
41.7%
Living Below Poverty Line
 
Human Development Report 2019
42.8
GINI Coefficient
World Bank, 2016
0.528
Human Development Index
Human Development Report 2019

childrens_living_arrangement

Children's Living Arrangements

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%
Country
 
NO SOURCE GIVEN
52.3%
Living with Both Parents
 
Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016
27.2%
Living with One Parent
 
Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016
19.9%
Living with Neither Parent
 
Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016
%
Effective
 
NO SOURCE GIVEN

children_living_without_bio

Children Living Without Biological Parents

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78%
Both Parents Alive
 
DHS 2016
17%
One Parent Dead
 
DHS 2016
6%
Both Parents Dead
 
DHS 2016

Children at Risk of Separation

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23%
Children Living Below Poverty Line
 
Situation Analysis of Children in Uganda 2019 (MGLSD & UNICEF, 2019)
15%
Children Engaged in Child Labor
 
UBOS (2018). National Labour Force Survey 2016/17. Kampala, Uganda: Uganda Bureau of Statistics
i
2 million children
7.5%
Children with Disabilities
 
UBOS and UNICEF (2018) Uganda Functional Difficulties Survey: Indicators Report. Kampala: Uganda Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF
i
Children aged 2-4 years: 3.5%, Children aged 5-17 years: 7.5%
Children Affected by HIV
950,000
children
CDC, 2018
i
Estimated orphans due to AIDS: 950,000. Prevalence of HIV among children aged 0-14: 0.5% (The Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA), 2017)
59%
Children Experiencing Violence
 
MGLSD (2018). Uganda Violence Against Children Survey. Kampala: Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development
i
Prevalence of past-year physical violence against children, age 13-17 years (M/F): 59%/44% Prevalence of past-year emotional violence against children, age 13-17 years: 22.8/22.2% Prevalence of past-year Sexual violence against children, age 13-17 years: 11%/25% % children (13-17 years) who experienced physical violence (in the last 12 months) by a parent, adult caregiver (Male/Female): 21.7/18.7
9.1%
Children Who Have Lost One or Both Parents
 
Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016
19.9%
Children Who Are Not Living with Either of their Biological Parents
 
Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016

Formal Alternative Care Arrangements

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0 Families/Parents
0 Children
NO SOURCE GIVEN
0 Families/Parents
0 Children
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Total Family-Based Alternative Care
- - Families/Parents
- - Children
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Foster Care
- - Foster Families/Foster Parents
- - Children
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Formal Kinship Care
- - Families/Parents
- - Children
i
Currently no data
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Total Residential Care
- - Settings
- - Children
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Approved Children's Homes
142 Settings
- - Children
List of Approved Homes as per November 2019 (MGLSD, 2019)

Parental Survivorship

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90.3%
Children with Both Parents Alive
 
DHS 2016
8%
Children with One Parent Alive
 
DHS 2016
1.1%
Children with Both Parents Dead
 
DHS 2016

Progress Indicators

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Country
 
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Effective
 
NO SOURCE GIVEN
NO DATA AVAILABLE
Social Welfare Spending
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Alternative Care Policy in Line with the 2009 Guidelines
 
Partly
The National Alternative Care Framework (NFAC)
i
The National Alternative Care Framework (NFAC) was developed in 2012. It provides a framework for delivering and facilitating access to appropriate alternative care options for children deprived of parental care, including guidance on placement of children in need of alternative care. The framework is currently undergoing revision.
Centralised Authority on Adoption
 
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Commitment to Deinstitutionalistion
 
Yes
The National Action Plan on Alternative Care for Children 2016/2017–2020/2021
i
Reflected in the The National Action Plan on Alternative Care for Children 2016/2017–2020/2021 and recent guidelines on the closure pf Children's Homes
Comprehensive Child Protection Law
 
Partly
The Children Act, Cap 29 (Amended in 2016)
i
A suite of laws are in place, yet gaps exist. The Children Act, Cap 29 (Amended in 2016) is the primarily legislation on care and protection for children.
Continuum of Alternative Care Services Available
 
Yes
The National Action Plan on Alternative Care for Children 2016/2017–2020/2021
Data System
 
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
No centralized database or management information system
Existence of a Regulatory Body and Regulatory System
 
Yes
Provided for in the Children's Act, Cap 59 (Amended in 2016)
Gatekeeping Mechanism/Policy
 
Yes
The Children Act, Cap 59 (amended in 2016) and the National Framework for Alternative Care (NFAC)
i
The Children Act, Cap 59 (amended in 2016) and the National Framework for Alternative Care (NFAC) delineate a standard process for the referral or admission of a child to an alternative care setting, including procedures to screen referrals, authorize placement of children, and ensure admission safeguards, to guarantee the appropriate use of alternative care
Means of Tracking Progress with Reforms
 
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Moratorium on Admission into Institutions for Children Under 3
 
Yes
National Alternative Care Framework, 2012 and Action Plan (2016/17–2020/21)
Moratorium on New Institutions
 
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN
National Action Plan to Guide Reforms
 
Yes
National Action Plan on Alternative Care for Children 2016/2017–2020/2021
i
The Plan is currently under review.
National Standards of Care
 
Partly
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
Minimum standards exists for some care options (residential care, foster care). Standards of practice or basic minimum standards applicable to the provision of other care services (supported independent living, adoption, guardianship) do not exist.
Prevention of Separation Services Available
 
Yes
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
Some existing programs, primarily run by civil society organizations, provide services that seek to strengthen families
Support for Careleavers (in Legislation and in Practice)
 
Limited
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
Needs of careleavers are not reflected in the current legal and policy framework. The Uganda Care Leavers Project brings together care leavers to share their experiences, learn from one another, and work together to pursue common goals.

social_work_force

Social Service Workforce

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Workers
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Country
Minimum standards and competency framework for social work education and training
 
Yes
MGLSD in collaboration with the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), 2019
Workers
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Effective
A national workforce assessment and analysis carried out within the past four years
 
Yes
Reference: Bulwani, G.K., & Twikirize, J. M. (2019). Functional Review of the Government Social Service Workforce in Relation to Child Protection. Kampala: Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development & USAID.
i
A functional review of the government social service workforce in relation to child protection was carried out in 2019.
A system of licensing/registration of social service professionals
 
No
NO SOURCE GIVEN

key_stakeholders

Key Stakeholders

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Country
Government
Effective

Other Relevant Reforms

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Effective
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Child Protection
i
On June 22, 2020, the Cabinet approved a National Child Policy (NCP) to replace the National Orphans and other Vulnerable Children (OVC) policy (NOP), 2004. The policy was developed following a comprehensive review of the NOP and the second National Strategic Programme Plan of Interventions (NSPPI) for OVC (NSPPI 2), 2011/12—2015/16. The NCP includes childcare and protection as one of the four national priorities and underscores the need to strengthen and support families to care for children and ensure access to quality and disability-inclusive alternative family-based care options for children without parental care. In addition, the National Framework for Alternative Care (NFAC) is currently undergoing revisions to address specific gaps identified during the participatory care reform assessment conducted in 2018 and to reflect changes in the legislation. In addition, new a national plan of action for alternative (2020/21-2025/16) is currently under development
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Social Protection
i
A National Social Protection Policy was developed in 2015. The Policy defines social protection as comprising of two pillars: social security and social care & support services. It provides for childcare and protection under a component on ‘social care for children’.
NO SOURCE GIVEN
Education
NO SOURCE GIVEN
i
A National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy of Uganda was developed in 2016. The goal of the policy is to provide direction and guidance to all sectors for quality, inclusive, coordinated and well-funded ECD services and programs. The NIECD policy Action Plan provides a clear implementation framework to integrate and coordinate interventions within and across different sectors and defines the roles and responsibilities of key sectors involved in ECD.

drivers_of_institutionalisation

Drivers of Institutionaliziation

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Country
Push Factors
Pull Factors
Effective

key_research_and_information

Key Data Sources

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Country
Effective

Acknowledgements

Data for this country care snapshot was contributed by a consultant with the Data for Impact (D4I) Project at Palladium Group LLC.

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List of Organisations

Amos Ngwomoya - Daily Monitor,

Child's i Foundation in Uganda has donated bicycles, smartphones, face masks and bottles of sanitizer to volunteers in Makindye division, Kampala to support them in their work to "sensitize residents about the spread of COVID-19" and so that the volunteers can "reach places that are inaccessible" and give timely reports on the needs of the community, particularly vulnerable children and families, according to this article from the Daily Monitor.

SOS Children's Villages,

Vulnerable children and families need a strong social support network that acts as a safety net to effectively and sustainably respond to the situation of children and families at risk.

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development - Government of Uganda,

This National Child Policy Implementation Plan (2020/2021-2024/2025) provides a roadmap and a common agenda of action to operationalise the National Child Policy (2020).

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development - Government of Uganda,

This National Child Policy has been developed to coordinate the efforts of the different sectors that have a direct and indirect mandate on children and deliver a comprehensive package of services encompassing all the four cardinal rights of the child in a multi-sectoral approach. 

Government of Uganda and World Bank,

The Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP) analysis includes a comprehensive mapping of services for GBV and VAC prevention and response across the key sectors of health, police, justice, and social services in refugee settlements and host communities.

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development - Government of Uganda,

This National Child Policy of Uganda has been developed to coordinate the efforts of the different sectors that have a direct and indirect mandate on children and deliver a comprehensive package of services encompassing all the four cardinal rights of the child (to survival, development, protection and participation) in a multi-sectoral approach. 

Anna Jolly,

This end of project evaluation aimed to synthesise the wealth of data and learnings captured over the life of the Family Reintegration and Prevention of Separation (FRAPS) project to determine if project objectives were met, to complement existing data with primary data collection related to final project outcomes, and to provide a final product that can be used to appreciate the project achievements, challenges and learnings and to guide future programming.

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development - The Republic of Uganda,

This document contains a list of alternative care homes in Uganda that have been approved by the Ministry for Gender, Labour and Social Development.

The Kenya Society of Care Leavers (KESCA), the Uganda Care Leavers (UCL), Better Care Network, and Changing the Way We Care,

This webinar - presented by the Kenya Society of Care Leavers (KESCA), the Uganda Care Leavers (UCL), The Better Care Network and Changing the Way We Care - offered policy makers, practitioners, advocates and careleavers a unique opportunity to listen and learn from two leaders of careleaver associations who highlighted two recent documents that illustrate the careleaver experience within and outside of care.

Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) in partnership with the National Association of Social Workers of Uganda (NASWU),

International Federation of Social Workers 2019 Africa Region Conference will be held in Kampala, Uganda on 28-31 October 2019.