The Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development (MoGLSD), in partnership with the Expanding Social Protection (ESP) Program, the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), and Research and Action for Income Security (RAISE), successfully hosted a significant public conference themed “Towards Universal Coverage: Social Protection as a Right for All Older Persons.”
The event took place at the Uganda Manufacturers Association Multi-Purpose Hall, located at the Lugogo Showgrounds in Nakawa division.
It drew more than 200 attendees, including older individuals, policymakers, representatives from civil society organizations, community advocates, development partners, academics, and members of the media.
The conference served as a forum to address current challenges, explore opportunities, and formulate strategies for advancing universal social protection for Uganda’s elderly population.
In her opening address, Angella Kasule Nabwowe, the Executive Director of ISER, emphasized the critical role of Social Protection for older individuals. She highlighted that many older persons in Uganda are confronted with various and overlapping vulnerabilities, with 48% of those aged 65 and above living in multi-dimensional poverty, which jeopardizes their ability to lead dignified lives.
“Social protection is right to all older persons and I urge the government to prioritize it to ensure that older persons live dignified lives,” she noted.
ISER’s research report – “Chased Away and Left to Die” reveals that numerous eligible older persons have been left out of the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE), Uganda’s flagship social protection program for older persons and other vital public services because the mandatory requirement for a national ID, as mandated by Uganda’s legal framework.
The former Finance Minster, Prof. Ezra Suruma, while delivering his keynote address, echoed the importance of prioritizing social protection, emphasizing that older persons deserve to live in dignity.
“There are Ugandans who are living in a ‘subhuman’ state – a less than human state. They cannot access basic human needs: food, shelter, medicine, clothing, clean water because of unemployment, disability, old age, natural disasters, orphans,” he noted.
He highlighted the social contract between citizens and the state, stating that the government is obligated to meet the fundamental needs of all people, including older persons.
Prof. Suruma called on the government to utilize a portion of the oil revenues to fund social protection drawing experiences from countries like Alaska and Norway.
The State Minister for Labour and Employment, Esther Davania Anyakun said over the years the government has made tremendous progress over the years in advancing social protection for older persons in Uganda.
“When we began in 2011, the SAGE covered only a few pilot districts, but it has since been expanded nationwide. This demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving the lives of our older population. In line with Uganda’s Vision 2040, we envision a Uganda where every older person lives without fear of hunger, poverty, or neglect and social protection is important in realizing this vision,” he added.
‘’The government should increase funding for social protection. The UGX 25,000 provided to older persons aged 80 and above is insufficient to meet their basic needs. The government should consider lowering the eligibility age to 60, particularly to include those from the informal sector or without access to any form of social security.” Allana Kembabazi, the Programs Manager noted.
The conference featured engaging panel discussions and interactive sessions, where older persons shared personal stories that underscored the urgency of improving social protection for all older persons including those between 60 and 79 years.
Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating toward the goal of universal social protection for older persons, recognizing it as a catalyst for inclusive growth and a more equitable society.
The event concluded with resolutions to undertake legal reforms to enshrine social protection in national laws as a fundamental right, address existing barriers to access to social protection benefits for older persons, and to prioritize financing for social protection.
