The government has developed a digital transformation roadmap designed to lead and actualize its digital vision, with a primary focus on fostering an environment that enables children to flourish through the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT).
Amina Zawedde, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT, emphasized the importance of ensuring that children are not excluded from access to technology.
She elaborated that to bridge the existing gap, the government has established a digital transformation roadmap to steer the nation towards achieving its digital vision for 2040.
She made the remarks during the World Children’s Day celebrations, which were organized by the Ugandan government in collaboration with UNICEF and the Swedish government in Kampala, under the theme ‘Empowering children in Uganda through technology and design’.
Dr. Robin Nandy, a representative from UNICEF, highlighted that as the world commemorates 35 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is crucial for nations to reaffirm their commitment to uphold and safeguard these essential rights.
“Children are not just the future; they are the present, the architects of a better world, and their voices deserve to be heard,” she noted.
She stressed that technology has been one of the driving forces of the 21st century, transforming ‘our societies and our daily lives’, a reason it must be prioritized.
“Working with the Government of Uganda, we have made efforts to harness the power of technology, especially digital technology, in improving social services such as health, education and protection, for children. The Fourth National Development Plan defines technology and ICT as key priorities, which is an indication of the government’s commitment to this important area,” she added.
Nandy highlighted that digital connectivity is among the six transformations identified by the UN Secretary General, which are deemed to have a catalytic and multiplier effect in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
She said UNICEF, in collaboration with its sister UN agencies, is dedicated to facilitating these transformations.
In August of this year, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, introduced a digital strategy aimed at integrating information and communication technology into the educational process.
This initiative is designed to facilitate the advancement and achievement of Uganda’s Vision 2040.
The strategy is further supported by the Digital Skills Framework, which identifies the essential competencies required for learners to effectively transition into a digital environment.
“We all appreciate that the digital economy is rapidly transforming the employment landscape across all sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing and the arts. Like many African nations, Uganda needs a workforce that is not only digitally literate, but also able to fully harness the advantages of the ever-advancing digital technologies. Making strategic and focused investments to reap the benefits of Uganda’s demographic dividend is an absolute necessity and technology can help us achieve this,” she added.
She also acknowledge a groundbreaking partnership between UNICEF, Airtel and the Ministry of Education and Sports to connect children, both in- and out-of-school, to the internet.
A case in point, is ‘Kolibri’, a national free of charge and easy to use digital learning platform that was introduced by UNICEF, the Ministry of Education and Sports, the National Information Technology Authority and now supported by Airtel. This platform is providing online access to learning materials approved by the National Curriculum Development Centre for children all over the country and it also provides an opportunity for life-long learning.” She said.
Other UNICEF initiatives harnessing the power of technological innovations for children include: U-Report that empowers young people to voice their opinions and influence decision-making processes on issues that affect them.
Uganda was the birthplace of this initiative which, and since then it has been exported to over 90 countries across the globe.
Another is Family Connect that utilizes mobile technology to improve maternal and child health, significantly increasing immunization rates and reducing infant mortality; and the Digital School in a Box, which brings education to remote and underserved areas, providing children with access to quality learning materials and opportunities.
The Innovation Fund supports local entrepreneurs and organizations in developing groundbreaking solutions to address challenges faced by children; while the i-UPSHIFT, equips young people with 21st Century skills, enabling them to develop innovative solutions to prevailing challenges.
Other initiatives include MobileVRS that streamlines the process of birth registration, ensuring that every child has a legal identity and therefore has access to essential services, and FunDoo, a digital coach that equips thousands of young people in Uganda with 21st century life skills, enhancing their ability to thrive.
The First Lady noted that by providing children the tools and opportunities to explore and realise their talents and share their thoughts, empowers them to become the leaders, innovators, and systematic problem solvers of not only the future, but also today.
She added that though the digital divide remains a significant challenge, hindering many children’s access to education, information, and opportunities, continued collaboration among all constituencies of stakeholders not only bridges this gap but also ensures that every child has equitable opportunity to benefit from the transformative power of technology.
“I wish to make special mention of our partnership with the Government of Uganda, with support from the governments of UK and Sweden, to establish and operationalize SAUTI 116 the child helpline, which manages approximately 420 child protection cases per month,” she said.
She expressed deep appreciation to the Government of Sweden for their long-term partnership and flexible funding to UNICEF that has contributed to delivery of critical services to the underserved children in Uganda in health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, education, emergencies, policy and public advocacy and social behaviour change, among others. Their contribution has also enabled UNICEF and the Uganda Communications Commission to engage schoolchildren in the regions in a technology, design and innovation challenge, as well as commemorate this year’s World Children’s Day together.
She further extended sincere gratitude to the Government of Uganda for embracing the urgent need for children’s participation in the digital age – a country’s future is inextricably bound to the state of its children.
“Let us listen, let us stand up for children’s rights, let us create a world where every child can reach their full potential. Today, we celebrate that potential in technology, design and innovation,” she said.
