Tackling Vulnerabilities Faced by Uganda's Children through Quality Evidence

Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. Over 56 percent of its population is under the age of 18 and about half (48.7 percent) are under the age of 15 years (Uganda Bureau of Statistics data, 2016). Yet, government data (Nation child policy 2020) indicates that 51% of its children suffer from multiple deprivations and vulnerabilities including those infected and affected by HIV, survivors of gender-based violence, victims of child marriages, homeless orphans, and school dropouts. The Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s (OVC) plight has only been worsened by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tracking these children for support and monitoring for improvement has been a challenge for the Uganda government. To the 2019 Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) report, interventions for OVC, have been profoundly challenged by the lack of reliable data and the low affinity to consume real-time data. The absence of quality data and OVC annual reports have not only affected the rationalization of interventions and advocacy for resource allocation but equally overwhelmed OVC program monitoring.

This case concerns the USAID Strategic Information Technical Support (SITES) Activity that was designed to facilitate, promote, and enhance evidence-based programming and reporting in Uganda’s health and social welfare system. Through its collaboration with the MGLSD, USAID SITES utilizes a facilitative approach to enhance the Government’s efforts to track and support OVC through digital, logistical, and capacity-building support. This case covers SITES learning through this collaborative effort.