THE CHALLENGE

• There is a paucity of data on child participation at the family and household level in Uganda
• Key barriers to child participation include: a lack of understanding of what comprises genuine child participation; unequal power relations between children and care givers or programs; and the negative attitudes towards child participation rooted in cultural and normative beliefs
• Opportunities for participation in program initiatives are limited in scope and tend to be short lived
• Some avenues exist for children to participate in the social and public domain: ranging from children and youth clubs in schools, to children participation in research initiatives, policy development, and governance.
• Increased access to training and information to various duty bearers is likely to improve the context and practice of child participation
• A National Child Participation Guide (2008) exists. This, however, is a guideline document rather than a policy or action plan, and it does not outline any actions or goals for the Government or relevant stakeholder
• Children living in the Margins – These include being a refugee or living in a refugee-hosting area or having a disability. Children at the margins of society often face challenges and barriers that exclude them from things and activities that would enable them to fully participate in society and achieve their potential.
• Uganda hosts more than 1.2million refugees in settlements in West Nile and Southwest sub-regions
• Refugees who have been in the country for less than two years are the most deprived of basic necessities However, because levels of deprivation among host communities are already high within five years, deprivation rates among refugees will be at par with those of hosts.
• More than three-quarters of hosts in West Nile and Southwest have an unimproved toilet.
• Children with disabilities – 7.5% children 5-17 yrs. and 3.5% children 2-4 yrs. of Uganda’s children who have a disability (UBOS & UNICEF, 2018).
• Children with disabilities are often less able to access services such as education and health care, participate in social activities and fulfil their potential.
• 28%of children with disabilities had experienced discrimination or harassment.
• More than one-third of female children with disabilities had experienced sexual violence.
• Children aged 5 to 17 years were more affected by unfair treatment when participating in recreation, leisure and sports, probably because they participate in it more than adults. This discrimination can affect their emotional development greatly.
• ONLY 2% of children and adults with sight difficulties use eyeglasses or contact lenses and ONLY 1.4% with impaired hearing use hearing aids.
• 19%of school-aged children with disabilities. This is just 1% more than children without disabilities.

OUR INTERVENTION 4

OUR GOAL – INCREASE CHILDREN’S PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION

Objective 1: BETTER PARENTING – Support and provide guidance for parents to help children to express their views in a safe and supportive environment where they feel valued and respected.
Strategies

1. Strengthen traditions that make it possible for children to access useful information, learn from the wisdom of elders and contribute to decisions through practices anchored in family and community systems.
2. Promote use of the National Child Participation Guide for Uganda
3. Advocate for readmission of girls into school after delivery
4. Expand access to adolescent and youth friendly health services
5. Engage non-conventional stakeholders: cultural institutions and the private sector to play a role in safeguarding the wellbeing of children

Objective 2: BETTER VOICE – Promote children’s voices in civil and political spaces through a range of structures and mechanisms
Strategies

1. Promote meaningful participation by children, including adolescents, in decision-making processes—including in families and schools, and at local and national levels
2. Promote efforts to build children’s resilience, including promoting gender equality, life skills and child-led advocacy among pre-adolescents and adolescents.
3. Consider structures for child participation at national level e.g., strengthening the children’s parliament, and possibilities for children to participate in key national policy processes, such as the National Development Plan formulation. Visible participation of children in national decision-making could become an important precedent for more localized participation across the country.
4. At the local level, acknowledge as stakeholders and include them in district and sub-district planning activities.
5. Involve children in school management committees, PTAs and in monitoring the use of UPE funds, and other school governance processes.

Objective 3: INNOVATE AND IMPROVE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AT MOST RISK
Strategies

1. Create awareness on reproductive health especially, sexual health, reproductive health disorders and reproductive health services amongst young people at risk.
2. Promote reproductive health services among young people such as family planning, prenatal care, safe delivery and postnatal care, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of reproductive tract infections and STDs, safe abortion, inadequate breast milk, polystic ovary syndrome, uterus fibroids and low sperm count.
3. Promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR) among young people.