KAMPALA – Achola Regina, a 60-year-old from Naguru Hill Village, sat in the crowded conference room, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and desperation. She had come to share her story, one that echoed the struggles of many older persons in Uganda.
“I’m 60 years old, and I’m still struggling to make ends meet,” Regina began, her voice steady but laced with emotion. “I have adult children who are unemployed and have no means of supporting themselves. They have no jobs, and their security makes mine even worse. As a result, they end up coming back to me for support. We’re squeezed into a small house, and I have to dig around the backyard to make ends meet. It’s not easy. I should be resting at my age, but I still have to struggle.”
Regina’s story was a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by many older persons in Uganda. Despite her age, she still struggles to care for herself and her family, with no safety net to fall back on.
It was this reality that brought Regina and many others to the conference on social protection for older persons, organized by the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development (MoGLSD), the Expanding Social Protection (ESP) Program, and Research and Action for Income Security (RAISE).
The conference aimed to raise awareness about the importance of social protection for older persons and to advocate for universal coverage. Prof. Ezra Suruma, a renowned economist and former finance minister, delivered the keynote speech, emphasizing the need for comprehensive social protection measures to prevent Ugandans from falling into poverty.
“Social protection is not only a moral obligation, but also a necessary step towards achieving economic stability and growth,” Prof. Suruma said. “We need to recognize that social protection is a right, not a privilege. We need to ensure that all citizens, including older persons, have access to social protection programs that address their needs.”
Prof. Suruma cited religious teachings, including verses from the Qoran and the Bible, that emphasize the importance of giving to the needy and supporting the vulnerable. He argued that social protection is justified because no Ugandan citizen should be left to live in a subhuman state.
Prof. Suruma outlined the various types of protection required, including child protection, unemployment insurance, health insurance, occupational accident insurance, old-age insurance, and veterans’ insurance.
According to ISER, older persons in Uganda face numerous challenges, including poverty, limited access to healthcare, and social isolation. The older persons make up 5% of Uganda’s population, representing 2.3 million people, of whom 56% are women and 43% are men.
“As we launch this manifesto, we are reminded of the urgent need for comprehensive and inclusive social protection systems in Uganda. Older persons are among the most vulnerable members of our society, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that they are protected and supported,” said Angella Nabwowe Kasule, Executive Director of ISER.
Nabwowe emphasized that the current social protection systems in Uganda are inadequate and exclude many older persons. “The Senior Citizens Grant (SCG) is only available to those aged 80 and above, leaving out many older persons who are struggling to make ends meet. We are calling on the government to lower the eligibility age to 60 and to remove the digital national ID restriction to ensure that all eligible individuals can benefit,” she said.
The manifesto highlights the dire situation faced by older persons in Uganda, including the fact that 48% of older persons above 65 live in multidimensional poverty, unable to meet their essential needs such as food and medication. Additionally, only 2.3% of older persons receive a pension, leaving many without a safety net.
Minister Esther Anyakun, the chief guest, highlighted the government’s efforts to address the challenges faced by older persons in Uganda. She noted that despite significant economic progress, many older Ugandans still live in chronic poverty and struggle to meet their basic needs.
“While we have made tremendous steps in economic transformation over the years, many older persons live in chronic poverty and they struggle to meet some of their basic needs,” Minister Anyakun said. “This reality should not be accepted in this country. As a government, we recognize that it’s our constitutional duty to ensure that our older citizens are able to meet their basic needs with dignity and continue contributing to the development of our nation.”
Minister Anyakun emphasized the government’s commitment to providing social protection for older persons, citing the launch of the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) program over a decade ago.
“Over a decade ago, we launched the SAGE program as a pioneering program to address the social protection needs of older persons in Uganda,” Minister Anyakun said. “Initially, SAGE targeted the most vulnerable areas, but today I’m proud to say that the program now reaches over 360,000 older Ugandans in all districts across the country.”
Some of the older persons during the public conference
Minister Anyakun also highlighted the government’s recent efforts to strengthen social protection for older persons. She noted that the government has adopted a national social protection policy and launched the National Social Protection Strategy 2024.
Ms. Nabwowe emphasized the need for comprehensive social protection measures that address the needs of all citizens, including older persons.
“Social protection is a human right, enshrined in the Ugandan constitution and international human rights instruments,” Kasule said. “We need to recognize that social protection is not a privilege, but a right that all citizens should enjoy. We need to work together to ensure that all citizens, including older persons, have access to social protection programs that address their needs.”
ISER is demanding that the government strengthen legal protection for older persons, increase funding for social protection programs, mobilize resources for social protection, and ring-fence funding to ensure that funds allocated for social protection programs are protected from budget reallocations or austerity measures.
Furthermore, they asked that the government adjust the SCG amounts to reflect the cost of living and meet the essential needs of beneficiaries, ensure that benefit levels are pegged to inflation, and strengthen transparency and accountability to address corruption and mismanagement of social protection funds.
As the conference came to a close, the stakeholders present reaffirmed their commitment to advocating for the rights of older persons in Uganda. They emphasized the need for increased funding for social protection programs and initiatives that provide skills training and job opportunities for young people. The conference was a call to action, urging the government and other stakeholders to prioritize the needs of older persons and to work towards achieving universal coverage of social protection.
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