Facilitating the National Forum on the State of the Ugandan Child

qed-success-story Uganda Child

After Uganda’s first Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) identified youth as a potential game changer, the USAID/Uganda Learning Contract, implemented by QED, has tracked data on the growing population and implications for Uganda’s future.

In 2015, QED commissioned a study to look at youth trends in health, education, and social protection. As a result of this analysis, the team put together a Call to Action publication and established an Advisory Committee (in close collaboration with the Government of Uganda and other key stakeholders) to inform and develop an Action Plan.

In October 2015, the National Forum on the State of the Ugandan Child was held to raise awareness of youth issues and provide a platform for discussion. The event, aptly themed “Our Children, Our Future”, brought together more than 700 participants from all over Uganda, as well as global development practitioners committed to improving the lives of children. Attendees signed the Munyonyo Declaration to pledge their collective support to sustainably improving the lives and well-being of Uganda’s children.

In the months after the Forum took place, regional meetings have been held in local communities throughout Uganda to further the conversation and engage community leaders, teachers, parents, and children directly. These events have created a platform for participants to make connections and commit to realistic steps they can take to address the challenges presented, thus serving as an opportunity to engage champions to coordinate efforts and provide a greater network of support for child welfare issues.

Learn more about the National Forum on the State of the Ugandan Child by visiting the Child Forum website.

Read the USAID/Uganda Learning Contract report, “The State of the Ugandan Child: An Analytical Overview”

Watch one of the project-produced Child Forum videos, “Hear Us: Ugandan Girls Speak Up #GirlPower”