Page 31 - Aidlink AR 2021

UGANDA COUNTRY PROFILE
& PROGRAMMES
Total spend
delivering programmes to some of the most vulnerable people in Uganda
2020 €40,641
2021 €84,090
48%
Increase
on 2020 total spend
6,360
people supported with access to clean water
Country Profile
The mainly rural population of Napak district Karamoja, and the Masaka and Kyankwanzi districts Buganda, traditionally depend on livestock and crop production for survival.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 resulted in wide scale government restrictions including the closure of schools and restrictions on movement, meetings, and trading across Uganda. The rural communities in Napak, Masaka and Kyankwanzi have been disproportionately affected by these measures, particularly the Karamojong in Napak who traditionally rely on movement in search of pasture for their animals. These challenges, compounded by protracted rains, a prolonged national water crisis, flash flooding and local insecurity further hindered development and reduced access to food, causing a rise in hunger and malnutrition.
Schools in Uganda remained closed for the whole of 2021. National elections in early 2021 were marred by violence and further delayed the re-opening of schools. Prolonged school closures have severely impacted children’s numeracy and literacy skills with many facing the risk of never returning to school, falling into child labour, poor mental health and sexual exploitation.
The impact of the last two years have resulted in extreme lockdown- poverty in target communities. Pressures on income and food insecurity increase the likelihood of girls being married off for a dowry and never returning to school. In Napak, Masaka and Kyankwanzi, the task of collecting water is traditionally given to girls and often requires walking long distances, resulting in extended periods of absence from school. This task also exposes women and girls to potential acts of gender-based violence (GBV), including physical and sexual assault.
GBV has been labeled by some as the ‘shadow epidemic’ in Uganda. It is reported that 22% of women in Uganda have experienced some form of GBV during the lockdown. Between March 2020 and June 2021, Uganda has reported a 22.5% increase in pregnancies among school-going girls and young women aged 10-24.
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