Uganda commended for SDG gains amid funding challenges

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Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under the NGO Forum have commended the government for its commitment to implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) despite the challenges facing the country.

Moses Isooba, the executive director of the National NGO Forum, said Uganda has made commendable progress in SDG 4 (education) and SDG 5 (gender and equality).

“We have more women in leadership, including in Parliament, and the Vice President and Prime Minister of Uganda are all women," he said.

(L-R) Seth Nimwesiga legal officer Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), Georgia Tumwesigye Program Manager Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), Rehema Nakato Program Officer Open Centre Space and Callist Tindimugaya Director Water Resource Planning and Regulation Ministry of Water and Environment. This was during the CSO-government public dialogue at Protea Hotel. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)

"When you look at the permanent secretaries, we have about 16 out of 31 who are women. So in terms of presence and strategic engagement, we are delivering on that," he added while speaking during the CSO-Government public dialogue on SDGs at the Protea Hotel on Wednesday.

However, Isooba said there is still a long way to go for the country, adding that, on the whole, the country has stagnated or regressed on some goals.

He explained that this is partly due to low investment in providing public services as a result of the shrinking national purse.

“As a country, we are also under a huge public debt, and a lot of the money that is collected from domestic revenue is instead taken for debt repayment instead of putting in place services, including health centres and classrooms,” he said.

Charity Kalebbo Ahimbisibwe ED Electoral Laws Institute addressing participants during the CSO-government public dialogue at Protea Hotel. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)

Charity Kalebo Ahimbisibwe, the executive director of the Electoral Laws and Governance Institute, said female representation in Parliament currently stands at 33.3 per cent, which was commendable, but that more needed to be done on gender equity and equality.

“We need African leaders to reflect on how we have synergies across the SDGs to be beneficial to the ordinary people,” she said.

Dr Rehema Nakato Sessimba, the programs officer of Open Space Centre, called for structural adjustments in public interventions, including those that target employment for the youth.

She said many tend to focus on agriculture, business, and technology, yet young professionals in fields like medicine or social sciences may struggle to find aligned opportunities, leading to many losing out.

Dr Rehema Nakato Sessimba Program Officer Open Centre Space addressing journalists during the CSO-government public dialogue at Protea Hotel. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)

She said they have been examining some interventions, but some of them, such as the Parish Development Model, have challenges that limit youth participation.

"Our view is that government should stop looking at the youth with a homogenous lens," she said.

The CSO-Government public dialogue was organised as a curtain-raiser to the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, which is due to take place at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo.

Participants attending the CSO-government public dialogue at Protea Hotel. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)

The event will bring together representatives from across the continent to discuss progress on the SDGs. The forum will take place from April 6-9.

It will provide a platform for Uganda to showcase its progress and challenges in achieving the SDGs. It will also bring together experts and stakeholders to discuss solutions to the challenges facing the country.