Message from UCOBAC Executive Director
One of the most significant commitments of UCOBAC is the empowerment of women and improvement of their welfare and that of their children and families. It’s 29 years now and despite some up and downs, we have made significant advancements in empowering and transforming communities in Uganda through promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and children. I thus welcome our readers, partners and friends to UCOBAC’s Annual Report for the year 2018, in which we share UCOBAC’s activities, achievements and challenges registered through the implementation of various programs across the country, over the year.
In 2018, UCOBAC continued to implement various projects under its four core program areas including; (i) Orphans and other Vulnerable Children, (ii) Health (iii) Governance and Human Rights (iv) Climate Change and Community resilience. We have also expanded our programs to benefit refugees and refugee hosting communities in Northern Uganda.
Education is a basic human right and very critical in attaining Sustainable Development Goals specifically SDG4. UCOBAC has therefore, through the Orphans and Vulnerable program, continued to support children to enroll and stay in school. This has been through improvement of children’s learning environment, provision of teaching and learning materials, school feeding programs, strengthening capacities of teachers, Parent – Teacher Associations, school management committees and economic empowerment of child caretakers through enhancement of household livelihoods.
Further still, access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services and information is very critical hence, under the health program; UCOBAC has supported the establishment of school based girl child empowerment safe spaces. Through these spaces, adolescent girls have been able to access SRHR information and services especially in areas around child marriage, early pregnancies and menstrual hygiene. These initiatives promote girls education but also promote their health and thus also contribute the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing.
Land in Uganda, is a critical resource from which many depend for their livelihoods. International, regional and national human rights guidelines and laws provide for equal land rights for men and women, however, there is a great disparity between law and practice. Many women are still not able to own or inherit land especially due to restrictive cultural beliefs and practices. This violates women’s rights, ties them and their families in a vicious cycle of poverty and accelerates food insecurity in homes. UCOBAC has thus continued to work towards enhancing women’s land rights. This empowers women and contributes to the attainment of SDG 5: Promotion of gender equality
Finally, I take the opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to all our funding and local partners, without whose support we would not have come this far. I also welcome our newest partners to join hands with UCOBAC; AWO International and Brand¬stock Services AG. Welcome aboard, we look forward to having a fruitful working experience with you. And lastly the staff of UCOBAC, you are have done an amaz¬ing job to keep the organization focused on achieving its mission and vision.
Thank you
Solome Mukisa
