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UGANDA
FY 1998
ActualFY 1999
EstimateFY 2000
RequestDevelopment Assistance $23,950,000 $27,555,000 --- Development Fund for Africa --- --- $31,550,000 Child Survival and Disease $20,814,000 $18,887,000 $18,300,000 P.L. 480 Title II $30,997,000 $9,625,000 $8,331,000 Introduction.
The principal U.S. national interest in Uganda is in support of its continued successful economic development and the role the country plays in regional stability. Uganda’s economy has grown at an average of 6% over the past 12 years. This growth is a result of the country’s efforts to create a framework to encourage sustainable economic development, attract foreign investment, and promote export and trade opportunities. Uganda has made impressive strides toward an open and more transparent economy, with free markets and democratic reforms. The country has excellent potential to become a net food exporter, particularly to neighboring countries. Uganda contains unique ecosystems critical to the conservation of globally important biological diversity. In the health sector, Uganda’s aggressive efforts to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDs through major awareness and prevention campaigns are showing significant results as the rate of new infections has declined, particularly in the young adult population. Primary education reform is one of the top priorities of the GOU and has led to the introduction of a new policy to increase school enrollment and retention, especially among girls. Uganda is becoming a stable and participatory government. By devolving nearly all central government responsibilities and functions to 45 newly-created district administrations, local communities now have, for the first time, direct access to local government policy makers.
The rebel insurgency in northern Uganda continues to create large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Refugees from neighboring countries have been produced by conflicts in those countries. Uganda is a key strategic player in conflicts and tensions in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa regions, and its decisions impact on U.S. policies toward Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi.
The Development Challenge.
Despite impressive economic gains, major issues still confront Uganda’s growth and development, including heavy indebtedness, high levels of poverty, corruption and deteriorating, inadequate infrastructure. After nearly 25 years of repressive rule (1962-1986) accompanied by massive inter-ethnic violence, the GOU, led by President Yoweri Museveni since 1986, is still struggling for peace and reconciliation. While rebuilding a shattered country, Ugandans have had to cope with an especially severe AIDS epidemic. Further, the 12-year insurgency in the North, as well as involvement in regional conflicts, continues to burden Uganda’s already limited resources. More than 350,000 Ugandans are displaced and 160,000 Sudanese refugees have made Uganda their home, creating significant problems in the delivery of social services and maintenance of infrastructure.
Uganda remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Life expectancy at 40 years (1995) is one of the lowest in the world; and adult literacy is about 60% (1997). GDP per capita is $250. Infant and child mortality rates are high at 81 per 1,000 and 147 per 1,000 live births respectively. Maternal mortality is 506 deaths due to pregnancy and childbirth per 100,000 live births, a figure which many believe is conservative. One of the most serious constraints affecting Uganda is population growth which is currently at 3.1%. At this growth rate, Uganda’s population will double to 44 million in 25 years. Uganda still remains a "Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC)," with a debt burden of 64% of its gross national product in 1998. For continued growth, Uganda will require external assistance to finance a high percentage of its development budget for at least the next 10 years. Currently, nearly one-half of GOU public expenditure is externally financed. Given this scenario, Uganda is not slated to graduate for the foreseeable future.
USAID’s program aims to improve the standard of living in Uganda by encouraging broad-based economic growth; conserving biodiversity and the natural resource base; increasing Ugandan’s potential to be contributing members of society through improved primary education and reproductive, maternal and child health services; and enhancing government accountability and transparency. USAID’s efforts have led to increases in rural incomes through higher production of food crops such as maize and beans and through introduction of non-traditional agricultural exports such as cut flowers, fruits and vegetables and spices. Uganda has improved management of its system of 22 parks and reserves containing globally important biological diverse areas, including the highly endangered mountain gorilla. USAID’s policy dialogue in the education sector has served as a catalyst to open the school textbook market to competition, improve teachers’ contracts, construct hundreds of classrooms, and train over 8,000 teachers.
In districts where USAID’s activities are involved, the use of contraceptives has increased from 12% to nearly 20% and Ministry of Health data indicate that HIV prevalence has declined substantially, especially among younger age groups. In 1998, USAID initiated two new activities in response to Uganda’s evolving democratization process and to the rebel conflict in the north. The democracy and governance activity funded the development of a parliamentary modernization plan which will establish a five year strategic framework to develop Parliament’s capacity to exercise its oversight and accountability responsibilities. In the north, USAID will support efforts to help reintegrate abducted children into their families and communities, reinvigorate the local economy, and develop conflict management skills in warring communities. USAID’s humanitarian assistance ($2.03 million in FY 1998) continue to provide emergency relief to 350,000 IDPs and 160,000 refugees based in 29 camps. Results achieved include: emergency water and sanitation facilities, treatment of malnourished IDPs, resettlement of approximately 18,000 IDPs and cholera treatment and prevention programs.
Other Donors.
The United States is the third largest bilateral donor to Uganda, after Great Britain and Denmark, and the fifth largest overall donor. In December 1998, the Paris Club held its annual Consultative Group (CG) Meeting--for the first time--in Kampala, Uganda. This historic meeting included the participation of President Museveni and Uganda's private sector and non-governmental community. The donor community pledged $2.2 billion dollars to Uganda over the next three years. Donor resources provide some 45% of Uganda’s operating budget and are focused on infrastructure, social services, private sector development, environment, decentralization, and agriculture modernization.
FY 2000 Program.
USAID's program comprises a complementary package of interventions designed to raise the standard of living and improve the quality of life in Uganda through investments in agriculture and financial markets for smallholders, environmental management, better primary education, access to basic health services, and a more participatory form of government. Further, USAID humanitarian assistance targets the large base of IDPs and refugees located in northern Uganda who suffered from years of conflict and strife. To continue the significant progress made in promoting these objectives, USAID requests Development Assistance and P.L. 480 food aid. These resources will be used to reach 150,000 smallholder producers of maize and cassava, more than 9,000 dairy producers, and 50,000 small savers who will have access to credit that was not previously available. In addition, USAID’s activities will help improve schooling for some 5.4 million children who will have access to textbooks and trained teachers, and a major percentage of the population that is at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS. USAID’s support will also help to strengthen civil society and local government, complete the codification of Uganda’s laws, and improve conditions in the north, particularly for the IDPs and refugees.
UGANDA
FY 2000 PROGRAM SUMMARY (in thousands of dollars)
USAID Strategic and Special Objectives Economic Growth & Agriculture Population & Health Environment Democracy Human Capacity Development Humanitarian Assistance TOTALS S.O. 1:
Increased Rural Household Incomes
- DFA
- P.L.480/II14,350
------
------
------
------
------
8,33114,350
8,331S.O. 2:
Critical Ecosystems Conserved
- DFA--- --- 8,600 --- --- --- 8,600 S.O. 3:
Quality Basic Education
- CS--- --- --- --- 10,100 --- 10,100 S.O.4:
Increased Service Use for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health
- DFA
- CS---
---5,400
8,200---
------
------
------
---5,400
8,200S.O.5:
Demand for Constitutional Checks and Balances
- DFA--- --- --- 1,700 --- --- 1,700 Sp.O.1
Reintegration of Northern Uganda
- DFA1,500 --- --- --- --- --- 1,500 Totals:
- DFA
- CS
- P.L. 480/II15,850
---
---5,400
8,200
---8,600
---
---1,700
---
------
10,100
------
---
8,33131,550
18,300
8,331USAID Mission Director, Dawn M. Liberi
ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: UGANDA
TITLE AND NUMBER: Increased Rural Household Income, 617-SO01
STATUS: Continuing
PROPOSED OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: FY 2000 $14,350,000 DFA; $8,331,000 P.L. 480 Title II
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1994; ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2002Summary: Uganda has a rural, subsistence-based economy with 90% of the population dependent on agriculture. With President Museveni’s opening of the economy in 1986, opportunities for agricultural diversification, business expansion, and off-farm enterprises have begun to expand. While Uganda’s largest export is coffee, with cotton and tea also contributing to export earnings, agricultural diversification and a broader export base is emerging. The business sector and the government demonstrate strong commitment to poverty reduction through an export-led growth strategy primarily through expanded agricultural production and diversification. Despite the positive macro-economic conditions and evidence of strong growth in the last several years, most Ugandans remain extremely poor and lack access to appropriate technological innovations, financial services, and market outlets that are needed to increase productivity. In addition, rural Ugandans are especially constrained by the lack of road, communication and power infrastructures. Consequently, the majority of rural Ugandans still face fundamental issues of food insecurity, lack of basic services and low income generating capacity. At the same time, major challenges confront an emerging and potentially vibrant business sector that must become broad-based and able to compete with more developed countries in the global marketplace.
Key Results: Three key intermediate results are the focus of the economic growth/rural household income objective: (1) increased use of financial services by rural households; (2) increased non-traditional agricultural exports; and (3) increased agricultural production and food security. USAID is making excellent progress on all three results as illustrated below.
Performance and Prospects: USAID’s Strategic Objective No. 1 responds to the GOU export-led growth strategy by providing technical assistance and training to (1) increase food security through agricultural productivity, (2) diversify and increase non-traditional agricultural exports, (3) expand micro-financial services, and (4) create a more friendly business climate to stimulate domestic and foreign investment. In the agricultural sector, USAID funds U.S. technical assistance teams that work directly with farmers and farm groups, local associations and NGOs, traders, and exporters to develop competitive and market-driven increases in productivity. A major part of this effort is directed at basic food security crops such as maize, beans, cassava and oilseeds where over 4,000 field demonstrations in 15 districts now directly reach 150,000 households. To date, farmer demand for improved maize seed has increased from 220 metric tons in 1994 to over 2,200 metric tons in 1998. USAID’s food security and agricultural activities include assistance to producers of cassava, a main food staple which was decimated by mosaic virus disease several years ago and caused serious food insecurity for many households. USAID support has promoted a massive campaign to introduce and disseminate new mosaic-resistant cassava varieties. Nearly 70% of the farmers who lost all cassava production are now back up to normal production. Under the food security component, USAID supports dairy development by increasing productivity of dairy cattle, including improved breeds and pasture management, developing dairy products beyond milk, and providing business management skills to dairy associations and cooperatives. Over the last two years, technical assistance teams backed by strong U.S. based organizations have played a major role in tripling milk production, providing greatly improved nutrition to children and improved household incomes. More than 9,000 dairy producers, many new agribusinesses, women's associations and other cooperative farmer groups are direct beneficiaries of this dairy program.
Non-traditional agricultural exports (NTAE) is a sector in which USAID maintains a comparative advantage and is, thus, the lead donor in this area. USAID’s assistance has developed the NTAE sector from infancy and has contributed to the growth in the sector from $25 million in 1992 to $140 million in 1998. Linked to all of these programs is a very strong USAID effort to develop and expand micro financial services for the rural poor. USAID, as the lead donor in this sector as well, has substantially strengthened four financial intermediaries in the rural areas, and has reached a record level of 43,000 borrowers, and 65,000 savers throughout the country. In addition, USAID provides support to the main agricultural lending institution in the country with the second largest national branch network, the Cooperative Bank. USAID also provides assistance to improve the business climate and promote trade and investment. In 1998 USAID funded the creation of a Center for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (CADER) which will provide a venue for the settlement of commercial disputes out of court and a Credit Reference Bureau to enhance confidence in the financial sector. USAID resources also provided technical assistance in establishing a stock exchange, and to help establish a framework to remove "red tape" and improve the private sector enabling environment. Support to Ugandan business associations, and promoting links to U.S. businesses are also paving the way for greater trade and investment opportunities. In sum, prospects on all fronts are favorable, with the caveat that weather plays a significant factor in the agricultural sector, and issues, such as corruption and insecurity, constrain progress. The inability of key government ministries, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture, to adopt an aggressive agricultural modernization reform program also continues to hamper progress.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: To further build on the positive results and success achieved in the non-traditional agricultural export sector, USAID plans to develop, in early CY 1999, a trade and investment strategy which will provide a road map to increase trade and investment, particularly with the U.S. USAID expects that the recommendations from the strategy may include designing complementary new activities that support the overall objectives.
Other Donor Programs: USAID participates actively with all donors involved in agriculture and private sector development and chairs the private sector donor group. Other donors in agriculture include the World Bank which funds national agricultural research and extension, the Danish and British support the Ministry of Agriculture and district-level technical programs, the European Union finances traditional agricultural export programs, the Italians primarily fund programs in northern Uganda, and Sasakawa Global 2000 provides resources for food security. Other main donors in private sector development include the Austrians and United Nations Development Program.
Principal Contractors, Grantees and Agencies: USAID uses many U.S. organizations and NGOs to implement activities including Chemonics International, Management Systems International, Mississippi State University, Associates in Rural Development, FINCA, CARE, Freedom from Hunger, Cooperative and Voluntary Organizations of Uganda, Heifer Project International, Land O’Lakes, Agricultural Cooperative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance, TechnoServe, World Vision, World Food Program, and Africare.
Selected Performance Measures:
Baseline FY 2000 Target
(2002)Annual Household Expenditures $469 (1992) $571 $975 Annual NTAE Earnings* 0 (1990) 240 million 260 million New Borrowers (numbers of individuals 9,100 (1994) 25,000 90,000 New Savers (numbers of individuals) 37,000 (1995) 40,000 105,000 * includes cassava, maize, and edible oils.
ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: UGANDA
TITLE AND NUMBER: Critical Ecosystems Conserved to Sustain Biological Diversity and to Enhance Benefits to Society, 617-S002.
STATUS: Continuing
PROPOSED OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: FY 2000: $8,600,000 DFA
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1997 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2002Summary: Uganda is one of USAID's "key biodiversity" countries because ecosystems critical to the conservation of globally important biological diversity lie within its borders. Uganda unites seven of the 18 biogeographic regions found in Africa, and ranks fourth in Africa in number of bird species (over 1000) and third in number of mammal species (321). Inadequate management of these, together with external pressures brought on by poverty and population growth, place Uganda's unique biodiversity at immediate risk. Managed wisely, Uganda’s ecosystems can continue to serve as repositories for biological diversity while providing a foundation for sustainable economic growth. A newly unfolding institutional and policy framework for environmental conservation also provides an opportunity to ensure long-term conservation of Uganda’s biodiversity. The purpose of this strategic objective is to conserve targeted biologically diverse, economically important ecosystems. Beneficiaries of this objective are at several levels: (1) conservation of Uganda’s biodiversity benefits the global environment; (2) improved management of ecosystems benefits Ugandans in general by conserving the country’s ability to generate foreign exchange and employment from the nature-based tourism industry; (3) improved natural resource management practices benefit rural communities living in and around critical ecosystems by providing a sustained resource base from which to derive goods; and (4) regional water hyacinth control activities benefit the lake-dependent economies of the Lake Victoria basin countries by ensuring a diverse and accessible fisheries resource.
Key Results: Three key intermediate results are required to achieve this objective: (1) improved management of critical eco-systems; (2) reduced external destructive pressures on those ecosystems; and (3) promotion of an environmentally sound underlying institutional and policy framework for biodiversity conservation.
Performance and Prospects: The objective has performed well due to the continued commitment of the Government of Uganda (GOU). However, problems of insecurity, due to rebel insurgencies, jeopardize growth of nature-based tourism, a potentially important national benefit of biodiversity conservation.
Building capacity within the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for environmentally sound planning and management of Uganda's parks and reserves is a cornerstone effort of this strategic objective. During 1998, USAID initiated a 15-month management planning project in Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), a flagship park for the UWA as well as an internationally recognized UNESCO "Man and Biosphere" Reserve. The QENP planning process, led by USAID, is a test case for a new UWA Planning Manual, which defines a planning process that will be replicated in other parks and reserves in Uganda. Currently, only eight of Uganda’s 22 parks and reserves operate under management plans.
Outside of Uganda’s formally protected parks and reserves, USAID worked with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to develop a model environmental planning process in Mbale District. Replication of this model will begin during 1999 in selected districts, which under the decentralization law are responsible for managing their own territory and ecosystems.
In 1998, USAID continued to assist the Ministry of Agriculture and its regional counterparts in designing a collective response to the uncontrolled spread of destructive water hyacinth plants in Lake Victoria, a regionally important lake system and the second largest fresh water lake in the world. Available resources were successfully deployed to combat the problem in severely affected areas. However, difficulty in achieving a regional consensus with Kenya and Tanzania on an approach to water hyacinth management has hampered control efforts, and the problem continues to worsen, with an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 hectares of water hyacinth now infesting the lake. As a result of the inability of the three East African countries to agree on a plan of action to control water hyacinth, during 1999, USAID plans to award a new grant aimed at achieving a regional consensus on the control of the destructive weed. At the national level, USAID continued to strengthen Uganda's policy and institutional framework for environmental management by providing technical assistance to implement Uganda’s National Environment Action Plan. Most significantly, 1998 saw enactment of a new Land Act which provides a framework for greater security and transparency in land tenure, a direct result of USAID-supported research and policy dialogue during 1990-97. Environmental education efforts continue to build a broad-based constituency for conservation and environmentally sustainable development. This year, over 100,000 visitors (a 5% increase over 1997), mostly urban schoolchildren, benefited from environmental sensitization programs at the USAID-supported Uganda Wildlife Education Center.
Prospects are good for continued progress in 1999 against the objective’s intended results. Replication of environmental management planning processes will begin in additional parks, reserves, and districts. Partnerships with U.S. PVOs will continue to improve management of and reduce pressures on specific critical areas. Environmental education activities will continue at present levels, and a new environmental advocacy campaign will strengthen local NGOs to more effectively lobby government to maintain, improve, and implement its pro-environmental conservation stance.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: USAID plans to intensify its efforts to develop a regional approach to reducing the spread of water hyacinth. The infestation originally only impacted on Uganda’s lake-based economic activities, but it has spread and is now negatively affecting economies in Kenya and Tanzania. Without serious efforts to control the weed, economic activities that rely on the lake will be severely affected, causing loss of livelihood to thousands of people. Thus in 1999, USAID will focus increasing effort to assist regional governments in developing a solution to the problem
Other Donor Programs: Donor investment in biodiversity conservation continued at high levels, and is expected to increase during 1999 due to a new World Bank project to assist UWA. USAID and the World Bank are the principal environment sector donors, with support from the European Union, Germany, and the Netherlands. Donor support to environmental conservation activities in Uganda averages $30-35 million per annum, of which USAID contributes roughly 20%. USAID works closely with the donor group to ensure efficient coordination of activities and resources, and also collaborates with the Peace Corps and the U.S. Department of Interior.
Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: Activities under this objective are implemented by U.S. contractors, private for-profit companies, and U.S. and host country PVOs and NGOs. During 1998, this included Associates in Rural Development (ARD), Aquatics Unlimited, Agricultural Cooperative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI/VOCA), Consortium for International Development, World Wildlife Fund, and African Wildlife Foundation.
Selected Performance Measures:
Baseline (year) FY 2000 Target (2002) Annual park/reserve revenue $67,000 (1990) $2.5 million $3 million Number of ecosystems with management plans 3 (1991) 16 22 Area under national park status (square kilometers) 7,540 (1991) 11,023 11,023 Population of Mountain Gorillas 280 (1990) 300 300 Area of water hyacinth in Lake Victoria (hectares) 6,000 (1995) 950 950
ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: UGANDA
TITLE AND NUMBER: Quality Basic Education for an Increased Percentage of Uganda Children, 617-SOO3
STATUS: Continuing
PROPOSED OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: FY 2000 $10,100,000 CS
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1992; ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2002
Summary: Decades of civil strife left the Ugandan education system in shambles. When USAID assistance started in 1992, 45% of the teaching force was untrained, books were non-existent in virtually all schools, and half the school-age population was not in school. Uganda's ability to build a free democratic society and sustain its economic recovery, however, is clearly dependent on the knowledge, attitudes and skills attained by its citizens through education. Although significant improvements have been made in the quality of primary education since 1992, these achievements are being recast in the context of Universal Primary Education (UPE), a new Government of Unganda (GOU) policy, which allows free education for four children in every family. Launched in 1997, UPE has more than doubled the student population in primary school. While the GOU's commitment to increased access for all children to primary school is laudable, UPE continues to put strains on the effectiveness and quality of the primary education system. The purpose of this strategic objective is to improve quality basic education for an increased percentage of Ugandan children by continuing the development of delivery systems to improve school quality and addressing issues of equity, specifically in terms of increasing girls' enrollment and retention in primary school. The direct beneficiaries of this objective are the five million students and 85,000 teachers comprising the primary education system in Uganda.Key Results: USAID measures progress on this objective through improvements in student completion rates and increases in student enrollment. USAID's education program also targets five key intermediate results as precursors to achieving this objective:(1) increased availability of teachers and classrooms; (2) improved quality of instruction through expanded teachers' training programs and the provision of instructional materials; (3) improved support for girls' educational participation; (4) maintained level of GOU financial allocations to education at between 22-25% of recurrent budget; and (5) improved technical efficiency and institutional capacity of local administrations and civic organizations to effectively manage primary schooling.
Performance and Prospects: USAID's basic education program is comprised of both policy dialogue and technical assistance components. It is now in its sixth year and has exceeded performance targets set in 1998 in spite of new and increasing challenges to the sector. Through improvements in teachers’ terms and conditions of service, the sustainable supply of textbooks through the private sector, the development of an effective support system for training teachers and school managers, and increased efforts to support greater equity and community involvement in primary education; trends in student completion rates and pupils' performance point to overall positive systemic change in the quality of primary education. For the fourth year in a row, there has been an unmistakable improvement in pupils' performance with pass rates rising markedly in all grades. Completion rates of students for both fourth and seventh grades have also dramatically risen by 28% and 21% respectively since 1994. These increases have followed a similar pattern for both boys and girls. Since the advent of UPE, approximately 85% of school-age children are now in school and staying there.
USAID’s policy dialogue component was a major factor in the GOU's decisions to more than quadruple primary education expenditures and to increase teachers' salaries 10-fold from $8 per month to $80 per month since program inception in 1992. The high level of GOU primary education financing in 1998 was not only maintained, but was actually increased beyond anticipated levels. Since 1992, the percentage of the GOU budget allocated to education has risen from 9% to 25% of the recurrent budget, with the lion's share going to primary education. Additionally, through USAID policy dialogue, every school is now required to publicly display budgets specifying their GOU allocations. This has fostered greater transparency and accountability of public expenditures to primary education and also increased parental involvement in the schools.
Other significant results are being achieved under the project assistance component. Approximately 6,000 untrained teachers, 15,000 trained teachers, 400 teacher trainers, and 4,000 head-teachers received in-service, refresher or management training in 1998. Project assistance was initially planned as a 10-year teacher training program to cover 50% of Ugandan schools. The training program has already accomplished in five years what was envisioned for 10. Instructional materials and textbooks, once a GOU monopoly, have been converted to a competitive market through USAID conditionality, thereby decreasing inefficiency and corruption. This policy has led to the growth of a vibrant local publishing industry and retail book market. Approximately six million USAID-financed textbooks have been distributed to schools. Furthermore, USAID refocused and increased support for improved girls' educational participation in 1998. Working in collaboration with the GOU and other donors, a national plan for girls' education was developed and approved. Based on USAID-supported research findings on deterrents to girls' education, an incentive grants program launched in 1994 was revised to deal specifically with issues of girls performance and retention.
Sustaining these positive trends in quality education will be difficult, especially as the huge cohort of new students who entered the first and second grades in 1997 and 1998 move through the system. However, USAID plans to support its quality investments as the foundation for sustaining the huge increases in enrollment. In addition, other donors have used USAID's ongoing program to make substantial contributions, thus dramatically increasing the likelihood of success. Continued commitment on the part of the GOU will be essential.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: USAID does not envision any major adjustments to activities.
Other Donor Programs: Donor participation in the primary education sector has increased significantly since 1992 due to the GOU's proven commitment to education reform. USAID and the World Bank have been the largest donors in the sector during the decade. However, these resources are being increasingly complemented by those of other donors. Since the announcement of UPE, and the subsequent increase in the primary student population from 2.7 million in 1996 to 5.4 million in 1997, the GOU has worked in coordination with education specialists from many donor organizations to develop a comprehensive policy framework and financing plan to support UPE and ensure its sustainability. Based on the successful program approach already utilized in the USAID partnership, numerous donors have followed the USAID lead and are poised to provide budget support totaling $200 million over five years. The European Union and the Dutch, Irish and British Governments are already financing expansion of key education reform activities (designed and funded by USAID) to currently under-served areas of the country. This includes teachers' training, the provision of instructional materials, and classroom construction. Denmark, Germany and a variety of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are active in education programs for adults, the handicapped, and disadvantaged groups such as AIDS orphans. UNICEF supports education activities for out-of-school girls through non-formal approaches.
Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: Current grantees and contractors include the Academy for Educational Development, the American Institute for International Research, Creative Associates, the University of Massachusetts, and the Research Triangle Institute.
Selected Performance Measures:
Baseline
(1995)FY2000 Target
(2002)Grade 4 completion rate 63% 80% 83% Grade 7 completion rate 35% 42% 60% Gross enrollment ratio 73% 85% 85%
ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: UGANDA
TITLE: Increased Service Utilization and Changed Behaviors Related to Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health, 617-SO04
STATUS: Continuing
PROPOSED OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: FY 2000 $5,400,000 DFA; $8,200,000 CS
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1995; ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2002Summary: Despite improvements in a number of health indices in recent years, Uganda continues to suffer from high rates of fertility and mortality. Total fertility is 6.9 children per woman, constituting a fundamental constraint to development across all sectors. Nearly one in seven of these children will not live to see their fifth birthday, and maternal mortality is also high. A significant portion of the adult population is infected with HIV, and Uganda may have one of the lowest life expectancies in the world as a result of AIDS. The purpose of USAID’s activities in the health sector is to reduce fertility rates and maternal and child mortality and slow the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Activities, which are implemented in 12 of Uganda's 45 districts and cover approximately one-third of the population focus on: (1) improving the availability and quality of reproductive, maternal and child health services; (2) increasing knowledge and changing behaviors related to reproductive, maternal and child health; and (3) enhancing the financial sustainability of these services. Approximately 7 million women and children in 12 districts are direct beneficiaries, including about 1.5 million women of reproductive age.
USAID supports major training, supervision and communication activities. Over the past four years, USAID has supported successful initiatives to upgrade the skills of public and private health care providers related to family planning, pre-natal and post-natal care, safe deliveries and obstetric emergencies, maternal and infant nutrition, sexually transmitted diseases (STD) management, and basic HIV counseling. Approximately 780 nurses, midwives and medical assistants have been trained in most of these areas as of January 1999. USAID also places major emphasis on regular post-training follow up of trainees in their health facilities
Key Results: Performance progress is measured by monitoring indicators for family planning, child survival, STD treatment and HIV testing and counseling. Family planning indicators include couple years of protection (CYPs) and modern contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR). For child survival, USAID monitors the number of ante-natal visits, number of assisted deliveries and exclusive breastfeeding in target facilities. For HIV/AIDS, USAID captures data on the number of visits at the facilities and number of individuals tested and counseled. Four intermediate results are used to collect data at lower levels to determine: (1) increased availability of reproductive/maternal/child health services; (2) improved quality of these services; (3) enhanced sustainability of services; and (4) improved knowledge and awareness of services.
Performance and Prospects: USAID is the most significant donor in maternal and reproductive health in Uganda. USAID assistance has played a pivotal role in reversing some of the major health trends. In the 12 USAID-active districts the CPR increased from about 12% in 1995 to nearly 20% in 1997, and CYPs increased by 18% from 1996 to 1998. Assisted deliveries are estimated to have increased by 23% over 1996 figures, and the number of patients counseled for HIV/AIDS have risen by 33% to 46,000. Although AIDS continues to be a major problem, HIV incidence (new infections) is declining. The prevalence of HIV infection among pre-natal clients at urban sentinel clinics has declined by about half since the late 1980s. This is consistent with a 25% decline in new cases among these women, and a 50% decline among the youngest of these women. USAID's social marketing program resources support aggressive information, education and communication mass media campaigns raising awareness of family planning and maternal and child health services; and AIDS prevention, HIV testing and counseling. In addition to major health-communication activities which reach large numbers of people and help them to utilize health services, USAID has produced Uganda's most comprehensive system for on-the-job training and supervision for mid-level health workers. As a result, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has requested USAID to help develop national training and supervision systems. USAID has also produced standard MOH guidelines for collecting, accounting for and utilizing patient fees, and has produced what is about to become the standard MOH training course for operating the MOH's Health Management Information System, including custom software for computerizing that system at the local and national level. USAID's social marketing program is a major, steadily expanding source of contraceptives nationwide, which has attracted major funding from Great Britain and the World Bank in addition to USAID. Likewise, the USAID-supported AIDS Information Center, a UNAIDS best practices site, is the pre-eminent organization in Africa for HIV testing and counseling and has also attracted other-donor funding. A new initiative in lifesaving treatment by midwives plus immediate family planning counseling service provision is currently being piloted, and a program to enable health staff to better assist adolescents to prevent pregnancy, abortions, and HIV infection is being designed. These two initiatives are expected to be formally added to the program later in FY 1999.
In the private sector, USAID has begun working with the Uganda Private Midwives Association to increase the number of private nurse-midwife practitioners and improve the quality of services provided by these personnel. USAID’s social marketing program exceeded its sales targets for oral and injectable contraceptives in 1998 by 11% and 38% respectively. Targets for condoms need to be revised downwards given a competing condom-social marketing program initiated by another donor in 1997, but sales were still 73% of original target levels - quite a respectable showing. In 1999, USAID will assess the feasibility of marketing insecticide-treated bed nets. USAID has assumed a leadership role in new efforts to initiate small private, pre-paid health-insurance plans at missionary hospitals; two such schemes were launched in January 1999; and USAID’s efforts related to insurance will be intensified in FY 1999. Finally, USAID is in the process of establishing an endowment for a large mission hospital in northern Uganda - the largest health facility in that troubled region.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: USAID will conduct an assessment of its reproductive health activities in early CY 1999 to review interventions in targeted areas. The result of the assessment will be a strategy which will refine activities and focus the allocation of resources to the sector over the next few years. In addition, USAID will expand its child survival and nutrition interventions over the next several years to further impact on morbidity and child mortality.
Other Donor Programs: Other major bilateral donors in the health sector include Great Britain, Denmark and Sweden, with the later active primarily as financial contributors to World Bank projects. Major multilateral donors include the UN Population Fund, UNICEF and the World Bank. The Bank is the largest donor in the sector with active projects related to STDs, assistance to districts to plan and finance basic health services, and a nutrition project now reportedly in the final planning stages. While the World Health Organization does not fund major interventions, per se, it does provide technical assistance in a number of areas and is very active in policy formulation. USAID coordinates regularly with the other health sector donors. The MOH provides personnel and some 5% of the GOU budget is devoted to the sector.
Principal contractors, Grantees or Agencies: U.S. non-governmental organizations: Pathfinder International, African Medical and Research Foundation, CARE, AVSC International. U.S. universities: Johns Hopkins, University of North Carolina. U.S. firms: John Snow International; Deloite, Touche, Tomatsu. Ugandan NGOs: The AIDS information Center, The AIDS Support Organization.
Selected Performances Measures:
Baseline FY 2000 Targets
(2002)Contraceptive Prevalence 13.2% (1995) 20% 30% Assisted deliveries (sample of facilities) 33,000(1996) 37,000 41,000 Exclusive breast-feeding, 4-6 mos. 19% (1995) 25% 32% Condom sales 1.3 mil/yr (1992) 6 million 10 mil/yr HIV testing/counseling (persons) 40,000 (1997) 46,000 80,000
ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: UGANDA
TITLE AND NUMBER: Demand for Constitutional Checks and Balances Institutionalized, 617-SO05
STATUS: Continuing
PROPOSED OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: FY 2000: $1,700,000 DFA
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY1997 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2002Summary: Uganda is making progress towards becoming an accountable, stable and participatory democracy. A new constitution was ratified in 1995, leading to presidential and parliamentary elections held in 1996, completing the country’s return to democratically-elected, civilian rule. In 1997, Uganda devolved nearly all central government responsibilities and functions to 45 newly-created districts. However, Uganda’s achievements in ushering in a more stable government and substantial economic success are diminished by restrictions on competitive party politics and serious problems of corruption which raise the issue of accountability of government to center stage. Further, Uganda’s judiciary is hampered by a lack of very basic tools, such as a complete and unified code of Ugandan laws. Citizen access to competent legal services is minimal, as the average Ugandan cannot afford to hire legal assistance. Many petty crimes and juvenile and domestic cases languish for years before being heard, often with the defendant remaining incarcerated. The new constitution contains important checks and balances to prevent the concentration and arbitrary use of power. However, Uganda’s political institutions, including the new Parliament and district administrations, the judiciary, a reasonably free vibrant press and a burgeoning civil society, need to develop the capacity for employing their oversight responsibilities. The purpose of USAID’s activity is to increase democratic participation and accountable governance. The bulk of USAID’s assistance in this sector supports major capacity building activities designed to enhance the competence and functioning of parliament, civil society and local government. A smaller set of activities are aimed at strengthening the foundation of the judicial system, specifically the codification of the laws of Uganda, and support for improved legal education and training. Beneficiaries of USAID’s activities in this sector include Ugandans in general, who will benefit from more accountable government structures, as well as the 286 members of Parliament, some 200 local government officials, and 25 civil society organizations involved in public policy making.
Key Results: Four key intermediate results were designed to achieve the overall objective described above and to address these problems: (1) the creation of a strong civil society that can advocate effectively for the needs of civil society and that can act as a government watchdog; (2) the support of a capable and accountable local government system that is able to serve its constituents, provide a voice for traditionally under-represented groups such as women, and serve as a check on centralized power systems; (3) the support of a capable and active Parliament that acts independently of the executive branch, and is transparent and accountable to the Ugandan public; and 4) the support of an effective justice system that has trained advocates who have access to uniform and complete Ugandan laws.
Performance and Prospects: USAID began implementation of this objective in late FY 1998, although the legal codification activities have been on-going for the past three years. The parliamentary assistance activities, being implemented by The Research Foundation of the State University of New York (SUNY), began in October 1998. SUNY’s activities are focused on strengthening the overall effectiveness of Parliament by building its technical capacity as a deliberative body, including increasing the ability of members and committees to access information through the provision of research and reference services. Such services will allow members to view draft bills, access examples of similar legislation from other countries, gather national historical and current data, track sectoral budgets and expenditures, and facilitate the flow of information from Parliament to its constituency. To date, SUNY has assisted Parliament to develop a three-year Modernization Plan which provides the strategic thinking required to build the capacity of Parliament. An Information and Research Center, funded through this activity, including 15 new computers, dedicated Internet access, and newly trained legislative and research staff, should be in place and functioning by March, 1999. For the first time, Parliament has also passed a self-initiated members bill that established an operating budget for Parliament. USAID’s role in increasing the effectiveness of the judiciary is at the entry level, providing a coherent and accessible set of laws and regulations as a cornerstone for both political and policy reforms, and working to improve legal education (and thus the provision of legal services) in Uganda. The law codification activity is ongoing, and to date, approximately 8,000 pages of text (or one third of Uganda’s existing laws) have been reviewed and re-codified.
Issues affecting the sector include corruption and the upcoming referendum on political parties. Corruption remains a tremendous problem. The donors made a joint statement about corruption at the Paris Club Consultative Group meeting (CG) held in December 1998. The Ugandan government has taken preliminary steps to address this issue, including the appointment of a new Minister for Ethics and Integrity. The Ugandan Parliament, perhaps partially in response to the CG statements, renewed its level of activity with regard to the investigation of several executive branch ministers involved in the privatization process. Two ministers under investigation have resigned. The sustained level of commitment on the part of the Ugandan government in addressing this issue will be constantly reviewed. Further, the Ugandan Constitution mandates that a country-wide referendum will be held in the year 2000, preceded by a year long debate period, to decide whether multiple political parties will be officially allowed. Civil society organizations (CSOs) will undoubtedly be actively involved in the debate process leading up to the referendum.
Possible Adjustment to Plans: USAID’s democracy and governance objective began just over a year ago and activities are in the early stages of implementation. As a result, there are no plans to change course at this time.
Other Donor Programs: USAID is the largest donor in this sector although most donors are involved, that is working, to strengthen the 45 newly-created district administrations. USAID is currently the only donor supporting activities directly with Parliament although Great Britain is considering a complementary project, and Germany and Denmark have funded training and study tours. Great Britain is also a USAID partner with regard to funding the legal codification project, and has recently begun a review of the overall needs of the Ugandan legal sector as a whole. Other donors provide limited support directly to the judiciary, such as the provision of computers and computer training to High Court judges. The Ford Foundation is providing some of the funding for the legal aid clinic at the Law Development Center. Donors working in the area of local government are numerous, with donor coordination carried out to a certain extent through the Ministry of Local Government. With regard to work with civil society, almost all donors operating in Uganda provide some support to individual CSOs in individual sectors.
Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: USAID’s principal implementors are: The Research Foundation of the State University of New York, the William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul Minnesota and Georgetown University Law School in Washington, DC.
Selected Performance Measures:
Baseline
(1996)FY 2000 Target
(2002)Number of bills initiated by parliament 0 23 No. Of Local Government Budgets
publicly DisplayedOne 30% 75% Uniform Legal Codes Established
and Available (pages processed)None 60% 100% CSOs' public policy analysis developed None 2 5
ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: UGANDA
TITLE AND NUMBER: Improved Foundation for Reintegration of Targeted Areas of Northern Uganda, 617-SPO1
STATUS: Continuing
PROPOSED OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: FY 2000 $1,500,000 DFA
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1998; ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2001Summary: Northern Uganda includes 10 districts, out of 45, and roughly five million people, that have endured conflict and social disruption for more than a decade. Economic and social indicators suggest that, overall, these districts have not fully participated in the steady growth occurring throughout the rest of the country. Insurgent activities by rebel groups have disrupted farms, communities, and civil institutions, resulting in the displacement of approximately 350,000 people to protected camps. Chronic insecurity is preventing USAID and other donors from fully applying national development programs throughout the north. In addition, many local people, district officials, and northern politicians believe that the north has been neglected, if not ignored, in the economic development of Uganda. Full reintegration of the north into Uganda’s economy as a whole will be a long-term process and is dependent upon achieving a lasting peace. The purpose of this activity is to improve the economic and social foundations of targeted areas of northern Uganda such that with the establishment of a lasting stability, affected populations will be able to more effectively participate and benefit from USAID’s national sustainable development programs. Beneficiaries will include approximately 350,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and persons affected by conflict in Gulu/Kitgum Districts; approximately 20,000 subsistence families faced with chronic food insecurity; and 100,000-150,000 persons affected by disputes between tribes/clans.
Key Results: Three intermediate results reflect progress: (1) meeting critical needs of affected populations; (2) improving food security, e.g., improving access to markets where possible; and (3) supporting grass roots dispute resolution and prevention activities. Because circumstances throughout the North vary, these objectives are designed to encompass emergency and transition activities that will address a broad range of needs of affected populations and will provide a link between relief and development. Another gauge of the activity will be the decline in the number of IDPs.
Performance and Prospects: USAID’s program to support northern Uganda began in September 1998 and was designed to respond to the 12 year insurgency that has affected 800,000 people based primarily in Gulu and Kitgum districts. Approximately 10,000 children have been abducted by the rebels and used as soldiers, slaves or concubines. About 4,600 have been returned, but suffer severe trauma as a result. USAID’s support will focus on helping to reintegrate the children into their families and communities by funding activities through Trauma Centers managed by several international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Economic activity in the north has been severely curtailed and residents are fearful of returning to their villages due to constant raids and abductions. USAID’s northern Uganda program grew from the goals of the Greater Horn of Africa Initiative (GHAI): improving food security and resolving/preventing conflict. USAID’s activities are designed to be flexible and innovative in responding to the changing problems facing the people of the North. It is intended to be temporary, about three years. As a stable peace is achieved, the program will phase out and activities will either end and will be subsumed by USAID’s national sustainable development programs. USAID plans to provide grants to several international NGOs based in the north that are working in the displaced camps to provide food, economic activity such as construction of rural roads, improvements in health and nutrition and support for abducted children and their families. Further, due to serious ethnic conflict along the Uganda/Kenya border with nomadic groups, assistance will be provided to develop conflict resolution activities.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: USAID’s activities to assist northern Uganda began in early FY 1999 and are scheduled to end in FY 2000. Thus, there are no plans to alter the objectives or interventions at this time.
Host Country and Other Donor Programs: The Government of Uganda provides military protection to internally displaced person (IDP) camps, World Food Program (WFP) food aid convoys, and main access routes. Local district governments direct disaster management committees and coordination of humanitarian activities. Other donors include the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the European Union, International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations Children’s Fund, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, WFP, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Overall donor support is estimated to be approximately $100,000,000 (1996-2000).
Principal Contractors and Grantees or Agencies: This is a new activity, authorized in September 1998. Planned grantees include International PVOs e.g. Red Barna, Lutheran World Fund and CARE.
Selected Performance Measure:
Baseline
(1997)Target
(2000)Number of people whose critical
needs have been met (25% of
affected population).0 200,000 Number of abducted children reintegrated
with their families and communities.0 1,500 Kilometers of roads rehabilitated
using manual labor.0 kms 250 kms Number of participants in selected dispute
resolution activities.0 15,000
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Last Updated on: July 14, 1999 |