Non-state actors (NSAs) are offering social protection services in Uganda to address
vulnerabilities associated with poverty. Information is limited on their adequacy and efficacy
and how their governance mechanisms address gender concerns. This study aimed to fill
that gap.
The research was conducted December 2012 to May 2013 in Katakwi and
Kyegegwa Districts, selected for their levels of poverty and vulnerability associated with the
civil war, cattle rustling and influx of refugees from neighbouring countries. The design was
cross-sectional and used semi-structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, focus
group discussions and case studies with NSA beneficiaries and representatives and opinion
leaders.
Formal NSAs deliver mostly promotive services such as capacity building in farming
and human rights sensitisation while informal NSAs provide mainly preventive services like
savings and credit, and burial and moral support. The needs are great and the resources
limited, so only the immediate problems are handled. For gender issues such services are
only symptomatic treatment: what is needed are preventive and transformative interventions
to deliver sustained reduction in gendered vulnerability. Large and formal NSAs depend on
donor support, and community-based organisations on contributions, neither of which is
sustainable.
The NSAs have governance instruments, but these are gender blind and broad in
definition. Formal NSAs are accountable to the government and donors but not to their
clientele. The contrary is true for informal NSAs.
A national policy that accommodates the local context is needed to support delivery
of NSA services; to facilitate offering of transformative and preventive interventions of longterm
and strategic nature; to guide NSAs to incorporate gender responsiveness as a guiding
principle in their interventions; and to require NSAs to engage local communities in
programme development. Gender should be integral to all policy and programming,
supported by gender training at all levels.