Africa’s Social Policy Trajectories: Uganda

Abstract

The research was undertaken to establish the trajectories of social policies in the education; health; work and
employment; and water, sanitation and hygiene in Uganda. This is because there is a dearth of empirical evidence
on these policy domains since colonial time, yet these are the sectors which have significant effects on social
development. Unfortunately, over time, social policies have been largely marginalised in the development process,
yet the COVID-19 era has demonstrated that social policies can be relied on to leverage gender transformational
development. The research was qualitative and relied on the analysis of archival sources, and past and existing
policies. Key informant interviews were also conducted with respondents in those sectors. The analysis was
periodised as follows: 1940-61, 1962-80, 1981-2000, 2001-2018 and 2019 to the present day. The analysis focused
on the policy contexts, contents, actors and processes. Other areas covered in the analysis are the policy outcomes
(equity, access, equality and human rights); opportunities; challenges; conceptualisation of social policies;
interaction of social policies and economic policies; implications for social policy for certain particular groups of
people; dominant underpinnings of social policies, features and instruments; the interface between the state, the
market and institutions; and the influence of COVID-19 on existing social policies. The findings indicate that the
policies are underpinned by these variables: the contexts (socio-economic and political), contents (policy focus
and priorities), actors (the state, market and the community), including international actors. The effects of the
policies varied according to the period. They have been more positive and transformational from 2000 after
policies were put in place to address the negative impact of the SAP, and with the period witnessing much
government commitment in addressing poverty in the country and the involvement of the global community
through the MDGs and subsequently the SDGs. They were mainly negative during the Amin’s repressive and
economic war period when the Asians were expelled from the country. Generally, the trajectory has been
oscillatory and largely upward after 2000. It has also been established that the triad of the state, market and
community is significant in social policy development and a strong state is key in the policymaking and
implementation processes. Though achievements have been noted in recent years, still much more need to be
done to improve on the social development indicators, given the relatively unfavourable Gender Development
Index (0.878) and Gender Inequality Index (0.522) by 2018. Though poverty has declined since colonial time, the
Gini coefficient of 0.37 is still not in favour of women. To ensure a gender transformative post Covid-19 social
policy, it is recommended that the government should, among other things, show political commitment by
appropriating budgeting to these sectors, improve on governance, prioritise investment in rural transformation
where women are the majority, maintain the global partnerships with the global values, and ensure that the
policymaking process is inclusive and targets growth with redistribution.

Keywords: Social policy, education, health, employment, water, hygiene, sanitation