Welcome to the Expanding Social Protection (ESP) Programme Management  Unit (ESP-PMU) website.

In November 2018, Government of Uganda took a decision that starting FY 2019/20 the Senior Citizens Grants be rolled out from 61 districts it has hitherto covered, to all the 135 districts in the country. The decision is to start covering people who are 80 years and above, but gradually coming down and ultimately covering all older persons 65 (60 in Karamoja region) years and above within  a few years, while at the same time keeping all the older persons already on the Programme (since 2010).

The ESP-PMU is the successor of the Social Protection Secretariat, under the Ministry of Gender, Labor & Social Development.

Between 2010-2015, the Government of Uganda, with support from DFID/UKAID, Irish Aid and UNICEF piloted the ESP Programme. The ESPI had two objectives; (i) Pilot the social grants through the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) scheme, and (ii) Draw lessons from the pilot to develop the Uganda National Social Protection Policy, as a beginning point to build a social protection system for the country.

Following the successful completion of the pilot in 2015, the Government  took a decision to roll out the Senior Citizens Grants to an additional 40 districts over 5 years; starting with 20 in Financial Year 2015/16, thereafter to 5 districts every year, till 2019/20.  The National Social Protection Policy for Uganda was approved by Cabinet in November 2015 and launched in March 2016. The Policy provides a wider framework for social protection implementation in Uganda, beyond the social grants.

It is against this background that the Ministry of Gender, Labour & Social Development created the ESP-PMU as the coordination center for roll out of the National Social Protection Policy, but also to manage the roll out of the Senior Citizens Grants.

This website is therefore about social protection interventions in Uganda generally, but also on the roll out of the Senior Citizens Grants, specifically. It is about Uganda’s pursuit to establish a national social protection system, in line with the country’s National Social Protection Policy.  It is also about implementation of the Senior Citizens Grant as a beginning block for building that social protection system.

ESP Strategic Vision

The ESP Programme takes its vision from the National Social Protection Policy. The Policy provides the overarching framework outlining a clear vision and strategic objectives for social protection in the Ugandan context within the framework of the Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan. The ESP Programme draws on the Policy and its Programme Plan of Intervention as it is designed to contribute to Uganda’s vision for its national social protection system.

National Goal

Uganda’s national goal is to attain the middle-income status by 2020

 National Social Protection Policy Goal

 Reduce poverty and socio-economic inequalities for inclusive development by 2020

 Expected Outcomes

• A sustainable, efficient and well co-ordinated social protection system institutionalized, financed and reaching beneficiaries
• Vulnerable citizens benefit from regular, predictable direct income support

The ESP II will contribute to Uganda’s social protection objectives by delivering expanded direct income support and institutionalizing a strong national social protection system, through the National Social Protection Policy development and implementation. A central component of ESP II is the roll out of the Senior Citizens Grant (SCG).

ESP II contributes to the broader objectives outlined in the National Social Protection Policy aimed at reducing poverty and socio-economic inequalities for inclusive development, which in turn will help build a population that is secure and resilient to socio-economic risks and shocks.

ESP II will support the following objectives, which are aligned to the Government of Uganda Social Protection Programme Plan of Intervention (PPI):

• Expand provision of direct income support, contributory social security and social care and support to vulnerable individuals and households;
• Strengthen the institutional framework for coordinated social protection service delivery in Uganda
• Enhance the enabling environment for the development and implementation of social protection policy

 ESP II Outputs

ESP II will deliver the following outputs by June 2020:

Output 1: Government of Uganda capacity strengthened to lead, coordinate and implement the Social Protection Policy

Output 2:  A sustainable national system for delivery of cash transfers operational and institutionalized within GOU

Output 3: Regular and reliable payments delivered to the Senior Citizens Grant beneficiaries on a national scale.

Output 4: Increased public understanding & demand for an accountable social protection system

• June 2010: Cabinet approves the implementation of the ESP Programme;  including the pilot Senior Citizens Grant

• September 2010: The Expanding Social Protection Programme is officially launched by the Prime Minister, represented by then 2^nd deputy Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Henry M. Kajura, in a colorful ceremony  at the Kampala Serena Hotel

• September-October, 2011: First payments of the Senior Citizens Grant are officially launched in Kaberamaido, Kyenjojo and Kiboga. The historic first payment of the SCG is made in Bululu Sub County, Kaberamaido district.

• October, 2011: The Vice President H.E Edward K. Ssekandi performs the official national launch of payments of the Senior Citizens Grant during the International Day of Older Persons in Kyenjojo district

• March 2012:E Yoweri Museveni launches the SCG in Nebbi district during International Women’s Day

• August 2015: Government through the then Minister of Gender, Labour & Social Development, Hon. Muruli Mukasa announces the phased National rollout plan for SCG in a press conference at the Media Centre in Kampala

• 1st October 2015: Government officially launched the SCG national rollout plan during the national celebrations for the International Day of Older Persons in Bundibugyo

• March 2016: Muruli Mukasa, then Minister of Gender, Labour & Social Development makes a statement on the progress of implementation of SAGE on the floor of Parliament, at the behest of the Speaker of Parliament

• June 2016: Government of Uganda (Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Development) and the Development Partners- UKaid/DFID and Irish Aid enter into a Memorandum of Understanding based on a rollout plan in which the Government committed to provide funds for SCG rollout.

• June 2016: The SCG is officially launched in Kamuli District by the Speaker of Parliament

• October 2016: E President Yoweri Museveni launches the SCG in Pader district during the International Day of Older Persons

• July 2017: The last set of roll out districts receive the first SCG payment; giving the Programme a presence in 47 districts
• November 2018: Government approves National roll out of the Senior Citizens Grant in to all the country’s 135 districts
• September, 2019: Signing Memoranda of Understanding with the  74  new District  Local Governments (DLGs) previously not covered by the Programme