Link PDM and Emyooga to social protection, experts urge government

KAMPALA, November 16, 2025 –- Financial experts have urged the Ugandan government to integrate all poverty-alleviation initiatives into a unified social protection framework to enhance their sustainability and long-term impact.

Programmes such as the Parish Development Model [PDM], Operation Wealth Creation [OWC], Emyooga, the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises [GROW] project, the Youth Livelihood Programme [YLP], and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme [UWEP] are cited as key interventions that would be more effective if coordinated under a single system.

Dr Fred Muhumuza, Director of the Economic Forum at Makerere University Business School, says such integration would offer guaranteed safety nets throughout the life cycle.

“All Ugandans, regardless of their social or economic background, require some form of social protection—whether through access to food, housing, education, or healthcare,” he noted.

Muhumuza stressed that initiatives like PDM and Emyooga must not only promote economic empowerment but also shield vulnerable groups from slipping back into poverty during unforeseen crises.

Social protection refers to public and private interventions designed to reduce risks, vulnerabilities, and business insecurities that may trap individuals in poverty or social deprivation.

Experts argued that although Uganda has expanded its community-based development programmes, the lack of a coordinated link to social protection measures leaves many beneficiaries exposed to shocks such as illness, unemployment, and market disruptions.

The COVID-19 pandemic was highlighted as a stark reminder of Uganda’s fragile safety net. When the country went into lockdown, millions of informal workers, women, and young people were left without income or access to support. Many subsequently fell below the poverty line, underscoring the urgent need for a more resilient system capable of cushioning citizens during emergencies.

Despite efforts by government and development partners, Uganda’s social protection landscape remains uneven, with significant disparities between urban and rural populations. Ironically, rural communities often enjoy slightly better access to social programmes due to targeted initiatives like the PDM, while urban informal workers remain largely excluded from social insurance schemes.

Persons with disabilities continue to face systemic marginalisation, and the influx of refugees and internally displaced people has stretched humanitarian resources to the limit.

Uganda Vision 2040 recognises social protection as a cornerstone of inclusive development. It calls for universal pensions for older persons, social assistance for children, persons with disabilities and the destitute, and public works programmes for the unemployed. Universal health insurance is also identified as a critical component.

However, experts warn that these ambitions will remain out of reach unless current government initiatives are integrated into a national framework that prioritises human dignity and long-term resilience.

Muhumuza was speaking at the economic dialogue, held recently at the Kampala Serena Hotel, where economists and strategists to examined the sustainability of government programmes aimed at lifting citizens out of poverty.

Participants cautioned that failing to connect these initiatives to the national social protection system could undermine their durability and overall effectiveness in reducing poverty.

The meeting concluded that Uganda’s fight against poverty cannot rely on fragmented schemes or short-term interventions. A strong social protection system is not merely an administrative reform, but a moral commitment to ensure that no Ugandan is left behind when crises arise.

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