Print logo

hss; hss

Uganda

Promoting Democracy and Good Governence

Having introduced a multiparty system only in 2006, Uganda is still a relatively young democracy. Since independence the country had mainly experienced arbitrary rule of law, accompanied by violent coup d’états. Hence the majority of citizens still lack a deeper understanding of democratic principles and processes. That is why our projects aim at providing civic education to various stakeholders in Uganda.

Activities in Uganda include:

  • Sensitization on multiparty democracy for journalists and elected & appointed officials in order to improve their knowledge about democracy and their understanding of its relevance for their daily work. This project is implemented together with the National Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice (NCCJP).
  • To Support the introduction of civic education as a school subject. Active citizenship starts from the very beginning. As such it is important that students, teachers and tutors understand the constitution and structure of their country as well as basic rights and principles that exist. We are partnering with the Directorate of National Guidance under the Ministry of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance of the Republic of Uganda to develop the introduction of this subject within the national school curricula. 

Partners

The National Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice (NCCPJ) is a department of the Catholic Secretariat of Uganda and thus subordinated to the Uganda Episcopal Conference. NCCJP conducts various programs dealing with relevant socio-political and social issues like Good Governance, peace and conflict transformation, work in the informal sector and civic education. The latter includes the program Deepening Multiparty Democracy which is implemented together with HSF.

NCCJP operates several branch offices in various decentralized levels in the country and is thus capable of having a tight contact to the citizens and a strong bond of trust. At the same time, the Catholic Church of Uganda maintains a close contact with the parliament and decision makers, transmitting the voices from the grass root level to the top.  

MoIaNG was founded by in 2006 with the vision to promote an educated, participative, peaceful, unified and productive civil society in Uganda in order to enable sustainable development. National Guidance as a process facilitates and provides a strategic focus so that Ugandans consciously build a common understanding and make informed choices on issues of national importance. In this regard, the Ministry is the only government body that is simultaneously responsible for political and voter education. HSF is collaborating with the institution in the area of civic education at schools.