A People's Pension for Uganda

In recent years, Uganda has laid the foundations for a welfare state. One of the breakthroughs has been the introduction of a universal senior citizens' pension. The program, the Senior Citizens' Grant, was originally funded by international donors, but is now fully funded by the Ugandan government.

However, the benefit is still only available to citizens over the age of 80. And despite repeated assurances that the plan is to extend access to anyone over 60 or 65, no progress has been made. Moreover, the benefit is still not anchored in law and since the benefit is also very low, it is not perceived as a pension, but as a form of charity for the poor elderly.

The project, which is a collaboration with the Ugandan human rights organization ISER, seeks to change this so that the Senior Citizen's Grant will in future be seen as a pension that all older people are entitled to.

We also hope to create greater support from decision-makers and the general population to increase investment in social transfers in Uganda and push the development towards a universal welfare state, with basic services such as pensions, child benefits and services for people with disabilities. This is crucial for the country to make progress in reducing extreme poverty and achieving SDG 1.

Project details

Period: 01.06.2024-31.05.2025 (12 months)

Budget: DKK 999,769.31

Country: Uganda

Thematic area: Social Security

Partners: Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER)

Funding: Civil Society in Development (CISU)