• UCRNN Annual Report – 2022
  • Annual General Meeting: UCRNN conducted their first AGM in over 3 years, bringing together 39 members of the Network who deliberated on key issues concerning the network. Key to this was the election of the new Board of Directors.
  • The NGO Complementary report on the UNCRC (November 2022): 57 CSOs under UCRNN came together to generate, and validate an alternative report to the UNCRC in 2022; with the final validation meeting finally taking place in November 2022.
  • Safeguarding trainings for member CSOs: 35 child focused organizations in Buganda (17), Bunyoro (9) and Karamoja (9) committed to review/ develop safeguarding policies for their organizations in a bid to strengthen safeguarding within their operations, processes and the people involved within their respective organizations. This was after trainings received on safeguarding; children’s rights; and causes, effects, prevention, management and reporting of teenage pregnancy and child marriage in their sub-regions.
  • Child participation and trainings: In 2022, a total of 976 children were directly engaged by UCRNN in different activities including the following:
    • HAKI trainings for child rights clubs: 569 children were trained on children’s rights, and were able to passed their acquired knowledge to 1,554 children (835F, 719M) within their schools; demonstrating their increased knowledge in 4 fundamental aspects of children’s rights including what these rights are; who protects children’s rights; what child rights violations are and how to report child rights violations.
    • Child participation and parliamentary engagements (October 2022): UCRNN, in partnership with the South African Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST) conducted a training for 15 selected child leaders on child participation and Parliamentary engagements; with a specific purpose to provide a platform for engagement with children, and strengthen their capacity in engaging policy makers in Uganda.
    • Healthy environment (November 2022): In partnership with the Child Rights Network for Southern Africa (CRNSA), UCRNN on Friday 25th November 2022 mobilized 102 children and 23 youths through UNBOUND, from Kyotera, Wakiso, Rakai and Mityana districts to participate in a virtual engagement through purposeful group discussions and presentations to receive their input on the rights to a healthy environment.
    • CSO Forum consultations with children (October & November 2022): Two online consultative meetings were conducted on 15th October and 19th November, 2022; attended by 110 children, mobilized through different member organizations to capture diverse and representative perspectives of children on different aspects of children’s rights.
  • Partnership with the Government: UCRNN worked throughout the year to support the Government in different ways including providing technical and financial support during the organizing of the Day of African Child children’s side event which took place on 21st June 2022 in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development; the Safe to Learn symposium which took place from 1st to 3rd MONTH? 2022, in Munyonyo in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports; and continuous support in handling child protection cases in partnership with the Uganda Police, child and Family Protection Unit; among other key partnerships.
  • Hosting the 8th Eastern Africa Child Rights Network Annual General Assembly: UCRNN in partnership with the Eastern African Child Rights Network (EACRN) hosted the 8th regional Annual General Assembly from 9th to 10th June 2022 in Munyonyo, to review the EACRN’s performance, agree on key actions, as well as strengthen networking among the network members working within the East African Community. The meeting brought together representatives from 12 countries including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Somaliland, Sudan, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Madagascar, South Africa and Ethiopia.
  • Access to Justice for Vulnerable Children: UCRNN, as consortium lead, partnered with the legal Aid Clinic of LDC-MUK, FIDA Uganda, Free Child Uganda and Child Aid Uganda, under the Rights and Justice Activity (USAID/FH) to implement activities aimed at increasing access to justice for survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation, children with disabilities, and those affected by HIV/AIDS; advocate for the protection and promotion of children’s rights; advocate for policy reforms; and aid in the mainstreaming of child justice at all levels of programming. Key among the activities directly implemented by UCRNN include the following: developing and dissemination of two policy briefs, 17 radio and 10 TV talk shows, social media campaigns, developing five by laws in different districts and two follow up meetings with news editors and journalists.
  • National prayers for the children in Uganda: The national prayer gathering happened on 19th November 2022, bringing together over 15 organizations, 4 media houses and 10 child-representatives who prayed and interceded on behalf of the children of Uganda. Although UCRNN is not a religious based organization; we recognize that religion plays a critical role in development.
  • UCRNN membership: There have been strengthened relationships and a fresh interest and commitment among child-focused NGOs to strengthen partnerships, networking and collaboration in order to reinforce collective outcomes in child protection and child rights promotion. This was observed through their increased participation in planned engagements, especially during the generation, subsequent reviews and validation of the NGOs alternative report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) and their active participation in specific thematic groups’ activities.
  • Key lessons learned:
    • Meaningful child participation should go beyond just the regular children’s presentations that we often invite children to make.
    • In lobby and advocacy, know when to engage and when to back down.
    • There’s no need to always re-invent the wheel.
    • The existence of a safeguarding policy in an organization does not automatically translate to its effective implementation.
    • Conducting regular risk assessments helps an organization to remain relevant.
    • Localization of safeguarding increases ownership and strengthens its implementation.