Does Chronic Poverty Matter in Uganda?

This policy brief describes the circumstances of the chronically poor in Uganda, and offers a range of suggestions on programmes and areas for attention to support the Ugandan government's social protection agenda.

The paper specifically notes the need for efforts to target very poor households. Emphasis was also placed upon childhood poverty, and the use of an holistic rather than a sectoral approach in providing services to the chronically poor.

Four priority areas for government attention are identified. These include peace and security, location-specific targeted social protection mechanisms, access to education, health care and land, and pro-poor agricultural initiatives.

The paper recommends that the government:

• develop and pilot methods for addressing personal issues, such as alcoholism, that impact upon the household and community level
• investigate the potential of self-targeting social protection programmes such as special employment schemes
• reinforce informal social protection systems by targeting initiatives to households in special circumstances, such as disability
• consider developing specific measures for large households
• develop spatially targeted interventions in Northern and North-Eastern Uganda to ensure inclusion of the most vulnerable.