1. How the media can support advocacy for SCGs/social protection in Uganda
Simon E. Omoding Communications Manager, ESP

2. Introduction & Background
The Purpose of the Presentation: To clarify the role of the media in advocating for the SCGs/SP in Uganda
Scheme:
The Presentation will therefore deal with the following:
Briefly explain social protection, senior citizens grants, SAGE/ESP
Briefly highlight progress of implementation of SCG/SAGE/ESP
Highlight my understanding of who the media is
Show why the media should be interested in social protection/SCGs/SAGE
Discuss what the media can do to support SP/SCG advocacy
Elaborate some Messaging for SCGs/social protection for desired impact

3. Background: What is social protection/Senior Citizens Grants/SAGE/ESP
Uganda’s Vision 2040 : transforming from a peasant to a modern and prosperous country by 2040, while ensuring that no one is left behind.
This vision follows impressive economic performance and a series of poverty reduction strategies over the last 2 decades
Steady GDP growth at 7% on average
Poverty reduced from 56.4 % in 1992 to 19.7 % in 2013.
But poverty , inequality of opportunity and vulnerability remain challenging to Uganda’s development!

4. What is social protection-Poverty & vulnerabilty

5. What is social protection-poverty & vulnerability
The large number employed in the agricultural sector are vulnerable to:
climatic shocks,
pests, plant and animal diseases
and price fluctuations;
and those working in the informal sector usually receive low and irregular income.
Poverty and vulnerability has cyclic effects with serious implications for long-term human development:
Inadequate nutrition, limited access to health and education means that children cannot develop to their full potential to attract better returns to their future labour ;
Yet poverty induced increases risk aversion and leads to suboptimal household economic decisions; low self esteem and social exclusion leading to the intergenerational transfer of poverty and vulnerability

6. What is social protection-poverty & Vulnerability
Although Uganda has a strong tradition of extended family support this system is under strain due to:
persistent poverty
Rapid modernisation and urbanisation
HIV/AIDS providing
Yet, access to formal social security is extremely limited e.g. only 5% of working population are covered by formal pension scheme and only 4.5% receive some form of direct income support
NSSF: 400,000 members
PSPF: 51,000 members
Public works: 500,000 beneficiaries/year

7. Social Protection,Risk & Vulnerability
Social protection is therefore public and private interventions aimed at addressing risk and vulnerability among the population; safety nets
MGLSD’s vision is therefore to establish a Social Protection system as part of the core government policy and planning processes to:
reduce vulnerability to shocks and thereby
prevent deterioration of living standards and reduce poverty
support households to build more secure and resilient livelihoods.
Provided for in the Constitution, NDP, NRM Manifesto

8. ESP/SAGE/SCG at a glance
Approved by Cabinet in June 2010
Led by MGLSD with £50 million
support from development partners
UGX 2 billion allocated in
FY 2013/14 and 2014/15 to
rollout SAGE to Yumbe

9. ESP/SAGE/SCG at glance
The objective is to embed a national social protection system that benefits the poorest as a core element of national planning and budgeting processes
ESP implementing SAGE; SAGE implementing the Senior Citizens Grants
In 15 districts: Apac, Kole, Amudat, Moroto, Napak, Nakapiripirit, Katakwi, Kaberamaido, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Nebbi, Zombo, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa & Yumbe

10. Who/what is the media
“Media” is the plural of “medium” i.e (a) channels through which something is conveyed
In our context sometimes, we use it to mean the journalists- the people in the press
Sometimes we use “media” to mean both the “messengers” and the “channels”
For purposes of strategic communication & advocacy, “media” =Journalist e.g reporter, talk show host, columnist, editor, etc

11. Who/What is the media in Uganda
Cognizance: Communication-and along with it channels- has evolved: inter-person, Non conventional media, mass media, social media
In Uganda: Proliferated media: Print/Newspaper(over 10), Radios (over 300), TV(over 10 terrestrial), now social media (blogs, facebook, Twitter, wikis, etc)

12. How the media works for SCG/SP advocacy
The primary objective of our advocacy that media contributes to is: Increased awareness, popularity and demand for specific, comprehensive social protection interventions from the Government of Uganda in districts that are currently not benefiting from the SAGE program
Media gives issues presence, amplifies
Media gives issues urgency, critical-massing
Media gives issues currency, in-thingness
Media gives issues Proximity, relevance to the audience
Media gives issues pressure, demand for action e.g calls for expansion; child sacrifice stories, tear-gassing children in Kenya
Media gives issues influence & control thru information/knowledge, change of attitude
Media gives issues emotion (moves from head to heart, “touching”-our case stories
The challenge therefore is to exploit the potential of the media to achieve these benefits, thereby achieving the objectives

13. What media can do for social protection: Opportunities
We would like the media to bring out: impacts, Give prominence, Give proximity, give urgency, give rationale (why Uganda should do it)
News opportunities; events, issues, personality, beneficiaries, etc
Features opportunities; issues, implementation, impacts
Commentary opportunities: issues, impacts
Discussion opportunities
Q&A
Other opportunities

14. How can media strategically & constructively engage
Know the issues we are dealing with; poverty, vulnerability, Uganda’s commitments, cash transfers as a concept, social protection, direct income support
Know the opportunities available for your media: News avenues, features avenues, commentary avenues, talk shows, comment/view point,
Have a strategic plan to engage with social protection: e.g around international/national/district days, etc - World Poverty Day, international day for Older persons, Democracy day, human rights day, Heroes day, etc
Simplify things for the public: help the public to understand; e.g is SCG hand outs or long term strategic intervention?, break down the big issues in the part manifestos for the public, in international commitments for the public, etc,
There is anew story every time: depending on how you angle it the story, bending the story; e.g the coverage numbers, impacts, donor support, GoU commitments, impacts on the beneficiaries, etc

15. Key messages on social protection for the media
Social protection is about addressing risks and vulnerabilities in people’s lives, to ensure that vulnerable people like the old are enabled to meet their minimum life needs and achieve their full potential. Social protection instruments like the Senior Citizens Grants are meant to ensure that older persons are not destitute but they live a more dignified and happier life.
By supporting older persons with grants, they are enabled to access basic health care, education services for children in their care, build secure, sustainable and productive livelihoods, and become more active and productive members of the communities
 Social protection is not just about poverty reduction – it is also about empowerment of citizens, justice and strong citizenship.
The Senior Citizens Grants is a Government of Uganda Programme and therefore does not segregate people by political party affiliation, religion, tribe or any other criteria.

16. Some issues the media needs to help Ugandans to understand
Aimed at addressing the key knowledge/understanding issues about SCG/SP
What is Social Protection?
What does it uniquely bring to Uganda's development agenda?
What are the benefits?
Why does Uganda need Social protection?
Why social protection & cash transfers at this juncture?
Cost affordability issues, etc?
What is the cost if Uganda doesn’t implenent?

17. Comments, questions, welcome
THANK YOU
Comments, questions, welcome