Ratify AU protocol on right to social protection, social security

Social services

The African Union (AU) in 2022 after lengthy deliberations adopted a Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Citizens to Social Protection and Social Security. Why hasn’t Uganda ratified this important and very relevant instrument?

This AU Protocol on the right to social protection and social security calls for a holistic approach to social protection, one that links social security to health, education. It tasks African states to adequately finance social protection including requiring governments to curb leakages like illicit financial flows and progressive taxation. It calls for a lifecycle approach to social protection right from childhood to old age and reminds us all that social protection is a right. It calls upon African states to mitigate climate change through comprehensive social protection systems. These include initiatives to grow crops that adapt to climate change so as to promote food security.

Uganda publicly committed during the review of its human rights record by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights last year to ratify this protocol. We hope this is swiftly done.

Uganda has after all shown some positive steps towards the provision of social protection, for example the cash transfers during Covid 19, the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) it provides to those over 80 years and even has a National Social Protection policy.

However, as research from the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) and Research and Income Action (RAISE) has found, despite the efforts listed above, Uganda has been implementing social protection piecemeal and often not from a rights based approach or covering the lifecycle. These two are critical elements that the AU Protocol on the right to Social Protection and Social Security emphasises.

As long as social protection is considered a mere political favour, and not an entitlement, it will not be sufficiently planned and budgeted for.  Take a look at the current financing landscape for social protection. Uganda spends just 0.9% of GDP on social protection. Social protection programs are still predominantly funded by donors.

It is possible to invest in social protection. Professor Ezra Suruma, the former minister of Finance and Senior Presidential advisor on financing and planning has called for a portion of the oil revenues to be used to finance social protection. As he rightfully points out, “Ugandans need social protection so that no citizen is homeless, left to starve to death or live without basic medical care or health insurance.”

Last week, the Africa Coalition on Public Services coordinated by ISER petitioned the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) on public services like social protection finding that there can be no true EAC integration or development unless we prioritise social protection and other public services. It called on EALA member states to ratify the AU Protocol on Social Protection and social security.

Ratifying the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Citizens to Social Protection and Social Security and domesticating it will strengthen the legal framework and amplify government’s efforts to provide social protection. We can and should do more for our people. It is the Ubuntu spirit.

Ms Allana Kembabazi – Programs Manager, Initiative for Social and Economic Rights