Expanding Social Protection Programme
Welcome to the website of the Expanding Social Protection (ESP) Programme.This site is one of our key information sharing tools. You will therefore not only be able to find out who we are, what we do and how we do it, you will also find useful information on social protection and implementation of the Senior Citizens Grants and Vulnerable Family Grants schemes in Uganda.
Our Purpose
The purpose of the ESP Programme is to embed a national social protection system that benefits the poorest people among the population, as a core element of Uganda’s national policy, planning and budgeting processes. Social Protection is concerned with measures to ensure an adequate, acceptable standard of living for a country’s most vulnerable and excluded citizens; a means to ensuring dignity and the rights of citizens, which is also enshrined in Uganda’s Constitution.
At the core of all social protection systems are Direct Income Support programmes; these are regular, small transfers of money to individuals or households that provide a minimum level of income security. The Senior Citizens Grants and Vulnerable Family Grants, being piloted by the ESP are examples of Direct Income Support programmes.
ESP Programme Structure
ESP is structured around two core elements:
(i) Policy
The objective of this element of the Programme is to put in place a policy framework for Uganda that guarantees and guides implementation of social protection in the country. Under this element, the ESP seeks to strengthen leadership on social protection issues across various institutions (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) of the Government of Uganda to implement social protection. This calls for a coordinated government approach to ensure that the requisite policy framework, funding, institutions and human resources are in place to support the social protection agenda in Uganda.
(ii) Direct Income Support Pilot
This part of the Programme is responsible for the implementation of the two pilot schemes: The Senior Citizens Grants and the Vulnerable Family Grants. Under the Senior Citizens Grants, older persons 65 years of age and above (but 60 years in the case of Karamoja region) receive Uganda shillings 23,000 - about US$8 per month. The Vulnerable Family Grants are paid out to households with low labour capacity owing to age, physical disability, etc. and a high dependency (on others because they cannot work). Both schemes are being piloted in 14 districts in the country. For more information go to Direct Income Support.
Anna Rupe 
Namatovu Christine 
