Purpose

1. Overview of the Gender Accountability and Good Governance Civic Education in Ayer and Bala sub-counties , Kole District.Presented by:Alum Anne .

2. Purpose • To provide a framework for co-ordination of planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of gender accountability and good governance at local Government. • To share experiences and lessons leant with other stakeholders. • To harmonize co-ordination mechanisms for programmes and provide guidance to all actors who plan interventions to address gender inequalities and vulnerability in a manner that fosters a co-operative and collaborative approach that addresses the multiple needs and rights.

3. Goals and Objectives Overall Goal: • To harmonize efforts among stakeholders for improved service delivery, gender accountability , good governance and inclusiveness of all.

4. Project Objectives • To strengthen community member’s capacity to demand for accountability from both politicians and technical leaders from National District and lower local government and hold them liable for decisions, actions and omissions • To mobilize citizens for civic education through advocacy, education, sensitization and awareness execution.

5. Project Implementation Models The project was based on the following models, which has proven effective. • Integration of all stakeholders i.e. youth , women, men, technocrats, religious leaders, cultural, political party leaders and opinion leaders in gender accountability and good governance and civic education • Capacity building which employs a mix of methods ranging from participatory self assessment, improved planning, skills by building for follow-up support, • Creation of an anti corruption team or community monitors and strengthening their capacities to re-inforce a sustained response to gender equality and justice for all.

6. Modes of Project Implementation • The project is predominately community based with the selected parishes as entry points. • On spot visits and checks to various infrastructures and institutions . This is evidence based – H/C, Schools, roads, offices. • Focus group discussions with various stakeholders. • Experience sharing and finally working with existing community structures like sub-county, parish, churches, schools , health centers.

7. Thematic Areas • Human rights • Good governance and democracy • Multiparty systems • Accountability • Gender accountability

8. Kole District Project Background ACOFODE in partnership with local CBOs in Kole district is implementing civic education in two sub-counties of Kole namely; Bala and Ayer sub-counties in selected parishes of Omuge and Telela directly targeting 60 participants to act as trainers in disseminating the information to other community members indirectly 1,500 people have been reached so far. The project started in November 2012 to date. New parishes have been penetrated and reached with the civic education.

9. Results • Four civic education and dialogue sessions held. • 480 stakeholders reached directly and 3,000 indirectly. • The project partners followed up on emerging issues raised with various stakeholders. • Held stakeholders meetings. • Service delivery is dratically improving as communities are now being engaged in the planning process so as to identify and prioritize their needs.

10. Emerging Issues • Corruption both at lower local government and district level especially in the procurement . • Elected leaders not giving feedback /accountability to the electorates. • Inadequate supply of drugs in health centers i.eBala H/C III and Bung H/C II. • Absence/inadequate health workers at the facilities e.g. few nurses especially in Bung H/C II there was no midwife. • High school drop out especially among the youth for fishing .

11. Cont. Emerging Issues • Low pupil performance in UPE schools • L. C. 1’s incompetent due to limited knowledge. • PDC’s making plans on behalf of communities without consultation or planning meetings. • No remittance of 25% of revenue by sub-counties to the parishes. • Poor and inaccessible roads . • No clean safe drinking water in Aumi. • Most parish chiefs are caretaking and not sustainably appointed.

12. Voices of Community Members Bala H/C III To this, community members raised the following, (their voices quoted) • There is insufficient supply of drugs which last for only one or two days. • A Health official was quoted to be giving only panadol or septrin even if complaining of other problems such as heart burn and headache • Lab equipments and reagents are not available • The are not informed of drug supply and the health sector committee are not doing their work

13. Cont. Voices of Community Members • Patients take too long in the Health Center and Medical workers do not care but only ignore us. • Some Medical workers do not reside within he health unit. • The Health Center is servicing the whole of Bala sub-county and the neighboring sub-counties. • Health Workers carry out only physical examination and no blood samples are taken for lab. Est. • The health workers always demand for money from patients • Drugs are stolen and taken to drug shops

14. Cont. Voices of Community Members • Community around the Health centre are not friendly, they are thieves. • Harassment by people taking History. The watchmen were quoted to also be doing this and even prescribing treatment • Opiny Richard, the pool system being used and bringing drugs which are not priority. • There is a lot of corruption in the Health Center. • The Village Health Teams are also a problem • Psychiatric drugs are also not available especially for patients with epilepsy and other mental disorders.

15. Response from the in Charge Bala H/C III, Mr. Okecha Sam; In his response, he said we have 18 staff instead of the 21 required. So the staffing is 95% • The population of Bala sub-county is 44800 of which; • Women of child bearing age are, 9670 • Women, 20200 • Children, 1926 • Not pregnant

16. Cont. Low Performance of Pupils • The thematic curriculum, has made most pupils not to know English since most subjects are being taught in the local language and teachers do not translate to them in English • Misconception of children's right and responsibilities • Poor and late payment of teachers salaries • Poor accommodation for teachers • Bad roads • Inspectors of schools are not performing their duties of monitoring schools • Parents over engage pupils in garden work

17. Cont. Low performance of pupils • Parents don’t pay Development fund on time • Poor health of children • Lack of uniforms for children • Drunkenness of some parents lack of informal education • Teacher report late to school • Peer influence • Mismanagement of UPE funds and reluctance by some teachers. • Sexual gender based violence • The phased out of primary education reform programs

18. Teachers' Views The teachers began by saying that, fundamentals of education is based on, parents, pupils, teachers and government. And without one pillar, the rest are bound to collapse. • Negligence and irresponsibility of parents • Indiscipline and high levels of absenteeism of pupils • Local authorities not taking up their roles • Poor government policies of for instance promoting al pupils irrespective of their performance. Some pupils don’t attend classes and only come to do exams while others fear to sit for exams.

19. Success Stories In Bala H/C III, patients were sharing wards which did not have beds, mattresses and inadequate drugs, but recently through lobbying by the Sub/County officials 10 mattresses were donated by Stanbic bank to the H/C. In Bung H/C there was no midwife/nurse which made women fear to give birth in the health unit leading to maternal and infant mortality rates increasing, but now a qualified midwife has been recruited and posted to the health unit.

20. Cont. Success Stories On the bad roads especially Bala-Eduka , Corner Park to Te-Boke roads the road fund money worth 200 M was mismanaged and diverted by the district engineer, as fate would have it, during one of the civic education sessions, the RDC was on routine monitoring and passed by during the civic education sessions, the community raised the issue of bad roads which led to the arrest and interdiction of the Engineer and investigations are going on. In the Procurement /Contracts committees, the Chairperson was arrested and taken to police for soliciting and receiving bribes .

21. Lessons Learnt • The project can be more sustainable if local communities , structures are actively engaged and involved. • The project is relevant to issues of Kole as raised in emerging issues. • Engagement of local CSOs in implementation is relevant because it offers an opportunity for growth and capacity building as resources can be easily mobilized as a consortium in the long run. • The communities have great interest in governance and accountability, issues as it relates to their social and economic lives as reflected in high turn up of participants. • The program is being demanded for by other parishes that we have not reached.

22. Recommendations • Need for regular follow up and monitoring by CSO actors. • Strengthen capacities of the anti corruption team or community monitors. • Increase on budgetary allocations towards civic education by mother partners ACFODE and DIAKONIA. • Carry out exchange visits to other partners in other districts to see on their progress

23. Conclusion Despite Uganda's impressive growth record, 7 million Ugandans remain in chronic poverty and excluded from national Development Processes. We appreciate, commend and applaud ACFODE in its struggle of achieving justice and equality for all by ensuring that gender equality is a reality. All this can be achieved through proper legislation and enforcement of the relevant polices by translating them into local languages, and making copies available and accessible to he common man/woman in Kole district.

24. APWOYOMATEK, ASANTE SANA, WEBALENYO, AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!