AFRICHILD MONTHLY MONITOR - MARCH

The AfriChild Centre joined the Positive Discipline Coalition at a press conference on Positive Parenting, advocating for the elimination of corporal punishment in schools, homes, and communities. Hosted by the Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN), the event emphasised non-violent, evidence-based disciplinary approaches to safeguard children's well-being. AfriChild's Executive Director, Timothy Opobo, underscored the harmful impact of corporal punishment on children's development and academic performance. He reaffirmed the coalition’s commitment to promoting positive discipline strategies. Despite legal prohibitions, corporal punishment remains widespread in Uganda, with 61% of children experiencing physical punishment and 17% subjected to severe forms, according to the 2022 Uganda Demographic Health Survey.

OUR RESEARCH WORK

The AfriChild Centre, in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council, disseminated midline evaluation findings of the Social Cohesion and Livelihoods Empowerment for Youth-Led Durable Solutions (SCALE) Project in Kampala, Hoima, and Isingiro. The sessions brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, refugee-led organizations, international agencies, vocational institutions, local artisans, and project beneficiaries, to review findings, assess progress, and discuss strategies to enhance the initiative's impact. The report highlighted significant insights into the program’s effectiveness, challenges faced, and areas for improvement. Engaging discussions centered around strengthening interventions, improving service delivery, and scaling successful approaches. The collaborative effort demonstrated a shared commitment to driving evidence-based solutions for sustainable impact.

AfriChild is excited to partner with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Bochum University-Ruhr on the CANVAS (Children, Attitudes, Norms, Violence, and Society) project. Running from April 2024 to December 2025 across six countries—Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Germany, Pakistan, and Haiti—the study explores how social norms, attitudes, and cognitive styles shape the impact of violence against children on their health, education, and labor outcomes. In Uganda, the research will involve participants from the COVAC study in Kampala, Luwero, and Wakiso Districts.

CAPACITY BUILDING

The Policy and Practitioners’ Utilisation of Research Evidence (PPURE) program successfully wrapped up Module 2 of Cohort 3, equipping 30 participants—including district government officials, National Helpline representatives, and child-focused NGOs—with essential research skills. The cohort comprised 19 women and 11 men. Led by expert facilitators, the training covered research conceptualization, data collection, statistical and qualitative data analysis, with hands-on sessions on situation analysis, needs assessments, baseline studies, and evaluations. A key focus was applying research in service organizations while upholding ethical standards in child-focused research. Participants developed concept papers, refined data collection strategies, and presented findings, strengthening their ability to conduct policy-relevant research that advances education, child protection, and social development in Uganda.

Ms Linda Kairaba a Research Officer at AfriChild participated in the Practitioners’ Course in Designing, Adapting, and Implementing Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions, organized by the Child Health and Development Centre at Makerere University. The training aimed to enhance participants' ability to develop and implement scientifically rigorous parenting programs that promote child well-being. Throughout the course, participants engaged in interactive sessions focused on adapting interventions to different contexts, ensuring that parenting programs are informed by research and best practices. The training also provided a platform for knowledge exchange among professionals working in child protection, parenting support, and family strengthening initiatives.

STAKEHOLDER AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENTS

AfriChild hosted a learning exchange with the Baobab Research Programme Consortium (Baobab RPC), joined by partners from the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) Ethiopia and the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC). The discussions focused on using research to shape policies and interventions that protect children, especially in humanitarian settings. A key highlight was the Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS), the first study on violence against children in Uganda’s refugee settlements, conducted by Baobab RPC in 2022. The findings address critical data gaps, informing targeted responses for at-risk children.

The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) Basic Education Department held a retreat in Masaka to refine education monitoring tools and implementation guidelines. As part of this process, school visits were conducted to pilot new monitoring tools designed for education inspectors, aimed at improving the assessment of teaching and learning conditions in primary schools. AfriChild participated in the retreat, contributing insights from research and field experience to ensure the tools and guidelines reflected evidence-based approaches to improving learning environments. Through engagement in the review of implementation guidelines, AfriChild provided input on child-centered policies to enhance education quality and service delivery.

AfriChild recently joined a high-level dialogue hosted by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MoGLSD) and Population Council/Baobab to review findings from a pilot intervention on Para-Social Worker-led Screening for Sexual Violence Against Children in Humanitarian Settings. Implemented with key government and humanitarian partners, the initiative aimed to strengthen early detection and response systems for child survivors in refugee communities. Findings from the study indicate that over five months, 653 child survivors were identified and linked to care—compared to only 40 cases passively identified across five schools in the year before the intervention. AfriChild contributed to discussions on how this evidence can inform national frameworks and strengthen child protection systems.

In a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) Africa, AfriChild’s Executive Director, Timothy Opobo, joined a crucial discussion on the regulation of child access to technology. He highlighted the importance of research-driven policies in shaping sustainable child protection strategies and influencing legal and political reforms.

PARTNERSHIP ENGAGEMENTS

In March, AfriChild engaged with several like-minded organizations to explore potential collaborations. We hosted Children on the Edge at our offices and held virtual discussions with The Courtney Foundation, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, and the Norwegian University of Science & Technology. These initial engagements focused on identifying shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration in child protection, research, and advocacy. As we continue these conversations, AfriChild remains committed to building strategic partnerships that enhance our impact on children’s well-being.

Senior paediatricians from the Uganda Paediatric Association (UPA), led by Dr. Jessica Nsungwa and Dr. Anne Akullo, engaged in a series of strategic discussions with AfriChild to strengthen child protection through evidence-based research. Key discussions focused on integrating child protection into paediatric care, bridging the health and child welfare sectors, and ensuring research informs policy and practice. The engagement underscored the urgent need for multi-sectoral collaboration to address child vulnerabilities, especially in humanitarian and underserved communities. A potential partnership with UPA marks a pivotal step in aligning medical expertise with child protection efforts. By combining pediatric insights with research-driven advocacy, this collaboration aims to influence national policies and enhance child welfare interventions, paving the way for lasting impact.

AfriChild welcomed Restless Development Uganda for a learning exchange, fostering dialogue on youth leadership, advocacy, and child protection. The discussions explored opportunities for collaboration in research, advocacy, and program implementation, with a shared commitment to leveraging youth-driven solutions for child protection and social development. As a global agency that puts young people at the forefront of change, Restless Development has a strong track record of empowering youth to drive social transformation through leadership, civic engagement, and community-based initiatives. This engagement therefore lays the groundwork for a strategic partnership, combining expertise to drive evidence-based interventions that create safer, more inclusive environments for children and young people across Uganda.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Makerere University’s Department of Social Work, in collaboration with the East African Social Work Regional Resource Centre (EASWRRC) and the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA), will host an International Conference on Social Work and Social Development from 16th to 18th June 2025.

Read more: resilient.uia.no

BOARD HIGHLIGHT

We celebrated Ms Judy Kamanyi, an incredible Board Member, on her birthday. Her strategic insight, passion for our cause, unwavering commitment, wisdom & guidance were greatly acknowledged. Her contributions have indeed been invaluable in guiding  AfriChild’s mission forward, and we are truly fortunate to have her on our board.