Following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in October 2004, UNDP and Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) have partnered for a three-year programme (“Activity Agreement 1”) aimed at strengthening local actors in the MDG and poverty reduction processes.
The programme is implemented in 15 countries (Albania, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Kenya, Macedonia, Malawi, Niger, Serbia, Tanzania, Uganda, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe) by UNDP.
In Uganda this project is implemented by NGO Forum with strong collaboration with SNV, ULGA, MoFPED and the Local Government authorities in Kasese and Soroti. The co-implementers are Kasese District Development Network (KADDENET) and Soroti NGO Forum in Kasese and Soroti District respectively.
Development objectives,
The project has 3 objectives, namely;
1. To raise awareness through a participatory process on the MDGs and mobilize the CSOs, Local Governments and domestic business sector organizations in the national MDG and poverty reduction processes.
2. To enhance the capacity of the CSOs, local governments in the implementation of MDGs, in the light of the realities in the respective localities.
3. To formulate processes that can ensure coherence between national plans and efforts towards achieving MDGs and district plans.
Activities & expected results
The project is expected to raise awareness of MDGs in the two districts. District MDG reports have been prepared and were launched on October 31st 2007.will be prepared. These serve as important advocacy and planning documents. It is expected that the issues raised in the MDG report swill inform the planning process of the district and MDGs will be fully integrated in the district plans.
Implementation phase
To date the level of awareness at district level has raised and the capacity of district officials to integrate MDGs in their plans has been built. The two districts have formed MDG teams comprising of representatives of NGOs and local government officials. These teams have produced district MDG status reports which were launched in October 2007. The two districts have also begun integrating MDGs in their plans. In particular, Kasese district threw its own initiative has began pilot projects targeted to ensure that MD1 on poverty and hunger is achieved in the district.
The last phase of the project will involve raising awareness’ at local level i.e. village level.
