Overview of the Gender

Accountability and Good

Governance Civic Education in
Ayer and Bala sub-counties , Kole
District.
Presented by:

Alum Anne .
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.
Goals and Objectives
Overall Goal:
To harmonize efforts among stakeholders for
improved service delivery, gender
accountability , good governance and
inclusiveness of all.
Project Objectives
To strengthen community members 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.
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.
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.
Thematic Areas
Human rights
Good governance and democracy
Multiparty systems
Accountability
Gender accountability
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.
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.
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.e
Bala 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 .
Cont. Emerging Issues
Low pupil performance in UPE schools
L. C. 1s incompetent due to limited knowledge.
PDCs 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.

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


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


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.
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

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
Cont. Low performance of pupils
Parents dont 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
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
dont attend classes and only come to do exams while
others fear to sit for exams.

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.
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 .
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.
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
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.

APWOYO MATEK,

ASANTE SANA, WEBALE NYO,
AND

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!