KAMPALA – Minister of State for Planning, David Bahati has commended the social protection as a way of uplifting individuals and their families from poverty.
The minister had on Wednesday evening represented Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda at the launch of the 2019 State of Uganda Population Report at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala.
The theme for this year’s Report is: “Promote social protection and ensure equity and equality in harnessing the Demographic Dividend.”
Bahati said this year’s theme is important because Uganda’s model of inclusive growth requires that nobody is left behind.
“Experience shows that social protection not only uplifts individuals and their families from poverty; it contributes to economic growth by raising labour productivity and enhancing social stability,” said Bahati.
Social security initiatives include: Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) and public works programmes for Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF).
Commenting on the economy, Bahati said the results of the latest GDP series released by UBOS confirm that Uganda’s economy is much bigger than previously thought.
“The size of the economy expanded in FY 2018/19 to UGX128.5 trillion (US$34.2 billion). In the same period our population reached 42 million people,” he said.
According to the State of Uganda Population Report 2019, high fertility rates resulted in Uganda having one of the youngest populations in the world, where more than half the population is younger than age 15.
