Uganda - Bridging the gap between science and practice for effective mainstreaming

Organization(s): World Population Foundation

Country(ies): Uganda

Primary thematic focus: Capacity challenges in post-crisis and transitional situations

In a Nutshell:
The Ugandan Network on Sexuality Education Mainstreaming participated in a capacity building trajectory for evidence based Mainstreaming of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in their Education Programmes in Northern Uganda, facilitated by the World Population Foundation. Findings from the mid-term evaluation are promising.

The Story:
The HIV/AIDS epidemic and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) situation have negative consequences for (the educational performance of) young people, and for the educational system as a whole. To improve the effectiveness and quality of Oxfam Novib’s counterparts’ education programmes in Northern Uganda, early 2008 its education partners started a process of mainstreaming SRHR, gender and Hiv/Aids in their programmes in Northern Uganda. These partners are united in the Ugandan Network for Sexuality Education Mainstreaming (UNESEM), and consist of the organizations LABE (Literacy and Adult Basic Education, the coordinating organisation for the network), ACORD (Agency for Co-operation and Research in Development), CEFORD (Community Empowerment for Rural Development), FAWEU (Forum for African Women Educationalists Uganda), HAG (Health rights Action Group) and UNATU (Ugandan National Teachers Union). The World Population Foundation (WPF) was requested to facilitate the mainstreaming process, as well as stimulating linking and learning of the network. This was done by building capacity among UNESEM members on comprehensive and evidence based SRHR education, and on systematically planning pilot interventions (according to the Intervention Mapping model (Bartholomew et al., 2006)). The capacity development consisted of 5 network meetings, amongst which training on behaviour change, on discussing SRHR issues, and on conducting a situational analysis and a needs assessment among own, organisation-specific target groups. During the last meetings the network formulated behaviour change objectives and identified effective intervention strategies to reach these objectives. Exchange within and outside the network was always a component of the meetings, for example establishing links with service providers and local experts on SRHR. At the end of 2009 UNESEM members formulated pilot interventions, based on a commonly formulated vision about sexuality education and on the actual needs of their specific target groups. The pilots will start this year.

Results and Critical Factors:
In the Mid-Term evaluation end of 2009, UNESEM members stated that the process of capacity building on both SRHR and systematic intervention development was appreciated a lot and had helped them to develop intervention plans that truly reflect the needs of their beneficiaries. Some of the challenges of this learning trajectory was the donor-driven initiation of the network, inhibiting intrinsic motivation to collaborate in the first year. On the other hand, forming a network, and going through this mainstreaming process together with other education organizations facilitated learning and collaboration in the longer term. Another challenge was the use of an academic protocol such as Intervention Mapping, including behaviour change theories. However, after following the protocol for more than a year, the network members indicated the systematic model is very useful to guide or improve their other projects. Concluding, the main benefits of the capacity building were the increased collaboration between network members and creating links between them and local SRHR organizations such as service providers. and learning how to identify and address the real needs of young people to improve their educational efforts. Innovative to all network members was involving young people in the intervention design to make sure the interventions are appropriate.

Name of Primary Contact Person: Ellen Eiling

Title of Primary Contact Person: Henk Rolink

City: Utrecht