AfriChild and the Care and Protection of Children (CPC) Learning Network at Columbia University are pleased to announce a joint webinar series focused on late-breaking research calling attention to the realities of vulnerable children in Uganda to better inform innovative interventions that protect and advance children’s rights to protection, development, and well-being.

In an effort to more meaningfully link global and national-level actors and strengthen the relevance of research, AfriChild’s researchers and Ugandan practitioners, working on the frontlines of child protection, will share the latest research on issues affecting Ugandan children today and showcase practical experiences of putting evidence into practice.

Join us in the coming months for webinars exploring themes related to street-connected children; learnings from efforts to bolster child-focused research capacity in Uganda through inter-university training and collaboration; understanding linkages between parenting practices and educational outcomes; and risks and protective factors for violence against children living in residential care institutions.

The first webinar in the series will focus on street-connected children as a particularly vulnerable demographic in Uganda. The need to find a lasting and effective solution to creating safe environments for development  has attracted a variety of responses from the Ugandan government, researchers, and practitioners. Despite a number of initiatives and policy responses, insufficient data on the nature and extent of street-connected children’s vulnerability in Uganda continues to present a challenge to government, civil society, and development partners. In trying to bridge research and practice, the webinar will spotlight a new, data-driven understanding of the realities of vulnerable children and highlight innovative interventions to protect and advance their protection and well-being.

Furthermore, COVID-19 and the Ugandan government shutdown has altered the way agencies work and engage with street-connected children who face violence at home, have no home, or are socially isolated. There have been reports of increased violence against this group by state actors in the absence of formal response and support mechanisms due to the shutdown. The presenters will share real-life examples and their experiences on how the pandemic has exacerbated violence against children on the streets, and share how programs and priorities need to shift to protect street-connected children. The lessons and findings are of particular relevance to policymakers and practitioners working on protecting street-connected children globally.

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Violence at home. Violence on the streets. Who will protect Street-Connected Children? Are we doing enough?

Presenters: Dr. Firminus Mugumya, researcher and professional social worker; Damon Wamara, Country Director--Dwelling Places, Uganda

Date: May 21st, 2020

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Building the Next Generation of Researchers. Why does it Matter?

Presenters: Prof. Fred W. Mangen, Makerere University School of Public Health; Dr. Odama K. Modest, Uganda Martyrs University; Mathew Amollo, The AfriChild Centre

Date: July 23, 2020

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The Missing Link: children in Residential Care Institutions in Uganda

Presenters: Clare Bangirana, Director of Research and Knowledge at the AfriChild Centre; Dorah Musiimire, Child Protection Specialist with Child Fund International; Barbra Aber, Technical Advisor at Catholic Relief Services

Date: September 17, 2020