CAPAIDS Uganda successfully convened a pioneering High-Level Meeting centered on Locally Led Development, bringing together key stakeholders committed to advancing this agenda.
CAPAIDS Uganda hosted the event, held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala in collaboration with CIVICUS Global Alliance, which attracted over 40 influential participants, including donors, international NGOs, civil society leaders, media professionals, and local government representatives, among others.
The meeting which was a convergence of Visionaries served as a strategic platform for like-minded organizations, including UN Women, Aga Khan Foundation, CIVSOURCE Africa, CIV Legacy, CORDAID, CARE International in Uganda, Food for the Hungry, Plan International in Uganda, the Internal Risk Management Group of Uganda, and the Human Rights Network for Journalists, among others.
Civil society actors working on locally led development collectively reflected on a position paper presented by CAPAIDS Uganda, critically examining Uganda’s current landscape in locally led development.
Participants, spanning seven project region including Acholi and Lango, West Nile, Karamoja, Eastern and East Central, Western, South Western, and Central actively engaged in co-creating transformative solutions to strengthen community-driven development efforts.
The participants concurred that Phase 1 of the Unlocking the Potential of Locally Led Development in Uganda project unveiled cross-cutting insights, notably the alarming shrinking civic space, where restrictive regulations and limited freedoms threaten activism, media engagement, and civil society participation.
The report underscored Uganda’s vibrant but underutilized networks, such as Riam Riam in Karamoja, LASCO in Lango, and the Western Region NGO Forum, emphasizing their untapped potential as entry points for grassroots transformation.
However, findings revealed a disconnect between global humanitarian agendas and local realities, highlighting insufficient knowledge and resource transfer to community-driven actors coupled with the marginalization of women-led organizations often underfunded and excluded from decision-making spaces was also cited as a pressing concern.
A particularly noteworthy aspect of the report was the hidden strength of local philanthropy, where informal giving and solidarity mechanisms remain undocumented and unsupported, despite being critical to sustainable development.
While brainstorming on the subject matter of the last Mile exclusion, the participant’s discussions emphasized the imperative of true inclusion, urging stakeholders to involve local actors in the design, decision-making, and implementation processes to foster genuine transformation.
CAPAIDS Uganda’s Executive Director, Naomi Ayot Ayaro, expressed appreciation for the comprehensive findings, pledging to share insights with key stakeholders and seek strategic solutions to the challenges identified.
“We thank our consultants for covering all seven regions, gathering voices from grassroots actors, and providing a roadmap for action. We are committed to engaging stakeholders to bridge the identified gaps,” Ayaro stated.
The participants learned from the consultant that the Local Leadership Labs Initiative under CAPAIDS Uganda’s Local Leadership Labs, is pushing boundaries in locally led development, reinforcing community ownership, leadership, and sustainability.
The newly released position paper draws from:
- Extensive consultations with local actors, government officials, and marginalized groups across 50+ districts
- A comprehensive literature review
- Radical inclusion, ensuring engagement with faith-based organizations and underrepresented communities
With a robust Theory of Change, the initiative champions:
- Constituency accountability, driving stakeholder-led solutions
- Safe and inclusive dialogue spaces, fostering collaborative action
- Co-created, locally led processes, empowering communities to lead development efforts
Speaking at the event, Naomi Ayot Ayaro reiterated the necessity of shifting beyond humanitarian aid to resilience-building through locally led strategies.
“If we truly want long-term progress, we must prioritize locally led development,” Ayaro affirmed.
Upholding CAPAIDS Uganda’s Core Values
CAPAIDS Uganda remains steadfast in amplifying local voices and advancing holistic solutions. Board Vice Chairperson Sarah Rubanga emphasized the organization’s commitment to grassroots collaboration, ensuring communities are equipped to resist, survive, and thrive despite socio-economic challenges.
CAPAIDS Uganda’s guiding principles include:
Integrity, Excellence, Respect & dignity in diversity, Accountability & transparency Cultural & social inclusion, Compassion & commitment
Through the Local Leadership Labs Project, CAPAIDS Uganda continues to bridge gaps, ensuring local and national perspectives are amplified and sustainable change is achieved.
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