Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye, the Principal Research Fellow EPRC (L) with MoFPED and UNICEF Uganda Officials brief the press during the launch of the on-line National Social Service Delivery Equity Atlas. Photo by Mouris Opolot
Uganda’s first ever – National Social Service Delivery Equity Atlas is now digital
The atlas is a joint initiative of Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) and UNICEF Uganda.
It was launched at a press conference held on January 16, 2018 at MoFPED Offices.
The online platform is based on naturally harvested and processed digital cartographic data showing electronic budget information on; Health, water and sanitation, Education and Public Infrastructure sectors. These sectors constitute standard indictors used to measure budget performance.
Speaking at the launch on behalf of Dr. Sarah Ssewanyana, the ED EPRC, Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye, the Principal Research Fellow said the Atlas provides information on the impact of public investments on social outcomes like school completion, antenatal care, hand washing and other very important outcomes that are key to Uganda’s attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
He added that the visual communication in the Atlas provides an opportunity to understand information on the level of progress made by the districts in improving social outcomes. “It will serve as an important resource for benchmarking among peers over time,” he said.
Dr. Kenneth Mugambe, the Director Budget, MoFPED said that the electronic atlas will ease access to budget information. He noted that the online Equity Atlas shows performance of each of the regions and districts against the featured indicators as well as the per capita expenditure in every district.
The Atlas will be used as a monitoring tool and a tool for enhancing public accountability. “We want to show the public, what we are doing. If the district is not performing well, it comes out clearly,” Mugambe alluded.
Dr Doreen Mulenga, UNICEF Representative in Uganda encouraged stakeholders to utilize the vast mine of evidence contained in the Atlas to inform resource allocations in a way that will yield the greatest results for children and, as a result, enhance the productive potential of Uganda’s future labour force and accelerate Uganda’s socio-economic development.