Remarks at Spotlight Initiative Programme Oversight Committee Meeting

Acknowledgements:

• The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Mr. Aggrey Kibenge;

• The Representative of the EU Delegation in Uganda, Ms. Karolina Andrzejewska;

• The Representative of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Uganda, Ms. Elin Hilwig;

• Heads of Agencies and Representatives of the United Nations in Uganda present in the room and also online

• Representatives of the Government of Uganda Ministries, Departments and Agencies;

• Representatives of the Uganda Civil Society National Reference Group;

• Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am pleased to join you for this fourth meeting of Spotlight Initiative 2.0 in Uganda, and the second one held in 2025 and I am pleased it is being held in the field. While I could not be physically present, due to a clash in meetings, I am glad to engage with you virtually.

I would like to appreciate everyone for their dedication since our last meeting held in June 2025. Despite declining development assistance, the programme continues to deliver impact, thanks to the support of our local Development Partners, particularly the EU Delegation and Royal Netherlands Embassy in Uganda.

This meeting is unique because it is held at the sub-national level, with participation from District stakeholders in Yumbe and the greater West Nile region, including Adjumani, Arua, Nebbi, Madi-Okollo, and Terego. This allows closer interaction between policy makers, implementers, and beneficiaries, ensuring the programme aligns with the real needs of the people.

Since the committee last met, the Spotlight programme team has accelerated implementation. Despite the challenging operating environment, I am pleased to share our collective progress achieved towards the mid-year targets:

• Technical and vocational skills training reached one thousand one hundred ninety (1,190) adolescents and young people, 

  surpassing the mid-year target of six hundred eighty-three (683).

• Access to justice services benefited over twenty-one thousand (21,000) people, exceeding the target of sixteen thousand (16,000).

• Gender-equitable norms and SRHR interventions reached thirty-seven thousand three hundred fourty-two (37,342) adolescents, above the target of twenty-six thousand four hundred ninety-four (26,494).

• Training for service providers on SGBV, VAC, and SRHR exceeded the target of one thousand fourteen (1,014), reaching three thousand six hundred thirty-six (3,636) community-based advocates.

• All five (5) new districts have developed draft GBV action plans to guide prevention and response activities.

• Music, drama, and dance interventions in schools, conducted with the Ministry of Education and Sports, increased in-school beneficiaries tenfold.

This success reflects stronger collaboration, resource pooling, and intensified delivery synergies among the UN implementing partners: UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFPA, and UN Women. The Spotlight Initiative is fully aligned with the recently launched UNSDCF 2026–2030 framework and Uganda’s NDP IV.

My office remains committed to the principles of Delivering as One and Leaving No One Behind, guiding the programme’s implementation. We are also grateful for the political will and tangible commitment of the Government of Uganda, particularly Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the Permanent Secretary Mr. Aggrey Kibenge; and the Commissioner for Gender and Women Affairs, Ms. Angela Nakafeero for their unwavering support to the Spotlight Initiative in Uganda.

Finally, I thank our Development partners, the EU Delegation and the Royal Netherlands Embassy, for their continued financial support and commitment to the programme.

Thank you all for your attention and, I look forward to productive discussions.