The Ministry of Local Government is implementing the Decentralized Local Government System. This is putting the Local Governments at the frontlines for Service Delivery and implementing of National policies and strategies. Local Governments are also at the forefront of implementing new policy reforms including the Regional Development Programme, Local Economic Development, and the Parish Development Model. The implementation of the above programmes comes at a time when Uganda is under the spotlight due to the increased impacts from Climate Change and its effects at Global and Local Levels, increased frequency and severity of droughts, floods and landslides, threats from emerging and re-emerging diseases – Covid-19 and Haemorrhagic Fevers, burden from refugee influx from neighboring countries and the Horn of Africa as well as disruption of supply chains and price distortions caused by global conflicts.
Further, although the level of urbanization in Uganda is relatively low, the rate at which Uganda is urbanizing, estimated at 5.2%, is very high by international standards [MLHUD, 2017). Uganda has had a phenomenal rise in its urban population from 1.7 million persons in 1991 to about 7.4 million in 2016 (ACODE, Policy Briefing No.49, 2020) and was 11,41 million in 2020 (UBOS, 2020). The urban population is projected to rise to about 21 million by 2040 (ibid).
The fast urban population growth does not only pose problems related to the allocation of resources, but also severely challenges the natural environment and public health and safety. Environmental degradation such as contaminated water, soils and polluted air, flooding caused by storm drains choked by waste, vermin and pest infestation and disease outbreaks has become a harsh reality in urban areas of Uganda.
Service delivery in Local Governments is compounded by limited capacities both at institutional and individual levels and limited finances to strengthen community resilience to shocks.
The nature of uncertainty and the magnitude of the above complexity does not lend itself to traditional forms of crisis response and recovery processes. Life-saving humanitarian assistance, and external peace interventions, while incontestably necessary, are insufficient to address the structural and underlying causes of this complexity.
This complexity thus requires Local Governments to:
- Understand the importance of integrating environment and natural resources management, climate change, human settlement planning, risk management and resilience building as priority in development planning and budgeting.
- Have capacity that enables them to provide solutions that will not only reduce impacts of Crises and Risks, but also build Resilience and ensure Equitable and Sustainable Development in their communities.
In keeping with global trends and national strategies and in particular SDG Goal 1 Target 1,5, there is need to enhance resilience in the face of disasters, climate change, environmental degradation, economic disruptions, and pandemics. Further, NDP 3 has recognized “The need to incorporate risk planning and mitigation into the plans and budgets to cater for unforeseeable challenges”.
As the main responsible body for the provision of basic services, coordination of daily functions, and provision of information and regulation, Local Governments play a central role in risk management and resilience building. They are also the leading actors during post-disaster recovery and reconstruction processes. Successful initiatives at the local levels can influence national level policy, actions, and outcomes. Strengthened risk governance at the sub-national level is critical to effective and equitable resilience and adaptation planning. Localizing resilience amplifies the voices of local visible actors whose legitimacy is publicly recognized. It further ensures inclusion, hence ensuring the participation of those most at risk of being left behind. It promotes gender equality and youth participation in policy discussions that affect them.
The Ministry of Local Government with support from UNDP and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) is proposing to develop a Module on Mainstreaming Climate Change, Risk Management and Resilience Building. The Module will be used in training of Local Government Managers and Leaders through the Civil Service College of Uganda (CSCU).
The Civil Service College Uganda (CSCU) was established on 1st July 2010 under the Ministry of Public Service. The College is responsible for in-service training, strengthening public policy research, providing advisory services. CSCU’s mandate is to build the capacities of Public Service institutions and human resources for improved performance in public service delivery. Apart from providing residential training, CSCU provides outreach training programmes and conducts follow-up of trained staff to assess training impact and application of skill learned and identification of further training needs.
It is against the above background that UNDP in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government is seeking the services of a consulting firm to develop a Module on Climate Change, Risk Management and Resilience Building for Local Government Managers and Leaders to be delivered through the Civil Service College of Uganda.
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