Researchers from Makerere University’s African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence in Notions of Identity in Africa (ARUA CoE) have found that single motherhood is a phenomenon that has been documented since the colonial era but, it is increasing in Uganda. Research indicates that neoliberal and capitalist ideals, indigenous and western cultures have exacerbated the problem. Researchers are now calling on government to enact friendly policies on parenting to improve children welfare in Uganda. Makerere dons also want government to address issues of unpaid care economy. On the other hand, stakeholders have asked the university to introduce a graduate program on parenting to address capacity gaps in dealing with issues relating to parenting and children’s’ welfare.
The call was made during the policy dialogue organized by the ARUA CoE aimed at providing a platform for Early and Senior Careers researchers to share their research findings with policy makers and stakeholders and be able to obtain feedback. The workshop was also to create synergies between the different implementing institutions driving advocacy and policy change at national and local levels as well as identifying key policy and regulatory frameworks for improved parenting.
The Centre Director, Assoc. Prof. Sarah Ssali said, the centre was established to deepen scholarship on identities in Africa, how they change and how the changes are impacting on life and development in Africa. As first phase Prof. Ssali said, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda got a capacity building grant financed by the United Kingdom Research and Innovations (UKRI) and focused on how parenting identity is changing.
“And in particular, we wanted to find out how is fatherhood and motherhood changing, why is it changing and how these changes impact on children’s welfare. So the whole aspect of capacity building grant was to strengthen the capacity to research and engage policy makers in studying parenting, fatherhood and motherhood and children’s wellbeing on the African continent”, The Director said
“We have studied for three years, involved 21 early career researchers, given out 18 small grants, engaged 9 senior scholars and today, we are having a segment of disseminating the Uganda research findings to the policy makers.” Prof. Ssali added.
The Senior and Early Career researchers presented their research findings to obtain feedback from the policy makers and stakeholders in dialogue that was held at Fairway Hotel on 25th March 2024. The policy dialogue brought together participants from academia, government ministries, agencies, private sector and civil society organizations. These included, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Gender, the media, Uganda Police, Uganda Prisons, Uganda Women Parliamentary Association, Makerere and Kyambogo University, Young Child Uganda, Uganda National Association of the deaf and Mothers Heart Uganda and Kampala City Capital Authority among others.
The function was officially opened by the Principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences represented by the Deputy Assoc. Prof. Eric Awich Ochen and closed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs represented by the Academic Registrar Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi. The Director, Directorate of Graduate Research and Training Prof. Edward Bbaale also graced the occasion.
Read the full story here: https://news.mak.ac.ug/2024/03/single-mothers-increasing-mak-researchers-call-for-friendly-policies-on-parenting-to-improve-children-welfare/