NUDIPU wants sh12b for children with disability
Statistics from the National Population and Housing Census report, 2024, revealed that there were 460,805 children aged 2-17 with disability, equivalent to a disability prevalence of 2.4 percent.
Statistics from the National Population and Housing Census report, 2024, revealed that there were 460,805 children aged 2-17 with disability, equivalent to a disability prevalence of 2.4 percent. (File photo)
By Michael Odeng
Journalists @New Vision
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The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) has requested the Government to allocate shillings 12 billion in supplementary budget to support children with disability.
They made the call on July 2, 2025, during a meeting organised by Organisations of Persons with Disabilities at NUDIPU offices in Bukoto, Kampala today.
They have requested the Government, through the finance ministry to provide a supplementary budget towards the Child Disability Benefit.
“The Government should allocate a supplementary budget for the rollout of the child disability benefit. We propose an initial startup allocation of at least shillings 12.6 billion, representing just 0.017% of the national budget, as a first step toward meaningful and inclusive social protection,” Gloria Nakajubi, the advocacy and communication lead at the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection, requested.
This comes a month after the Government read a shillings 72.376 trillion national budget for the financial year 2025/2026.
They appealed to Parliament, particularly its budget and the gender committees, to champion the cause in line with Uganda’s commitments under the Constitution, the National Social Protection Policy (2015), the Persons with Disabilities Act, Chapter 115, and international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) especially on Article 28 on social protection for Persons with Disabilities.
“We cannot talk about equity, inclusion, and transformation without addressing the glaring needs of children with disabilities. It is time for action, not just commitments,” Nakajubi said.
Statistics from the National Population and Housing Census report, 2024, revealed that there were 460,805 children aged 2-17 with disability, equivalent to a disability prevalence of 2.4 percent. These children with disabilities constitute one of the most vulnerable populations in the country.
According to the gender ministry, children with disabilities and their families face poverty and social exclusion.
This is as a result of several factors, including additional cost of accessing health, education and other services because of disability, reduced ability to earn an income because of caring responsibilities and stigma, prejudice and lack of understanding of disability. They often face barriers to education and general social inclusion.
Besides, families of children with disabilities face higher expenses than others, including for health services, transportation, and education.
“Carers of children with disabilities often have reduced the ability to work to earn an income because of the time they lose every day looking after their children with disabilities,” Nakajubi said.
Despite the expansive budget, NUDIPU is concerned that no funds have yet been allocated towards the Child Disability Benefit in the 2025/2026 financial year.
This lack of financial commitment, according to Nakajubi, leaves children with disabilities and their families in a state of uncertainty.