Gender ministry unveils initiative to address labour market data gaps
Dubbed the 'Labour, Employment, Productivity and Reporting Programme', the initiative’s goal is to establish an integrated, reliable, and timely administrative data ecosystem for labour, employment, and productivity reporting.
A group photo of the participants during the consultative workshop on the draft programme at Admas Grand Hotel in Entebbe on Monday, June 15, 2026. (Photo by Agnes Kyotalengerire)
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The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has unveiled a new initiative aimed at strengthening Uganda’s labour market governance, evidence-based decision-making, and productivity monitoring.
Dubbed the 'Labour, Employment, Productivity and Reporting Programme', the initiative’s goal is to establish an integrated, reliable, and timely administrative data ecosystem for labour, employment, and productivity reporting.
The permanent secretary for the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Aggrey David Kibenge, said the initiative will be fully compliant with the Employment Act (Cap 226), national statistical requirements, and International Labour Organisation labour statistics conventions to support evidence‑based planning, monitoring, and policy formulation.
Stakeholders during the consultative workshop on the draft programme at Admas Grand Hotel in Entebbe on Monday, June 15, 2026. (Photo by Agnes Kyotalengerire)
This was during the beginning of the four-day consultative workshop on the draft programme at Admas Grand Hotel in Entebbe on Monday, June 15, 2026.
The workshop is being attended by representatives from employers' and workers' organisations; ministries, departments, and agencies; local governments; and development partners.
Kibenge further noted that Uganda’s labour market governance system faces persistent gaps in the generation, quality, and utilisation of administrative data required for national planning, compliance monitoring, and international reporting.
“Although the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2024 Census report and Labour Force Survey 2021 provide nationally representative statistics, showing 12.3% unemployment, 42% labour underutilisation, and 88% informality (in employment), administrative data from labour inspections, employment records, enterprise productivity assessments, and social security contributions remain fragmented, incomplete, and inconsistently reported,” he noted.
While the Employment Act requires employers to maintain registers, submit employment returns, and provide information to labour officers, Kibenge observed that weak reporting systems, limited digital infrastructure, and low compliance levels undermine the availability of real-time, enterprise-level data needed to track employment trends, productivity performance, working conditions, and labour market transitions.
He urged all stakeholders represented to actively contribute to the discussions and support the implementation of the programme once it is finalised.
“This workshop is a critical step in the development of this initiative. It provides an opportunity to draw upon the knowledge, expertise, and experiences of key stakeholders to ensure that the programme is practical, responsive, and aligned with the realities of Uganda's labour market,” Kibenge noted.