Upcoming Events
Zoom Webinar
UCRNN, in collaboration with Joining Forces partners, will host a webinar on October 22nd, 2025, to disseminate a Technical Learning
Mission
To undertake collective action for the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Uganda.
Vison
A society where children’s rights are realized.
Core Values
- Accountability
- Child Participation
- Fairness
- Non-Discrimination
- Transparency
Who we are
Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN) is a coalition of over 150 child-focused organizations including community-based, national, and international NGOs working for the welfare and rights of over 3 million vulnerable children in Uganda. Established in 1997 to spearhead the generation of the NGO Alternative report on the progress of implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Network has over the years played a leading role in mobilizing child focused organizations for collective action at national, regional and international level and has been the CSO voice on child rights in Uganda. UCRNN’s current programs include
Our Legal Status
UCRNN is legally registered as a National Non-Governmental Organization with the National NGO Board that is under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. UCRNN is registered under certificate No S.5914/2379. UCRNN is also legally incorporated as a company limited by Guarantee with no share capital under the company’s Act provided for in the Constitution of Uganda. The company registration No is 85447.
What we believe in
We believe in having all children recognized as individuals with human rights, protecting and defending children’s rights and seeking justice for rights violations, focusing on keeping leaders and governments accountable for their actions towards children, defending children whose rights are violated, protecting the most vulnerable children and making the rights of the child accessible to as many people as possible.
Membership
UCRNN is a membership coalition consisting of Community-based, National and International level organizations that share an interest in child rights issues. The membership brings together skills, knowledge, resources and commitment. The membership also has different spheres of influence within their thematic areas.
Promoting understanding and application of the child rights principles and standards
The Network has gained prominence in promoting implementation of principles in national, regional and international child rights instruments. The Network achieved this through deliberate effort to promote information on the content and principles of child rights covenants among child actors; and stakeholders’ understanding of child rights. These included the development and rolling out of the National Child Participation Guidelines, facilitating the development of child protection policies for membership, training members and other child actors on child participation and child protection, among others.
Monitoring and reporting on the implementation of treaties.
Monitoring and reporting on the commitments made by the Government of Uganda in the various child rights legal frameworks and instruments has been UCRNN’s core undertaking since 1998. The Network has since its inception submitted four (4) reports to the UN Committee of Experts on the Rights of the Child on the implementation of the (UNCRC) and its two Optional Protocols; two (2) reports to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; two (2) CSO reports to the UN Human Rights Council for Uganda’s Universal Periodic Review. In addition, the Network has supported the development of a Uganda CSO alternative report on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; generated the Uganda Joint Monitoring Report on Children in Armed Conflict; and made contributions to the various global Horizontal Notes presented to the UN Security Council on Monitoring and Reporting Mechanisms of Grave Violations in Armed Conflict. Further, as a host to End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT) Uganda, UCRNN also generated the Country Monitoring Report on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). Overall, mobilizing and coordinating its members and other like- minded CSOs in monitoring the implementation of the UNCRC and other regional and international child rights instruments has been a key undertaking.
Collective Advocacy on key child rights concerns and issues
UCRNN has been at the forefront of advocating for the observance of child rights in Uganda. It has, through its work, actively participated in the establishments of frameworks that promote and facilitate the observance of child rights in Uganda and also guide implementation of programmes for children. One of the key advocacy platforms that facilitated coordinated and collective action was the establishment of thematic groups comprising of member organizations. Through these thematic groups, member organizations played a lead role in generating strategies on the themes; engaging collectively on specific issues; voicing out concerns on child rights violations; and mobilizing members and partners. UCRNN members signed up to different thematic groups were key in generating position papers that informed the passing and enactment of the Children’s (Amendment) Act 2016, the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act Regulations; policies on education and on ending child marriage, among others.
Child rights awareness
The Network has achieved this through media engagement as well as targeted awareness programs by the child actors. These different efforts have on the overall contributed to increased knowledge and appreciation of child rights issues among members of the public.
Promoting understanding and application of the child rights principles and standards
The Network has gained prominence in promoting implementation of principles in national, regional and international child rights instruments. The Network achieved this through deliberate effort to promote information on the content and principles of child rights covenants among child actors; and stakeholders’ understanding of child rights. These included the development and rolling out of the National Child Participation Guidelines, facilitating the development of child protection policies for membership, training members and other child actors on child participation and child protection, among others.
Policy and Legislative Advocacy
UCRNN has gained expertise in policy and legislative advocacy and proactively engages with policy makers to influence legal reform and service provision for children. The initiatives have, among others,
A society where children’s rights are realized
included generation of position papers/ issues papers and policy briefs to inform key policy engagements. In the past two years, UCRNN was at the forefront of advocating for the amendment of the Children Act that was passed by Parliament in March 2016 and effectively becoming law in June 2016 after Presidential ascent.
Strengthening Child Protection through the Child Helpline.
Owing to the increasing number of child abuse cases experienced in the country, UCRNN initiated the CSO led child helpline in 2006 as a reporting and response mechanism. In a bid to strengthen this service, UCRNN in 2013, lobbied government and the private sector through the public private partnership to support the Child Helpline and a short code 116 for reporting child abuse. This innovation has since been adopted by government as a national mechanism to guarantee universal access and sustainable services for all children in distress. The national child helpline is now 100% run and managed by government. UCRNN continues to technically support government towards development of practice standards to ensure children access services they require through the helpline.
Knowledge generation for evidence-based Advocacy.
The Network’s Secretariat is currently a one stop center for child rights information. Research and documentation to generate information on child rights issues to inform planning and advocacy. Research in key and emerging child rights issues was undertaken including generation of a Situational analysis report of child rights in Uganda, A study on Birth Registration; region specific study on children affected by conflict, and a study on Child Rights Accountability Mechanisms, among many others.
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In a dynamic and eye-opening media skit, child representatives stepped into the spotlight to express
