During February 2025, the National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda (NSDFU) and ACTogether in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity in Uganda facilitated dialogues in Nakawa, Kawempe and Lubaga divisions in Kampala. These dialogues brought together government officials and informal settlement residents to co-create solutions for settlement upgrading and create space for communities to influence legislation, bylaws and policies related to informal settlements.
“We have the problems, but we also have the solutions,” explains Lubega Edris, the National Data Coordinator of the National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda. He emphasizes that local governments must establish inclusive platforms and encourage active participation from slum communities to collaboratively design informal settlement upgrading plans. Lubega adds that, “district councils often come up with generic plans for informal settlements and some get approved without even consulting the community.”
Joan Beatrice Anioka the Programme Manager for Advocacy and Documentation at ACTogether Uganda says that these dialogues provide a critical space for communities to contribute to participate in drafting legislation. “Many people are not aware of their rights. These dialogues show residents how to shape bylaws,” she adds.
Francis Mawejje Programme Manager Community Led Data ACTogether Uganda emphasised that housing is more than just the four walls. Dignified housing includes a range of basic services, “how do we provide services with a more integrated approach rather than working in silos? Dialogues such as these strengthens collaboration between the community, government, civil society and other sectors.”
These critical dialogues form part of the Habitat for Humanity’s Home Equals campaign. Home Equals is a five-year global advocacy campaign dedicated to achieving policy change, at all levels, to ensure that people living in informal settlements have equitable access to adequate housing. In partnership with organised communities and governments, the campaign seeks to advance policies which address key barriers to adequate housing, including empowered participation of community members, reliable and basic services, climate resilient homes and secure land rights.
Home Equals Campaign G7 Petition
The Home Equals campaign includes a petition, urging G7 nations to take decisive action to improve the lives of the more than 1.1 billion people living in slums and informal settlements. The G7 leaders, who represent the world’s largest economies, have the power to help remove the structural barriers which prevent slum communities from accessing adequate housing.
The next G7 summit takes place in Canada during June 2025, and the petition is calling on G7 leaders to:
- Prioritize programs and policies which ensure housing for the most vulnerable, particularly people living in informal settlements.
- Dedicate foreign assistance to improving homes in informal settlements.
- Champion upgrading projects that adopt a women-led approach, addressing the unique needs of women and girls.
The SDI Network supports the Habitat for Humanity’s Home Equals campaign and strongly encourages all federations to mobilise members to sign the Home Equals petition.
Namulase Market Upgrading Project
In March, ACTogether Uganda and the National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda, celebrated the successful handover of phase one the Namulase Market Upgrading Project to Jinja City. The Namulase Market is an essential hub for local commerce. The upgrades are meant to create more inclusive spaces for migrants, displaced persons, and host communities by providing better market services, fostering a more gender-sensitive environment and ensuring greener safer spaces. The project was possible with support from Cities Alliance/UNOPS and a strong consortium of partners, including Women Rights Initiative, Ensibuuko and Eco-playstyle.
This project sought to create and enhance work opportunities in the form of green jobs by more effectively integrating labour migrants and host community members into the local labour market and to improve the provision of climate-smart city services for Jinja City dwellers by upgrading a market site and improving the waste recycling value chain resulting in better waste collection and reduced adverse environmental, health and climate impact through less inappropriate waste disposal, soil, and air pollution.
Phase 1 upgrades included fencing off the market area with two gates for better security, a waterborne toilet facility with five stances (2 for women, 2 for men, and 1 for people with disabilities) and two shower rooms. The walkways and the parking area is now paved for better accessibility. A drainage channel was constructed to better manage water flow and prevent flooding. Three solar-powered security lights were installed to improve safety at night.
