Richard Ssewakiryanga

Job function: This is a full-time advisor position in the Office of the Prime Minister. The job function is to implement activities that will support the Government of Uganda in streamlining and strengthening existing mechanisms and capacities at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in terms of overseeing coordination, monitoring, implementation, performance and formalizing joint engagements through the National Partnership Dialogue Framework and the National Partnership Forum chaired by the Right Honorable Prime Minister.

• The adviser coordinates with the relevant development cooperation actors to strengthen joint engagements and contributions to key national processes.
• The adviser focuses on strengthening partnership coordination as well as inter-ministerial coordination between the “central level agencies” (Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and National Planning Authority) that are responsible for enabling and ensuring an effective partnership and thereby contribute to improving performance on indicators monitored under the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC).
• The adviser works on overseeing the engagement with donors, civil society and private sector on how they utilize the global partnership principles.
• The adviser oversees the country-wide partnership monitoring and capacity development processes through an country assessment process.
• The coordinator contributes to the development and use of the Joint Accountability and Results Framework (JARF).

Selected Examples of Relevant Short Term Consultancy Services:
International Consultant – To Develop a Strategic Plan for the IGAD Women and Peace Forum The Strategic Plan for the IGAD Women and Peace Forum (IWPF) define the direction that the IWPF is taking over the next seven years (2018-2025) in promoting issues of women, peace and security in the IGAD region. The assignment require visiting all the IGAD countries for data collection.

November 2020: Client: United Nations Development Program

Lead Facilitator: Consultancy for Virtual Training of Technical Staff of the Parliament of Uganda on Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs)

The training was conducted against the background that Technical staff are required to carry out highly specialized functions - such as servicing parliamentary committees, drafting and scrutinizing legislation, budgets and conducting policy inquiries. The role of professional staff is crucial for the success of any parliamentary programme. However, there is always little attention given to the use of any system of formal training to prepare parliamentary staff to handle the challenges confronting them. It was found necessary that capacity building programmes are conducted for staff of Parliament so as to ensure that they all have the same baseline understanding of the 2030 Agenda. I was retained as an expert to conduct this training for over 60 trainees.

March 2020 - May 2020: (Client: Office of the Prime Minister - Uganda supported by United Nations Development Program)

Lead Consultant: Uganda 2020 SDGs National Voluntary Review Report

Uganda was one of the countries that participated in the 2020 UN Sustainable Development Goals High Level Political Forum as a country under review. This assignment entailed leading the consultations, research and writing of the 2020 Voluntary National Review Report for Uganda.

Dec 2020 - March 2021: (Client: United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning, Dakar Senegal)

Course Director (short-term consultancies)

Online Course Director: Virtual Course: Gender Responsive Economic Policy Management in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic

Currently I am leading the development of the Gender Responsive Economic Policy Management in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic online course and the revision of the course modules. The course will be offered online in the coming months.

July 2012 to 2021 (Client: United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning, Dakar Senegal)

Course Director (short-term consultancies) - Gender Responsive Economic Policy Management Initiative (GEPMI)

Annually work as a Course Director or Co-Director to facilitate one to two week training workshops of up to 30 participants government officials per year in Dakar, Senegal. Reaching approximately 180 policy makers across Africa through bi-lingual (French and English) two-week training sessions. The course is a comprehensive capacity development and policy advisory services programme that aims to accelerate achievement of the international development goals by making economic policies deliver gender equality results equitably to women and men, girls and boys across Africa.

February 2021- March 2021 ( Client: Reality of Aid Africa)

Country Consultant: Consultancy for the Assessment of the Istanbul Principles in African Countries.

The consultancy is to assess the awareness, policy and institutional framework for the domestication and implementation of the Istanbul principles for CSO Development Effectiveness within government framework of engagement with CSOs and propose specific actions that the multi-stakeholders can take to ensure domestication, adoption and implementation of the Istanbul principles.

January 2017-September 2017 (Client: UN Women - Ethiopia Office on behalf of the African Union) - International Consultant - Conduct Rapid Assessment on Funding Status of Gender Machineries in African Union Member States

The study was conducted in three selected countries; Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda. The study was to inform advocacy work on the financing of gender machineries in Africa. Advocacy is still ongoing to influence the financing modalities of gender machineries by the Women and Gender Department of the African Union.

May 2015 – July 2016 (Client: Intergovernmental Government Authority on Development - (IGAD) - International Consultant – IGAD Workplace Policy

The study focused on strengthening the policy and operational frameworks of IGAD Secretariat to achieve gender equality and develop approaches for gender mainstreaming in its internal systems and processes.

December 2012 – August 2013 (Client: UNECA Ethiopia Office and UN Women country offices) - National Consultant - UN Women African Report 2013 on Socio-economic Costs of Violence against Women: Uganda Country Study

This study was part of a seven-country study to contribute to the Africa Women’s Report (AWR) 2013. Conducted the Uganda Study that included analysis of the costs of gender-based violence to the country collected using various innovative methods from analysis of police reports, costs incurred by victims and other costs to the state.

Jan 2006 to December 2006 (Client: Office of the Prime Minister, Uganda) - Monitoring and Evaluation Expert for the Development of the National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy (NIMES)

Worked with the Office of the Prime Minister (on a part time basis) after being seconded by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to spearhead the development and roll out of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy. Key accomplishments included; developing the Programme Document for NIMES, conducting Local Government Level Dissemination of the NIMES and supporting the development of the first Government Results Performance Report.

August 2014 (Client: Reality of Aid Africa) - Lead the Uganda Study on Overseas Development Assistance and Private Sector in Development

This study examined the Official Development Assistance used to support the private sector investments and interventions in development in Uganda. The study was premised on the fact that there is limited body of evidence on the effects of blending on development results where it has been used. The study was in recognition that aid has remained an important ingredient in funding development programs in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, PPPs and other blended projects have remained critical in funding big infrastructure projects, SME and energy projects in these countries yet the was a paucity of research in this area.

Jan – June 2009 Lead Consultant - Consultancy on Setting up an Evaluative Research Fund for the National Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group at the Office of the Prime Minister

This study was commissioned to understand the efficacy and need of an Evaluative Research Fund (ERF) that can help policy makers and practitioners judge the effectiveness of particular development interventions and make decisions that can aid the attainment of results by the public sector.

Feb – March and November 2008 - Lead Facilitator for Donor Partner Group on Decentralisation, Belgian Technical Cooperation and the Irish Aid Uganda

Worked with the Decentralisation Development Partner Group to facilitate a retreat for their annual planning and development of strategic interventions would guide various stakeholders in Uganda to engage with the decentralisation. With the Belgian technical cooperation we worked to develop preparatory review for their 3 year programming and for the Irish Aid to prepare for the Country Support Programme.

December 2002 to September 2008

Participating Member – National Assessment Team of the Local Government Development Programme

In this team I was invited to be part of the process of evaluating Local Governments under the LGDP programme. We participated in the development of poverty indicators for the LGDP assessment manual in 2001 and after that we were asked to be part of the team that conducts the assessment and help to evaluate the poverty focus of local governments. I also participated in offering mentoring Local Government technical staff on poverty and policy analysis for Local Governments.

Dec 2003- to September 2008 - LRECC - Committee Member

I sat on the Local Revenue Enhancement Coordination Committee of the Local Government Finance Commission. The committee held meetings quarterly to review research reports and progress in the area of local revenue raising at the local government level.

Job Function: Conduct social research in areas of policy and social interest and produce working papers, policy briefs, book chapters and conference reports. Present papers in policy meetings, academic conferences and in-house seminars as well as mentor young researchers. Conduct training of junior research and policy makers in essential skills and framework of gender sensitive research.

This position also entails advisory support to develop a new portfolio to support policy research and strategic partnerships to the Office of the Executive Director. The position entails working closely with junior researchers in the delivery of high quality research projects that support ministries, department and agencies of government, civil society organizations and development partners in Uganda and across Africa.

The mission of CBR is to generate and disseminate knowledge by conducting basic and applied research of social, economic and political significance to Uganda in particular and Africa in general so as to influence policy, raise consciousness and improve quality of life.

Accomplishments:

• Designing the Applied Research Skills Program for Local Governments with the Ministry of Local Government
• Supporting the development of strategic partnerships with partners including UBoS, PSFU, OPM/SDG Secretariat and others
• Leading policy research on the SDGs including Uganda's Voluntary National Review
• Building a strong research agenda that includes; engagement with the Nation Development Plan and SDG agenda in Uganda

2017-2019 - Presiding Officer: African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC)

ECOSOCC is an advisory organ of the African Union formed in accordance with Articles 5 (1) (h) and 22 of the Constitutive Act. It is composed of different social and professional groups of the Member States of the Union and the African diaspora.

Accomplishments

• Led the process of relocation of ECOSOCC to Zambia with an independent secretariat
• Supported the development of the first strategic plan of ECOSOCC
• Mobilized and popularized the AU agenda among CSOs in over 30 countries during my tenure

2022 to date: Member of the Ethics, Standards and Disciplinary Committee of AU ECOSOCC

This committee supports the General Assembly of ECOSOCC by setting standing and support the compliance of members to the ethical codes and standards of ECOSOCC as well as the values of the Africa Union. The committee is responding to some of the critical challenges that ECOSOCC has faced overtime.

June 2020 - July 2021: Lead Consultant (AU ECOSOCC): Research on Improving Accountability in Governance through Civil Society

The general objective of the study was to: interrogate the contribution of the civil society in improving accountability in leadership and governance systems and processes in Africa, with a view to bring out the contribution of CSOs and the challenges they face in their efforts to advocate for accountability.

November 2021 - Jan 2022: Lead Consultant ( AU ECOSOCC) - CSO Training Toolkit

“Monitoring Agenda 2063 at the National, Regional and Continental Level”

The purpose of the CSO Training Toolkit on Monitoring Agenda 2063 is to support CSOs in the monitoring of Agenda 2063 projects. The objective of the toolkit is to improve CSO understanding of Agenda 2063 and CSO’s role in its implementation and build the ability of CSOs to develop quantitative and qualitative indicator-based approaches to monitoring the implementation of Agenda 2063. The toolkit builds on ongoing approaches to citizen participation in the AU organs and guides users through practical steps to improve citizen participation in AU processes in this case the Agenda 2063.

Dec 2020-March 2021: Lead Consultant (Africa Union Development Agency/NEPAD) - African Union Agenda 2063 Citizen Engagement Handbook

The African Union Agenda 2063 Citizen Engagement Handbook seeks to support African Union staff, partners and stakeholders in conducting citizen engagement processes much more constructively. It builds on ongoing approaches to citizen engagement and aims at helping users to better understand specific approaches to citizen engagement and to guide them through the practical steps they can take to improve citizen engagement by the African Union.

May-October 2021 - Lead Consultant (APRM Uganda/National Planning Authority) - Assessment of Progress in the Implementation of the Uganda APRM National Program of Action - July 2019 - June 2021

The main objective of this assignment was to lead a team of eight thematic researchers to draft the Progress Report on the Implementation of the Program of Action and develop a final Synthesis POA Progress Report. The process was anchored within the larger APRM continental process to which Uganda acceded in 2003 and conducted a peer review in 2008.

June 2019 - Lead Reviewer - (APRM Uganda/National Planning Authority) - Report on the Framework for Monitoring the 13 Bottlenecks Facing Africa in the APRM Reviewed Countries

The assignment entailed working closely with the Chairperson of the APRM Uganda National Governing Council to support the consultants undertaking the country study. The study was an examination of His Excellency the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni’s statement on Eleven (11) Bottlenecks hindering effective socio-economic transformation of the African continent.

2018-2020 Member - APRM National Governance Council for Uganda
I was a member of the National Governing Council for Uganda for a period of two years for a second term. During this time I supposed the development of various APRM Review Reports. I was also the overseeing the Socio-economic development chapter for various reports. Other than participating in the development of the report I also participated in the various dissemination processes.

2009-2012 Secretary - APRM National Governing Council for Uganda
I was the secretary to the National Governing Council for a period of 3 years. I participated in the development of the first Country Assessment and PoA Performance Reports for Uganda and all the progress reports for the four years and several engagements to disseminate the APRM reports. In this position I was representing civil society and also played a role in popularizing the APRM process within civil society in Uganda. I also participated in the learning visit to Ghana that helped to shape and focus the APRM process in Uganda.

2008-2020 Convener: Uganda Governance Monitoring Platform (UGMP) hosted by the Uganda National NGO Forum

This is a platform that brought together NGOs in Uganda that were interested in working on governance issues. The key documents that we used in the government monitoring process included the APRM Country Self Assessments, Country Review Reports and the Plan of Action Performance Reports. On behalf of civil society I convened and made over 20 presentations on the various facets of the APRM during this time.

Job Function: This position entails providing strategic leadership, program and financial and management and delivery of results in the service civil society organizations and development partners across Africa and around the world. MS TCDC's mission is to facilitate learning that directly contributes to strengthened democratic governance and improved leadership. MS TCDC is an actor working in collaboration with many other actors in strengthening frontline staff and partners; the broader civil society organizations and progressive social movements, networks and private sector in the Africa region.

Accomplishments:

• Design a Covid-19 Recovery and Resilience Action Plan for the institution in times of global lockdown to continue to offer critical capacity development services.
• Oversaw the development of a strong online training offering for MS TCDC clients across Africa
• Supported the convening of the first virtual Youth Leadership Summit in 2020 bringing together over 10,000 young people in East Africa and across the continent
• Led the development of a Research Agenda for TCDC
• Supported the roll out of the first Institutional Gender Audit for MS TCDC

Job Function: This position entails providing strategic leadership, program and financial and management and delivery of results in the service of 625 member organizations and development partners in government, civil society and the international community. Developing innovative programs, fundraising and building partnership with donors, government, international organizations and local communities and their organizations.

Relevant Accomplishments: Oversaw the building of a team of highly motivated staff and active membership that grew from 350 to 625 member organizations in the last 8 years. Achieved institutional respect and confidence by Government, donors and civil society as a go-to organization in Uganda for influencing development policy processes and practice. Promoted innovative convening of civil society through hosting thematic platforms that focus on critical development issues like; humanitarian action and the role of local NGOs, promoting child rights governance at local government level, advocating for social protection financing, social accountability platform for practicing organizations and women and civil society Leadership. Demonstrated aggressive thought leadership with a passion for gender and development in Uganda through writing, delivering speeches and writing short blogs on topical issues. Achieved a robust financial base for the organization from a paltry annual budget of $300,000 in 2008 to and average of $1,500,000 per year for the last 8 years.

Job Function: The Strengthening Citizens Engagement in Elections (SCENE) is a three-year project whose overall goal is to contribute towards creating a proactive and engaged citizenry actively influencing electoral and political processes in Uganda and holding governance institutions accountable. The of the activity were; 1) Increasing citizen participation in the electoral and political processes, 2) Contribute towards a stronger, accountable and responsive electoral process, 3) Nurture a culture of value driven and responsible leadership and 4) Build a strong coordination mechanism for improved citizen engagement in electoral processes

The Chief of Party is responsible for overall management responsibility and leadership for Stakeholder Coordination and Implementation, monitoring and reporting on the project as well as the principal point of contact for official interaction with USAID and other stakeholders.

Key Accomplishments:

• Oversaw the local level reflections on elections and politics in over 500 neighborhood discussions at village level about the nature and substance of elections and politics in Uganda.
• Mobilized over 70 civic mentors to convene (fireplace) conversations, mobilize citizens to participate in dialogues as well as conscientize citizens on the constitutional/electoral reform agenda
• Organised regional election stakeholder conversations on the nature and substance of Uganda’s Elections
• Convened citizens debates in the different regions in Uganda about key governance issues including electoral processes.
• Led the generation of Citizen Report Cards to trigger public discussion on key election issues

Job Function: Provide research, technical oversight and supervision of the planning and implementation of 3 rounds of annual large-scale nation-wide household based assessments of children between the ages of 6-12 years. Manage 4,800 Uwezo research volunteers who visited 34,000 households and assessed 80,000 children each year in collaboration with 80 District Partner Institutions and 80 District Contact Persons, 10 Regional Coordinators and 60 Research Associates.

Relevant Accomplishments: Supervised advocacy initiatives that demonstrated that children were not learning at their level and provided policy options for government to focus on learning as an educational outcome rather than focusing on inputs like education materials. Parents were encouraged to participate in their children’s learning through simple actions undertaken at household level. The education ministry took the study seriously, first questioning the methodology, but later recommending experts to participate in the study process. Learning is now recognized as a legitimate target in educational policy in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania where these studies are still being conducted. This study had a strong focus on gender analysis that demonstrated critical differences between the learning outcomes of girls and boys at various educational levels.

Job Function: Design participatory poverty assessment research process aimed at ensuring the inclusion of 'voices' of poor people in the national planning and budgeting process. Conduct annual poverty assessments in all the districts of Uganda. Work and train over 150 researchers that included district government officials, consultants and independent social researchers. Participate in policy monitoring, reporting and development of the national background to the budget report focusing on the inclusion of voices of poor women and men.

Relevant Accomplishments: Mainstreamed the use of qualitative data in the national budgeting process through inclusion of voices of poor women and men. Influenced the development of gender and equity budgeting guidelines that have become a prerequisite for national and local government budgeting processes. Influenced the inclusion of gender and poverty indicators in Uganda's planning frameworks at national and district level. Built capacity of over 100 district officials in poverty analysis in planning processes. Participated in writing over 3 national reports and over 36 district reports every year for 6 years. Led to the appreciation of qualitative data as authentic and relevant data in economic policy planning and management.