ACCEL Africa leads transformative M&E training in Entebbe to combat child labour

Entebbe, Uganda – February 14, 2024 – ACCEL Africa's commitment to eradicating child labour in African supply chains took a significant step forward with the successful completion of an innovative three-day Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) training held in Entebbe, Uganda, from February 12th to 14th, 2024. This training, integral to the management and implementation of the project's second phase, aimed to strengthen the capacities of national stakeholders through the implementation of the "Results Framework and Indicator Measurement Guidelines," central to the Comprehensive M&E Strategy (CMES) and the Project’s gender and knowledge sharing strategies.

The event was marked by robust participation from project implementers, government officials, and SCO partners, all focused on enhancing their skills in applying the Results-Based Management (RBM) methodology, within the project and for their own organizations. This approach is pivotal in tracking progress towards the ambitious goal of eradicating child labour in Coffee and Tea supply chains. The event was honoured by the high level tripartite opening remarks from Mr, Douglas Opio, Executive Director, Federation of Uganda Employers( FUE), Mr. Richard Bigirwa, Secretary General, National Organisation of Trade Unions(NOTU), Mr. Bernard Amuriat, Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, who highlighted the importance of monitoring and evaluation for the successful implementation of ACCEL Africa 2nd phase.

The event was rich with discussions and activities. Participants delved into the challenges and opportunities associated with reporting results per project output, engaging in lively discussions on how to effectively report on indicators through a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) lens. This approach emphasized the critical role of M&E throughout the project's lifecycle, highlighting its importance in achieving the project's objectives.

One of the training's highlights was the comprehensive discussions on gender inclusion. Participants engaged in group work, where they developed strategies that included using gender-responsive communication and sensitive language, engaging local women's organizations, and ensuring communication materials were accessible to all. However, challenges such as information loss in translation, difficulty in mobilizing male participation, cultural stereotypes, and resource constraints were acknowledged. Mitigation measures proposed involved engaging local leadership and opinion leaders and using interpreters to ensure inclusivity in communication.

Further discussions cantered on engaging employers and unions, with strategies focused on dialogue, recognition of collaborative efforts, and leveraging local leadership support. Yet, participants noted challenges like cultural stereotypes, limited resources, and low literacy levels among workers. Mitigation strategies emphasized building rapport with local leaders and implementing gender-responsive strategies to address child labour effectively.

Social protection for workers emerged as another critical area, with strategies aimed at enhancing access to social protection schemes, especially for workers in lower tiers of supply chains. Gender mainstreaming challenges, such as cultural biases against women in leadership or certain jobs, are meant to be addressed through empowerment groups, encouraging women leadership and participation, and promoting adult education.

Additionally, the group work touched on broadening services like financial literacy, alternative livelihoods, and access to financing as part of risk mitigation strategies. Despite challenges, participants advocated for creating rapport with stakeholders and sensitizing communities.

A significant outcome of the training was the collaborative development of a first draft of the project's sustainability and exit strategy. This living document, which will continue to evolve throughout the project's lifecycle, focuses on key pillars such as Institutional Sustainability through organizational capacity strengthening, Financial Sustainability by exploring diverse funding sources and revenue generation models, Environmental Sustainability and inclusion, and Stakeholder Engagement. This strategy lays a foundational blueprint for ensuring the long-term impact and success of the ACCEL Africa project in its mission to eradicate child labour.

As the training concluded, the depth of discussions and the collaborative development of strategies underscored the commitment of ACCEL Africa and its stakeholders to leveraging M&E as a powerful tool for informed decision-making and strategic action in the fight against child labour.

ACCEL Africa extends heartfelt thanks to all participants for their insightful contributions and looks forward to the positive impact of these strategies in the ongoing efforts to eradicate child labour across the continent.