As a result of its recent disturbed history, Uganda has the most undeveloped formal social security: systems and the least documented non-formal social security systems of the countries participating in this study. Through the use of qualitative research methods, it was observed that communities are providing the most useful response to the rising risks and vulnerabilities posed by poverty, unemployment, emergencies and inevitable life-cycle factors while the State has not provided social security at the community level. The following social security systems exist in Uganda: formal social security schemes targeting the employed, community groups that serve only group members, kinship-based solidarity groups that serve the extended family and village residents’ mutual assistance groups, which are compulsory for all adults in the villages where they operate. These groups are currently the most widespread and effective of all, though they are plagued with poor management and a low capital base. The village-wide mutual assistance groups offer the potential for reaching most community members but operate in only one of the four districts visited. District Development Programmes offer a feasible entry point for beginning to address the lack of policy-led social security at community level.
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