The Uganda National Action on Physical Disability (UNAPD) has developed this revised strategic plan on the back of the lessons learned during the first two years of implementation of the Strategic Plan 2018–2022, in order to strengthen UNAPD’s programming impact in the remaining two years of the Strategic Plan. At the mid-point of the implementation cycle, in line with global best practice, we determined that there was credible need to step back and take stock of our overall progress, achieved or forfeited, in light of internal and external contextual changes and lessons learned.
We comprehensively reassessed suitability and precision of the original Strategic Plan in guiding our work at the country level and beyond as well as in optimising the approaches to achieve the desired outcomes of the plan. We interrogated what worked in terms of the efficiency and effectiveness of people, systems and processes we used. This highlighted the critical path and actions required to sustain successful implementation of the strategic plan. We have placed significant emphasis on maintaining a very strong alignment of our organizational mandate and strategic intent to the relevant national and international instruments as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As a result, the 2018-2022 Revised Strategic Plan (RSP) provides the most coherent and technically sound foundation for UNAPD to precipitate successful change processes and impact as a change agent nested within multiple contexts and ecosystems. One of the key considerations that articulates our strategic intent as an apex body, is the determination to fully evolve into a fit-for-purpose umbrella organisation. UNAPD is deliberately focused on strategic, national-level activities whose lower-level operations are implemented by and through its members, supported by UNAPD secretariat. This plan significantly amplifies existing efforts to better engage members in achieving our vision for a dignified life for all PWPDs.
In terms of the content and focus of our work, the RSP shares much in common with UNAPD’s previous strategy. However, in each of UNAPD’s strategic directions, the Revised Strategic Plan clearly articulates a compelling alignment of all our activities with refined thematic objectives and result areas, underscored by the shift from a project-based to a program based outlook. In addition, the RSP outlines a number of key strategic shifts to deliver on our vision and mission.
These include:
- Greater clarity of our identity, primary beneficiaries and strategic focus areas
- Deepened analysis to integrate forward and backward linkages throughout our work approaches, results framework and theory of change.
- Strengthening the capacity of our members to organise, mobilise and take action.
- Engendering a more accountable, effective and innovative membership
- Increased appreciation for our responsibility to advance equality and equity for PWPD’s in emergency and humanitarian responses.
- Increased focus on resource sustainability particularly through mobilization of diversified streams of institutional and programmatic funding.
- Strengthening the operational competencies at UNAPD secretariat