The Huddle and Rise Up Policy Forum will examine public health approaches to strengthening child protection systems across Africa. Bringing together governments and a multisectoral African audience, the programme will explore regional challenges and solutions, elevate African expertise, and promote more collaborative, data-informed, and preventive child protection systems.
Day one: The ISPCAN Huddle model is a multidisciplinary, case-based learning approach that reviews real child maltreatment cases through a public health lens. Developed with the Haruv Institute, it supports professionals and policymakers to strengthen assessment, intervention, and systems improvement. Policy Huddles bring together policymakers, NGO leaders, researchers, and system administrators to identify systemic gaps, policy reform opportunities, and prevention priorities.
Days two and three: The Rise Up Policy Forum features plenaries, technical workshops, and interactive sessions focused on strengthening child protection systems through a public health approach. Four priority themes will be explored in plenary masterclasses, with breakout sessions providing deeper discussion and related perspectives. The Forum highlights diverse African expertise and fosters open peer learning on key challenges and promising solutions.
Uganda 2026 Program
8:30 - 9:00 am
Coffee
9:00 - 9:30 am
Plenary Session
Opening Event
- Key Objectives for the Huddle & RUPF
- Children’s Parliament report out
Government of Uganda
Impact and Innovations Development Centre (IIDC)
9:30 - 10:00 am
Plenary Session
Setting the stage for the Huddle
- What is a public health approach
- Overview of the Huddle
- Learning Objectives for the Huddle/Pillars
- Building safety/shared ownership
Huddle Steering Committee with Haruv Institute
ISPCAN
AfriChild
10:00 - 10:30 am
Plenary Session
Featured Presentation: AI Generated Case Enactment
The Haruv Institute
Impact and Innovations Development Centre (IIDC)
AfriChild
10:30 - 11:00 am
Ice Breaker
Reflective Exercise
11:00 - 11:30 am
Plenary Session
Pillar 1: Continuum of Care (Reporting, disclosure & Care Services)
Impact and Innovations Development Centre (IIDC)
Additional Speakers TBD
Primary Pillar(s): A continuum of prevention and response services
11:30 - 12:00 pm
4 x Interactive Break Out Sessions on Continuum of Care (Reporting, Disclosure & Care Services)
4 break out sessions for deep dive thinking on Continuum of Care (Reporting, disclosure & Care Services).
Questions for discussion:
- What are the current challenges for disclosure in cases like this in your country?
- Where do the reporting and care services work well, and where do they break down?
- What could be done in your countries to ensure stronger continuum of care to change the outcome for similar cases?
- What are some examples of good practices that could be strengthened through policy?
- What are key risk factors that can be identified
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 - 1:30 pm
Plenary Session
Pillar 2: Effective Coordination
The Haruv Institute
Bantwana
Additional Speakers TBD
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination
1:30 - 2:00 pm
4 x Interactive Break Out Sessions on Effective Coordination
4 break out sessions for deep dive thinking on Effective Coordination.
Questions for discussion:
- What are your current challenges with managinbg multiple Jurisdictions for a case?
- Where does coordination response work well, and where does it break down?
- How do you address referral gaps, delays and duplication in multisectorial response?
- What could be done in your countries to ensure stronger coordination to change the outcome for similar cases?
- What are some examples of good practices that could be strengthened through policy?
2:00 - 2:30 pm
Plenary Session
Pillar 3: Work Force Development and Capacity
Safe Futures Hub
Additional Speakers TBD
Primary Pillar(s): A National Action Plan, capacity building and scaled solutions
2:30 - 3:00 pm
4 x Interactive Break Out Sessions on Work Force Development & Capacity
4 break out sessions for deep dive thinking on Work Force Development & Capacity.
Questions for discussion:
- What changes do you think could have the greatest impact on the capacity of your current workforce involved in cases like this?
- How can these impacts be achieved and sustained?
- What are the current stressors of the workforce of your country?
- What can be addressed on a large scale to mitigate burnout and fatigue be addressed in your current workforce?
3:00 - 3:00 pm
Break
3:30 - 4:00 pm
Plenary Session
Pillar 4: Primary Prevention
AfriChild
Additional Speakers TBD
4:00 - 4:30 pm
4 x Interactive Break Out Sessions on Primary Prevention
4 break out sessions for deep dive thinking on Primary Prevention.
Questions for discussion:
- What are the missed opportunities to prevent abuse before it escalates in your current system?
- What are the warning signs that can trigger earlier action?
- What are the gaps in family, school, community, or system-level prevention?
- Can policymakers identify realistic prevention measures from this case?
- What are typical family support structures?
4:30 - 5:00 pm
Plenary Session
Closing the Huddle
- Key Learnings
- Setting the stage for the RUPF
- Reflections shared by reps from other countries
Huddle Steering Committee with Haruv Institute
Mr Deogratias Yiga -Impact and Innovations Development Centre (IIDC)
Mr Timothy Opobo - AfriChild
Pragathi Tummala - ISPCAN
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Evening Event: Welcome Reception and Cultural Event hosted by the Government of Uganda
8:30 - 9:00 am
Coffee
9:00 - 10:30 am
Official Opening Ceremony of the Rise Up Policy Forum
The Government of Uganda welcomes delegates
10:30 - 11:00 am
Coffee
11:00 - 11:45 am
Plenary Session
MASTERCLASS: Effective governance and multisectoral coordination
- Country examples of effective governance and multisectoral coordination,
highlighting different contexts and approaches. - Multisectoral coordination in prevention and response, from national to
local - Building coordination across ministries, disciplines and sectors, civil
society, community, faith and cultural groups.
Uganda Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development
Uganda Ministry of Health
Uganda Stakeholder Committee
11:45 - 12:45 pm
Interactive breakout sessions on effective governance and multisectoral coordination
The Health Sector’s Role in Preventing and Responding to Violence against Children
World Health Organisation
From silos to a system: Kenya’s cross-sector coordination and collaboration model on access to justice with children
National Council on the Administration of Justice, Govt of Kenya
Terre des Hommes Netherlands
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination
Cultivating Responsible, Engaged, and Loving Fathers in Uganda: Processes for Evidence Generation and Government-Led Sustainability to Reduce Household Violence Against Women and Children
Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development
Embedding Multisectoral Communities of Practice into Government Systems: Lessons from South Africa
Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg
Gauteng Department of Social Development, Johannesburg Child Welfare
12:45 - 1:45 pm
Lunch
1:45 - 2:15 pm
Plenary Session
MASTERCLASS: Prevention - stopping child abuse and neglect before it happens
- Prevention – rationale, evidence, key principles.
- Country examples of implementing prevention programmes at scale.
World Health Organisation
Other speaker tbc
2:15 - 3:15 pm
Interactive Break Out Sessions on Prevention and Breakthrough Strategies
Reforming Care, Preventing Family Separation: Nigeria’s Experience and the African Conversation on Alternative Care for Children
SOS Children's Villages Nigeria
Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination
Discipline or Violence? Navigating Cultural Norms and Reform in Tanzanian Schools
HakiElimu Tanzania
Primary Pillar(s): Policy and legislation
Strengthening Online Child Protection Through Participation, Prevention, and Systems Change: Lessons from Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Benin and Togo
Presidio Safeguarding
Uganda Child Rights NGO Network
Primary Pillar(s): A continuum of prevention and response services, Child, survivor and community participation
Scaling Parenting Programmes that Prevent Violence Against Women and Children and Advance Gender Equality: Lessons from Government–CSO Partnerships in Kenya and Rwanda
RWAMREC
ICS SP
Prevention Collaborative
Primary Pillar(s): A National Action Plan, capacity building and scaled solutions
3:15 - 3:45 pm
Coffee
3:45 - 4:45 pm
African Issues, Contexts and Solutions Through a Public Health System Strengthening Lens
Creating a Child Friendly Justice System
Kids Alive International Zambia
Ministry of Justice, Government of Zambia
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination , A National Action Plan, capacity building and scaled solutions, A continuum of prevention and response services
From Invisible to Integral – Prioritising kinship care in Africa’s child protection systems through policy and practice based solutions
Family for Every Child
FOST
Primary Pillar(s): Policy and legislation
Bridging the Gap: How governments and faith actors can work together to end the violent discipline of children, sharing experience from South Africa and Nigeria
Community Collaborative Training and Development Services
SVRI
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination
From Burden to Action: Mental Health, Parenting, and Child Maltreatment Prevention in Resource-Limited African Settings
Africa Institute of Mental and Brain Health
Ministry of Health, Government of Uganda
Primary Pillar(s): Data and evidence
5:00 - 6:00 pm
Evening Event: Reception and posters
8:30 - 9:00 am
Coffee
9:00 - 10:30 am
MASTERCLASS: Building the investment case for ending VAC
- Investment case on child abuse and neglect: background & rationale, what goes into an investment case, how they are used
- The cost of inaction: presentation on the new Cost of VAC tool
- The solution: presentation on what works, how to scale it up, and how to cost it
- The benefits of investment: presentation on the new Return on Investment tool
- Q&A session
Simon Halvey, Cornerstone Economics
Atieno Odenyo, Maestral
10:30 - 11:00 am
Coffee
11:00 - 11:45 pm
Interactive break out sessions on the investment case - mobilising funding, costing systems, building partnerships
Mobilizing Funding: Translating investment case evidence into effective budget advocacy
Cornerstone
Ministry of Finance, Government of South Africa
Turning numbers into decisions: interactive lab on costing child protection systems
Maestral International
Beyond the Buzzword: Building effective government–civil society partnerships to prevent violence against children
Institute for Security Studies
Save the Children
Cornerstone
Raising Voices
Violence Prevention Forum
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination
11:45 - 12:30 pm
Interactive break out sessions on the investment case - mobilising funding, costing systems, building partnerships
Mobilizing Funding: Translating investment case evidence into effective budget advocacy (repeat)
Cornerstone
Ministry of Finance, Government of South Africa
Turning numbers into decisions: interactive lab on costing child protection systems (repeat)
Maestral International
Beyond the Buzzword: Building effective government–civil society partnerships to prevent violence against children(repeat)
Institute for Security Studies
Save the Children
Cornerstone
Raising Voices
Violence Prevention Forum
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30 - 2:00 pm
Plenary Session
MASTERCLASS: Data and Evidence
- National quality data and information management systems
- Translating data to policy and practice
- Research, evidence and knowledge generation
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Interactive break out sessions on national data systems, evidence and monitoring, data-to-policy-&-practice
A Social Determinants Framework for Implementing the INSPIRE Technical Package for Ending Violence Against Children, with 2026 Evidence Update
World Health Organisation
IIDC
Every Call Matters; Why Child Helplines in Africa are CRITICAL in protecting children
Child Helpline International
Child Rights Department, Government of Somalia
Sauti 116 (Uganda national child helpline)
C-Sema (Tanzania national child helpline)
Primary Pillar(s): Data and evidence
From Evidence to Scale: Building Models to Embed Parenting Support in National Systems and Implementer Platforms to Prevent Violence and Family Separation
Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Government of Uganda
SOS Children's Villages Uganda
Towards an East Africa regional model to detect and respond to Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE)- Lessons from Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.
Terre des Hommes Netherlands
National Council on the Administration of Justice
Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Government of Ethiopia
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. Government of Uganda
Dwelling Places
Primary Pillar(s): Governance and multi-sectoral coordination
3:00 - 3:15 pm
Coffee
3:15 - 4:15 pm
Interactive break out sessions on national data systems, evidence and monitoring, data-to-policy-&-practice
Strengthening the Research Ecosystem for Evidence-Based Policy Implementation to Improve Child Wellbeing in Africa
AfriChild
What do those with care experience want from the social services workforce?
Child Frontiers
Association of Care Leavers Uganda
Global Social Services Workforce Alliance
Martin James Foundation
Child's i foundation
Primary Pillar(s): Child, survivor and community participation
Rising Up to Hidden Harm: African-Led Evidence Driving Public Health Action on Abuse in Young People’s Intimate Relationships in Uganda
Makerere University
The Fortress, Uganda
4:15 - 5:00 pm
Plenary Session
Closing Plenary
- Review, reflection and celebration of achievement
- Best poster award
- Building an ongoing community of practice and learning in the region
- Review, reflection and celebration of achievement
- Best poster award
- Building an ongoing community of practice and learning in the region
- Statements of commitment from countries and organisations
Additional Information
- This programme is subject to change, up until the day of the Policy Forum. Several government speakers are still being confirmed and will continue to be added to the programme.
- The Congress and Rise Up Policy Forum will mainly be conducted in English, however an AI tool will be provided to allow delegates to participate in different languages. Delegates will need a mobile phone and headphones to access the AI interpretation tool.
