U-Report

Uganda has the second youngest population in the world. More than three quarters (78 per cent) of its citizens are below the age of 35, and this youthful population is projected to double in the next 25 years. As a result, stresses on the education, health, and protection systems designed to support healthy children and youth will only grow. 

Luckily, young people in Uganda today are accessing information through digital technology like never before, and using it to make their voices heard. This has opened opportunities for greater citizen engagement. There is growing recognition that in order to create an inclusive and responsive society in Uganda, citizens, and especially the youth, need to be at the centre of policy-makers’ considerations; not just as targets, but also as agents. The aim is to develop policies and design services that respond to individuals’ needs, and that are relevant to their circumstances. 

Uganda, with support from UNICEF and other partners, has been able to make use of innovative communication technologies to promote an open and collaborative relationship with its citizens. 

Interactive web and mobile tools are being developed to promote stronger dialogue on nearly every aspect of civic life, and enabling powerful two-way communication between Uganda’s leadership and constituents.

 U-Report Uganda 
Your Voice, Your Community, Your Change!
Discover U-Report, the UNICEF-powered platform that connects young Ugandans, provides a platform for them to share their views, propose solutions, and make real change.
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What is U-Report?
U-Report is UNICEF’s flagship platform created for youth by youth. It provides young Ugandans with free digital tools and a safe space to express opinions, propose solutions, and create positive impact within their communities. The insights gathered through U-Report directly influence policies and decisions at local, national, and even global levels.
Since its launch in Uganda in 2011, U-Report has expanded to over 90 countries, empowering more than 35 million young people worldwide. Here, young people can actively participate in discussions on issues that matter most to them—because your voice matters!
Join U-Report and make your voice part of the change!
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How Does U-Report Work?
1. Become a U-Reporter:
Sign up by texting “JOIN” to one of our digital platforms:
•    SMS: Text "JOIN" to 8500 (toll-free)
•    WhatsApp: +256709168500
•    Facebook Messenger: UReportUganda
•    Mobile App: Download U-Report on your smartphone
2. Participate in Weekly Polls:
Share your views on a variety of topics, from health and education to employment and safety. Each response helps shape policies and highlights issues that need attention.
3. Report Community Issues:
U-Report makes it easy to bring attention to urgent matters in your community—just send a message! Reporting issues like school safety, healthcare quality, or environmental concerns helps hold leaders accountable for providing the services you and your community are entitled to.
4. Access Vital Information:
Stay informed about essential topics affecting young people in Uganda. Text "MENU" to U-Report to learn about mental health, immunization, HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Children, nutrition, 21st century skills, and more.
5. Learn with FunDoo:
Our digital companion, “FUNDOO,” is here to make learning fun and interactive! Gain critical 21st-century skills, explore self-learning activities, and develop employability skills that will support you as you build your future.
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Why Join U-Report?
•    Your Voice Matters: U-Report amplifies your voice, ensuring your views and opinions  are heard by decision-makers.
•    Make a Real Impact: Contribute to shaping policies and proposing solutions that create positive changes in Uganda.
•    Stay Informed: Get updates on vital issues and learn what’s impacting young people across the country.
•    Gain Skills: FunDoo’s digital coaching supports you in developing valuable life skills, employability skills, and even green skills to help you thrive.
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What Can Young People Do on U-Report to Create Change?
1. Participate in Polls:
Make your voice heard! U-Report polls allow you to express your views on important topics, like education quality, environmental protection, and job creation. For example, a U-Report poll by the Uganda National Youth Council collected insights on how young people contribute to Sustainable Development Goals. This information was later shared with the President at the International Youth Skills Day, showcasing how youth perspectives are valued and impactful.
2. Use U-Report Chatbots for Learning and Support:
Chatbots on U-Report platforms, including SMS, WhatsApp, the Mobile App, and Facebook, provide interactive access to essential information and skill-building on topics such as life skills, mental health, immunization, nutrition, and more. U-Report has also launched an Information Center and "FunDoo," a skilling chatbot designed to equip young people with valuable life and work skills. Through these chatbots, U-Reporters can access resources and receive referrals to professional support services, such as the SAUTI 116 helpline and the Ministry of Health Call Centre. This service ensures that adolescents, youth, and caregivers have timely access to critical resources whenever they need them most.
3. Engage in Community Action through U-Report Communities of Action:
U-Report Communities of Action are dynamic, youth-led initiatives that empower young people to take engage in meaningful action within their communities. U-Report Communities are led by young people themselves! These grassroots groups tackle local challenges, from running immunisation drives to organising skills training workshops.
By leveraging the collective voices of U-Reporters, these communities mobilise around local and national issues, addressing pressing challenges through advocacy, awareness campaigns, and hands-on initiatives. Decentralised and accessible to all, U-Report Communities of Action foster grassroots leadership, allowing youth from diverse backgrounds to identify and tackle issues such as health, education, and environmental sustainability. Through organised efforts like immunisation drives, mental health workshops, skill-building sessions, and sanitation campaigns, U-Reporters are transforming their communities, creating lasting impact, and driving real change. With the support of U-Report’s digital tools, these communities amplify the voices of young people, ensuring they are heard by policymakers and decision-makers, thereby shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for all.
4. Platform for Advocacy:
Active U-Reporters have a platform to voice their concerns to community leaders and at national and international fora. By joining, young people can advocate for better education, healthcare, and other essential services. U-Report provides a structured space for young people to present real issues and solutions to decision-makers.
5. Co-create Solutions and Share Stories on Voices of Youth:
Through the Voices of Youth platform, U-Reporters can share personal stories, experiences, and solutions that matter most to them. These insights are amplified across U-Report channels, reaching a wide audience, and making sure the needs of Ugandan youth are part of the national and global conversation.
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U-Report as a Tool for Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP)
In communities—especially those in vulnerable or hard-to-reach areas—U-Report serves as a crucial feedback and accountability mechanism, offering a trusted channel through which young people and their communities can make their voices heard and directly influence the quality of services they receive. Through U-Report, they can:
•    Receive lifesaving information
•    Provide feedback on essential services, helping to identify critical gaps and propose local solutions tailored to their unique needs.
•    Report challenges or complaints related to issues such as healthcare, education, or child protection. These reports are channeled to relevant authorities for immediate action; for example, child protection concerns are sent to the SAUTI 116 helpline, while health-related issues are escalated to the Ministry of Health Call Center. This ensures rapid attention to urgent needs, often in real time.
The U-Partners dashboard plays a pivotal role in this process by enabling each sector—health, education, child protection, and others—to access, monitor, and address incoming feedback efficiently. This system fosters a real-time communication loop, where feedback from communities is actively processed and responded to by service providers, ensuring accountability, transparency, and a proactive response to emerging issues.
Through this approach, U-Report not only elevates community voices but also builds trust by showing that concerns are met with genuine action. This mechanism empowers communities to influence decisions and improve the systems they rely on, fostering resilience, transparency, and engagement across Uganda’s most vulnerable regions.
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Benefits of Using U-Report as a Real -Time Platform
U-Report’s technology offers numerous advantages:
•    U-Report places life-changing information at the fingertips of young people! Recognising its potential for empowering youth
•    Its mobile technology is  a low-cost application with the potential to reach a wide population.
•    Its anonymity fosters open dialogue on issues of public concern.
•    Fast, Accurate Crisis Communication: Real-time information helps address urgent needs effectively while maintaining privacy and anonymity.
•    Community Preparedness: U-Reporters get timely updates on issues like public health risks, nutrition, and more.
•    Enhanced Collaboration: U-Report fosters cooperation among crisis management agencies, organisations, and young Ugandans for collective problem-solving.
•    Youth-Driven Accountability: Reports from U-Reporters create transparency, ensuring that local authorities address community needs.
•    U-Report’s FunDoo platform has created an alternative skilling opportunity for young people in Uganda, especially for Youth Neither in Employment nor in Education or Training (NEET), who may not have access to 21st century skilling opportunities.
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Together, We Can Make a Difference!
Image Idea: A diverse group of young Ugandans holding hands in solidarity or the Picture of U-Reporters in letter U. 
U-Report empowers YOU to be the change you want to see in Uganda! Join your voice with millions of others, and let’s create a brighter, healthier, and more just future together.
Ready to join? Text "JOIN" to 8500, connect via:
•    SMS: Text "JOIN" to 8500 (toll-free)
•    WhatsApp: +256709168500
•    Facebook Messenger: UReportUganda
•    Mobile App: Download U-Report on your smartphone

For more information, visit our website at www.ureport.ug.
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Connect with U-Report Uganda
Stay connected and inspired with U-Report:
•    Website: www.ureport.ug
•    Facebook: UReportUganda
•    Instagram: ureport_uganda
•    X (formerly Twitter): UReportUganda
Together, we can make Uganda a better place for every young person. Join U-Report today!
Your Voice Matters!