Voice and accountability are central principles of a rights-based approach to social protection. HelpAge International supports older citizen monitors (trained volunteers, usually members of older people’s associations) to collect data about the social protection schemes available to older people in their countries. This evidence is used by older people to advocate with local officials for improvements in implementation of social protection schemes at local level. It is also used at national level to advocate for long-term change in social protection policy design and operations.

This brief summarises data from surveys carried out by older citizen monitors with recipients of the Senior Citizens Grant in four districts of Uganda, and group discussions between older citizen monitors and government officials. The surveys and discussions focused on implementation and accountability issues in the scheme. They highlighted areas for improvement, both in local-level programme implementation and in social protection policy design.