Uganda’s Sauti-116 uses MHPSS chatbot & data systems to strengthen child protection & GBV prevention.
Special Report
SAUTI-116 stands as a cornerstone of Uganda’s child protection system — a lifeline for children and survivors of violence, abuse and neglect.
“Sauti” is the brand name of the Uganda Child Helpline (UCHL). It is a Swahili word that means “voice,” signifying the voice that the service gives to children and women to report cases of abuse and gender-based violence (GBV).
The call centre operates 24 hours a day across Uganda under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD). It receives support from international partners including the Swedish Government through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, and civil society actors.
A delegation of eight Swedish Members of Parliament representing the eight political parties in Sweden visited the SAUTI-116 call centre on a fact-finding mission to observe how the platform provides a critical tool for child protection, with a focus on prevention and response to violence against children (VAC) and GBV in both humanitarian and development settings.
The MPs included Katrina Tolgfors, Martina Johansson, Magnus Berntsson, Yasmine Eriksson, Joar Forsell, Janine Alm Ericson, Markus Kauppinen and Andreas Lennkvist Manriquez. They were accompanied by two staff members from UNICEF Sweden, Karin Stromstedt and Erik Windmar.
At the SAUTI-116 offices in Kireka, Wakiso District, the Swedish MPs were welcomed by Uganda Government officials and UNICEF Uganda staff including the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Mr Aggrey David Kibenge; the Assistant Commissioner for Youth and Children’s Affairs, Mr Mondo Kyateka; the Senior Probation and Welfare Officer Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, who is also the National Coordinator of SAUTI-116/UCHL, Mr John Mugisha; and the Chief, Child Protection UNICEF Uganda, Ms Veronica Avati.
According to Ms Avati, UNICEF is supporting the ministry to finalize a five-year strategy that will guide SAUTI-16’s sustainability and institutionalization. “This includes strengthening district-level coordination and integrating PSEA and the SAUTI Management Information System (SMIS) into the broader Child Well-being MIS; promoting operational efficiency through innovations such as free outbound calls, data support and solar energy solutions; and enhancing outreach to children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups to ensure accessibility and inclusiveness,” she said.
Ms Avati stressed that domestic financing and increased budgetary allocation are key for the sustainability of SAUTI-116 services nationwide. “Embedding SAUTI-116 within the national budget under the Ministry of Finance and MOGLSD will be fundamental to its long-term sustainability,” she emphasised.
Speaking on behalf of the Swedish MPs, Ms Katarina Tolgfors commended the Government of Uganda for establishing national helplines through which citizens can report cases of child abuse and GBV. “This is a very good model that you are implementing in Uganda. In Sweden, we are also trying to set up something similar, and we have learnt a lot from our visit to the Sauti-116 call centre,” she stated.
How Sauti-116 operates
Ms Sarah Nahabi, the SAUTI-16 call centre manager, told the visiting Swedish MPs that counsellors working in 24/7 shifts are always at their workstation by 7 a.m. to receive calls from the public through a toll-free service with the short code 116.
“The counsellors, who include social workers and psychologists, receive an average of 1,000 calls per day through the helpline. They are highly trained professionals with the capacity to deal with calls from traumatized victims of child abuse and GBV. The team collectively speaks at least 26 of the 56 local dialects in Uganda,” she said.
Mr John Mugisha, National Coordinator of SAUTI-116, interacts with Swedish Member of Parliament Katarina Tolgfors (Moderate Party) during the visit to the SAUTI-116 offices in Kireka, Wakiso District. All pictures by Zahara Abdul/UNICEF -Uganda
According to Mr Mugisha, “UCHL gives confidence to members of the public to report cases of child rights violations and GBV without fear of retribution.” It offers hope to children and women who need help but have no one in their immediate environment to provide it. UCHL does not replace other reporting mechanisms but works alongside them to increase and improve reporting of violations and abuse against children,” Mugisha told the MPs.
He added that the helpline is also expected to strengthen child protection data collection, management and reporting for better programming for children affected by violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The reported cases are processed and acted upon at the case management centre before referrals are made where necessary.
SAUTI-116 Chatbot (“Buddy”)
The Sauti-116 helpline was expanded by launching a chatbot in July 2024 to provide advice and support to adolescents.
“The chatbot provides a safe and anonymous space for young people to seek information and support on topics such as mental health, puberty, sexual, reproductive health, and child rights. It is accessible at zero cost via SMS/text to the number 116 or through Telegram, and plans are underway to have it on WhatsApp. It is designed to work on all types of mobile phones, including basic feature phones,” Mugisha explained.
Safety Features
The chatbot uses trigger words (e.g., “suicide,” “abuse,” “rape”) to immediately connect the user to a professional counsellor at the call centre for urgent intervention. The MHPSS Chatbot Project is a regional initiative supported by UNICEF across Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
“The support and collaboration we have received has enabled us to establish a comprehensive, accessible and child-friendly helpline that provides confidential reporting and support services. This achievement is a testament to what can be accomplished through strong partnerships, shared commitment and a common vision for protecting our children,” Mugisha added.
