With Artificial Intelligence (AI) taking root especially amongst the younger and educated persons, there are fears that the gender gap will widen unless specific interventions are made, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Uganda’s Human Development Index (HDI) value stands at 0.582, placing the country in the medium human development category and ranking it 157 out of 193 countries and territories.
However, this position is threatened by mainly the growing inequality between men and women, partly influenced by digital technology.
With Artificial Intelligence (AI) taking root, especially amongst the younger and educated persons, there are fears that the gender gap will widen unless specific interventions are made, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
While Uganda outperformed the Sub Saharan African average, and came just behind Kenya in the East African region, the slowdown in the gender equality progress is significant .
An East Africa comparison shows that, unlike HDI ranking, Kenya and Uganda's ranking in the GIL is relatively low compared to Rwanda and Ethiopia.
Rwanda, Ethiopia and Kenya seem to have made significant gains in the last two decades compared to Uganda.
The Gender Inequality Index ranks Uganda 141, Tanzania, 131 and with Rwanda topping at 99, while Kenya comes at 143.
The HDR2025 is themed: A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of AI.
It explores how AI affects people at different stages of their lives, and how it influences broader social, economic and political processes.
"The report underscores the critical importance of strategic decision-making for Uganda to harness the transformative potential of AI, which is emerging as a transformative force," said Nwanne Obahor, the UNDP Resident Representative.
She says this AI, "depending on our choices," can either deepen disparities or accelerate equity.
"Human development is not predetermined - it is a matter of choice. Let us join forces to shape an inclusive, digital, and AI-powered future that leaves no Ugandan behind."
Since 1990, Uganda has made significant progress with a 70.2 percent increase in HDI, driven by improvements in life expectancy (up by 20.7 years), expected years of schooling (up by 5.8 years), and Gender Inequality Index (GII) per capita (up by 158 percent).
According to the report, at birth, a person is expected to live for 68.3 years and be in school for 11.6 years.
UNDP Senior Economist Thangavel Palanivel said that making Al work for people is a matter of choice.
He recommended that policymakers should shape the future, breaking away from trying to guess how humans will be replaced by AI, to see the potential of what humans can do with Al, hence building a complementarity economy.
He also urged "innovation with intent", where AI should be harnessed to accelerate science and technological innovation, not by automating creative processes but by augmenting them.
According to him, investing in capabilities that matter is also critical. "Al's flexibility and adaptability should be leveraged to personalise education and healthcare in different contexts, while attending to risks and concerns related to bias, privacy, affordability, and equity," he said.
The report notes that the growing adoption of AI brings a host of opportunities and challenges for efficiency, innovation, and creation.
It thus raises concerns about job displacement, ethical challenges, and the potential for deeper social inequalities in Uganda and elsewhere, Palanivel says, calling for a better environment to promote and protect digital-based innovation.
"Countries like Uganda need to promote a trusted, ethical, risk-averse, transparent and accountable AI ecosystem that can elicit people's confidence and guarantees an enabling atmosphere for innovation, to best harness AI for the greater public good".
The 2025 HDR says that by adopting clear policies, ensuring transparency, and adhering to the legal framework, a country like Uganda can harness AI's potential by ensuring proper adoption and use, while mitigating its inherent risks.
It calls for a strong national AI framework in the form of AI-specific policies, strategies and regulations to govern AI in the context of harnessing the opportunities while managing emerging challenges.
However, as AI spreads across all sectors, the report appeals for policies that will include even rural areas.
"Uganda also needs to invest more in Al human capabilities and ICT infrastructure, especially in rural areas, for reducing the digital divide and for driving innovation, increasing efficiency, and realising a 10-fold growth target by 2040," Palanivel said.
