Co-Investigator & WP2 (Foundational Research) co-lead, Makerere University, Uganda
Dr Esther Kalule is a professional Social Worker and Lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at Makerere University. She holds a PhD in Social Work from Makerere University, where her research explored resilience among people living with HIV in Uganda, focusing on how they mobilise resources to adhere to antiretroviral therapy in economically constrained settings.
Her expertise lies in developmental social work, with a strong focus on rights-based approaches, social protection, and the empowerment of vulnerable groups—including people with disabilities, children, and individuals living with HIV. Dr Kalule is particularly committed to child protection and addressing gender-based violence, with research and advocacy targeting issues such as female genital mutilation and the commercial sexual exploitation of children, especially through gender and disability lenses. She plays a key leadership role in strengthening Uganda’s social service workforce, serving as a certified trainer and coordinator of child and youth protection training at Makerere University. Dr Kalule has published widely and continues to contribute to policy and practice in child protection and trauma-informed care.
INIFIRES 