Uganda woman issue 4 march 2014 web

UGANDA WOMAN March 2014 1
Issue 4, March 2014
WOMANUGANDA
THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA
International W
om
en’s Day Edition
Male Action Groups
Against Gender-Based
Violence
Growing Gender
Equality in
Communities
Profile of
Hon. Janet Museveni,
Minister for Karamoja Affairs
Men Matter in the
Quest for Women’s
Empowerment
In Partnership with Men and Boys for
Empowerment of Women and Girls in Uganda

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT:
What It Is
Men Matter in the Quest for Women’s Empowerment
Meet Hon. JANET
KATAAHA MUSEVENI,
The First Lady of
Uganda, Minister for
Karamoja Affairs and
Member of Parliament,
Ruhaama County
Dismantle
Systems which
Propagate Injustices
Against Women
Interview with
Fredrick
Ruhindi
Negotiation is
Key in Building
Sustainable
Partnerships:
An Interface with Dr.
Olive Sentumbwe
Men as Partners in
the Empowerment
of Women
Women Permanent
Secretaries Profiles
CONTENTS
14
10
27
28
3023
20
16

UGANDA WOMAN March 20144
Published by;
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development,
P. O. Box 7136, Kampala, Uganda.
Website: www.mglsd.go.ug
Email: ugandawomanmagazine@mglsd.go.ug
www.facebook.com/mglsd
Editor in Chief: Pius Bigirimana
Managing Editor: Jane Sanyu Mpagi
Deputy Managing Editor (Administrative): Elizabeth Kyasimiire
Deputy Managing Editor (Editorial): Francis Mondo Kyateka
Contributing Editor: Maggie Mabweijano
Editor: Pamela Batenga
Editorial Assistant: Rachael Mutesi
Sub-Editor: Hilda Twongyeirwe
Administrator: Jane Ekapu
Assistant Administrator: Kenneth Ayebazibwe
Distribution: Innocent Tushabe
Brian Masimbi
Consulting Editor: Ikebesi Ocole Omoding
Contributors: Hodan Addou, Teddy Agwang, Kenneth
Ayebazibwe, Regina Bafaki, Charity Rutaremwa Bekunda,
Kareem Buyana, Monica Emiru Enyou, Best Kemigisa, Evelyn
Kiapi, Agnes Kisembo, Ruth Komuntale, Imelda Kyaringabira,
Elizabeth Kyasiimire, Jane Sanyu Mpagi, Collins Mwijuka,
Khadija Nakakande, Maureen Nakatudde, Christopher Namara,
Moreen Natukunda, Dennis Obbo, Hilda M Tadria, Hilda
Twongyeirwe
Layout and Graphics: Paul Wambi
Printing: Horizon Lines Limited
Cover Picture:
President Yoweri Museveni congratulates Pader Woman Member
of Parliament, Lowila Oketayot at a Thanks giving ceremony
Inside Front: Woman smoking fish for sale at the Ggaba
Landing Site
Inside Back: An illustration of shared parenthood
WOMANUGANDA
MEMPROW Targets Men for Girl-Child
Empowerment
Building Partnerships: Recommendations
of the Commission on the Status of Women
Growing Gender Equality in Communities
NAWOU Guides on how Men can Champion
Women Causes
National Women’s Council Empowers Women
1,600 Women Groups
Male Action Groups Unite Against Gender Based
Violence
Adult Literacy More Effective with Male Involvement
Parenting: The First Building Block for Healthy
Relationships
Women and Men Partnerships Pivotal to the
Success of SACCOS
Land Ownership Critical for Women’s Empowerment
Tooro Royals Speak out
Gender Profile of Kumi District
35
34
37
38
40
42
44
46
48
49
50
51UGANDA WOMAN March 2014
1
Issue 4, March 2014
WOMAN
UGANDA
THE REPUBLIC
OF UGANDA
In
tern
ationa
l W
om
en
’s
Day
Edition
MALE ACTION GROUPS AGAINST
GENDER-BAED VIOLANCE
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MEN AND BOYS FOR
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN UGANDA
KUMI GENDER
PROFILE
PROFILE OF HON. JANET MUSEVENI,
MINISTER FOR KARAMOJA AFFAIRS
INTERVIEW WITH HON.
RUHINDI, DEPUTY ATTORNEY

Chorus:
Mothers, Daughters
All Women everywhere
Stand up and embrace
Your role today.
We are the proud mothers of our Nation
The Backbone without which it can never stand
We wake up, wake up
We wake up at the crack of dawn
And feed the nation with our brains
With love and joy we care
For our baby Uganda.
Mothers, Daughters
Your role today.
Step by step with tender care
We nurse her we mould her at home and in school
Leading, leading
Spearheading her identity, production and development
In Government and Profession
Name it woman is there.
Mothers, Daughters
Your role today.
We call on you women of Uganda
Wake up if you’ve not yet embraced your role
Wake up, wake up
Beside our men lets play our role
In solving all our nations needs
In every walk of life
To develop Uganda.
Mothers, Daughters
Your role today.
UGANDA WOMEN’S ANTHEM

Fellow Ugandans!
Welcome to 2014 and to the fourth issue
of the Uganda Woman magazine!
Building Partnerships for Empowerment
of Women and Girls in Uganda is the
theme we have chosen to commemorate
this year’s International Women’s Day. It
is also the subject of our magazine.
The theme presents an opportunity
for reflection at a time when we are
celebrating achievements such as the
Golden Jubilee of Independence, the
28 years of prosperity and sustained
economic growth under the NRM
Government and the attainment of
some targets set under the Millennium
Development Goals such as the
achievement of gender parity at
Primary school level and the attainment
of the critical mass of 30% women
representation in political processes.
Since 1988, when the then Ministry of
Women in Development was created, it
has been and still is our policy to facilitate
women to access the factors of production
including; land, capital, agricultural inputs
and skills for value-addition.
The enabling environment created by the
NRM Government awakened the women’s
potential and increased their self-esteem
to vigorously embrace the available
opportunities.
In many of our societies, men are the
custodians of power within our patriarchal
society and they hold the key to changing
mind-sets and practices that relegate
women and girls to subordinate positions
in society. However, it is important to note
that when women are empowered, society
including men, benefit.
Hence, the approach to involve men
and boys in efforts to address gender
inequality is the right thing to do. This will
dispel the claim that the empowerment of
women should be achieved at the expense
of men and boys. We send a strong
message in this Issue about the need to
work together to achieve our common
aspirations and vision.
I take this opportunity to thank His
Excellency, President Yoweri Museveni,
for making women visible at all levels.
In the same vein, I thank the First Lady,
Honourable Janet Kataaha Museveni, for
her profile in this Magazine and for being
an inspiration to the women and girls of
Uganda.
As we prepare to enter a new phase of the
Global Post-2015 Development Agenda,
it is our hope that the partnership between
men and women will be strengthened.
We want peace, dignity, respect for and
enjoyment of human rights for all women,
men, boys and girls. Above all, we need
harmony and prosperity in our families,
homes, communities and in the entire
Nation.
Thank you all for the partnerships
throughout the struggle for democracy,
development and gender equality in
Uganda.
I wish all Ugandans, Friends and Partners
a joyful International Women’s Day!
Mary Karooro Okurut (MP)
MINISTER
Message from the
Hon. Minister of Gender,
Labour and Social
Development

Dear Readers!
The 4th Issue of the Uganda Woman
magazine is here.
My colleagues and I at Ministry of
Gender, Labour and Social Development
are delighted and at the same time
humbled by the enthusiasm you have
exhibited towards the magazine.
From the feedback we have received
online and verbally, it is evident that the
publication is highly valued because of its
in-depth analysis, exposition and factual
presentation of the milestones in the
struggle for equality, empowerment and
the elimination of all forms of violence
against women and girls.
We pledge that the Uganda Woman
magazine will continue to provide well
thought out strategic proposals on how to
spur the Women’s Movement to a level
that is commensurate with the 21st century
political, social and economic demands.
Indeed, this Issue presents various
proposals on how to build synergies
and partnerships with men and boys for
the empowerment of women and girls
in Uganda. It also presents the gains
that have been made because of such
partnerships.
I take note that all the gains with
respect to gender equality are a result of
collaboration between men and women.
This partnership is embedded in our way
of life because our cultures prescribe unity
and shared responsibility for the well-
being and livelihood of the family and
community.
Fellow Ugandans, on behalf of the women
of Uganda and on my own behalf, I take
this opportunity to thank His Excellency
Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the
President of the Republic of Uganda for
his visionary and charismatic leadership
and for exhibiting a high level of
partnership with the women and girls of
Uganda.
The National Resistance Movement
Government has spearheaded the
development of gender responsive policies
and laws to promote gender equality
and women’s empowerment. As a result
of the conducive environment, women
and girls have benefitted from numerous
programmes including Universal
Primary Education (UPE), Universal
Secondary Education (USE), the National
Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS),
Savings Credit and Cooperative Societies
(SACCOs) among others.
The women of Uganda are also grateful
that His Excellency the President has
appointed several women to leadership
positions and confirmed his commitment
to the advancement of women in Uganda.
Finally, I wish to appreciate the
contribution of our development partners
and the authors of the stories in this Issue.
The Ministry values the partnership we
have with each of you in our goal to
achieve gender equality and women’s
empowerment.
I wish all the women, girls, boys and men
of Uganda a memorable International
Women’s Day 2014.
Rukia Nakadama Isanga
MINISTER OF STATE, GENDER,
LABOUR AND SOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT IN- CHARGE OF
GENDER AND CULTURALAFFAIRS
Message from the
Hon. Minister of
State for Gender and
Cultural Affairs

It is indeed a great pleasure for my team
and l to welcome you to yet another issue
of the Uganda Woman magazine.
At the Ministry of Gender, Labour and
Social Development, we make it our
responsibility to reach out to the general
public and share our insight in the struggle
to empower women and girls in Uganda.
It is our view that this must be a collective
responsibility which requires building
synergies and partnerships.
In this issue of Uganda Woman, we explore
the extent to which building and moving
in partnership with men and boys can
accelerate empowerment of women and
girls in Uganda: hence the theme of the
issue, “In Partnership with Men and Boys
for Empowerment of Women and Girls in
Uganda”, which is also the theme for this
year‘s International Women’s Day.
The various stories in the magazine
explain how partnerships with men and
boys can broaden, widen, deepen and
cement the spirit and intent of the women’s
emancipation movement and drive it to the
next level. The magazine also judiciously
examines what women empowerment
is all about and the relevance of male
involvement in breaking the yoke of
inequality.
It is clear from informed analysis that the
struggletoachievegenderequalityismulti-
faceted and therefore requires a multi-
sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach
to fully realise its goals and objectives. It
calls for partnerships and the building of
strong synergies through, among others,
employing the gender mainstreaming
strategy.
It is therefore critical for all of us to
appreciate that we are players in this
struggle. No one should consider
themselves free and emancipated when
anyone around them is in bondage. We
must remain united and focused at all times
so as to achieve our aspiration of gender
equality.
I wish you pleasant reading. May this
issue contribute to policy dialogue and
programme design, not only in Uganda and
Africa, but also globally.
I wish everyone and especially the women
and girls a happy Women’s Day 2014.
I urge all of you to embrace the spirit of
partnership in order to create a critical
mass of empowered women and girls.
Pius Bigirimana
PERMANENT SECRETARY/
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Editorial

By Kenneth Ayebazibwe
The Uganda Woman magazine
is a bi-annual publication of the
Ministry of Gender, Labour and
Social Development. It is a 60-page
magazine featuring various issues
affecting women in Uganda.
The magazine is reader-focused and
managed by a highly skilled editorial
team with extensive experience in
magazine publishing.
Uganda Woman magazine has a
print run of 5,000 copies. It is not
for sale and is distributed to various
stakeholders in the country.
The magazine is also uploaded on the
Ministry website and on its Facebook
page. The digitally delivered edition
has extended readership to those who
live outside the print distribution
area and this has made the magazine
global.
Three issues have been produced so
far. The first and second issues have
generated 4,870 and 3,985 views and
downloads respectively. Issue 3 has
shown gradual growth online with
1,101 views.
To download a copy of the
magazines, please visit;
www.facebook.com/mglsd and
www.mglsd.go.ug or Google Uganda
Woman Magazine.
Sherna Alexander
 I must commend you on your page plus the magazine
and it would be a great initiative for us to network, We
are based in Trinidad and Tobago
Baluku Matayo
 Hello there, thank you for the efforts to disseminate the
works and knowledge for the Ministry.
I would like to have access to the Uganda Woman
Magazine Issue 3. How do I get a soft copy?
Matayo THETA UGANDA (bmatayo@thetaug.org)
Tumwine Nyangire Saul Ogaa
 I want to take this chance to thank the gender ministry
and the staff for the Uganda Woman Magazine and
other publications that are coming through online.....
thank you so very much for the help and Will always
be grateful.
Saul Tumwine Kyambogo University.
Bush Doug
 Thanks Minstry for the Uganda Woman Magazine.
It is a true representation of how far government
has achieved in regard to gender issues and women’s
empowerment .
W H AT T H E R E A D E R S S AY
Uganda Woman Magazine can be
accessed online: www. facebook.com/mglsd
Kenneth Ayebazibwe is the
E-Resource Centre Manager in
the Ministry of Gender Labour
and Social Development (MGLSD)
The Editor welcomes your comments on
ugandawomanmagazine@mglsd.go.ug

By Jane Sanyu Mpagi
Society is made up of men and women.
Both have social relations within their
homes and families as relatives; in the
communities as friends, colleagues or
neighbours; and, at the work place as co-
workers or clients. The quality of every
woman or man’s life depends to a large
extent on those relationships. Although
their lives are shared, their expectations,
opportunities and behaviours often differ
greatly.
Inequalities between women and men
resulting from socially ascribed roles
sometimes put either men or women
at a disadvantage. In most of the
Ugandan societies, the women are more
disadvantaged. Given that women interact
with men on daily basis in their households
and public lives, involving men in the
negotiations for women’s rights has the
potential to create lasting change which
would lead to a more equitable society.
Women’s empowerment is a key ingredient
of a just society and therefore essential to
its development. It is a process by which
women either individually or collectively
attain power to make choices and control
their destiny. Empowerment includes;
access to and control over resources:
physical; human, intellectual and financial
as well as ideology: beliefs, values and
attitudes. While empowerment comes from
within, it can be catalyzed by a just social
environment in which women can make
decisions and choices freely.
The concerns and problems of women who
constitute more than half of the population
in Uganda have a significant effect on the
country as a whole. Therefore, any socio
economicandpoliticalinterventionscannot
afford to ignore women. However, because
the processes of change are controlled by
men mostly, they too, cannot be ignored
in the transformation of structures and
attitudes that hinder the satisfaction of
women’s needs.
Uganda is a patriarchal society where
men mostly control productive resources
such as land, credit, information and
time. Since the advent of the National
Resistance Movement Government, which
has instituted various affirmative action
measures, access to productive resources
by women has increased significantly.
However, control over resources by women
is still limited and this is still affecting the
development process.
Despite the fact that the Land Act
guarantees women the right to land
occupancy, they mostly access land
through associations with a male relative
who is a husband, father or brother because
Uganda is a patrilineal society where land
is transferred to males through inheritance.
Consequently, women’s control over the
use of land is still a challenge. According
to the Uganda Demographic and Health
Survey, 2011 four out of ten women
(40%) own a house and/or land mostly
jointly owned with spouses. This is an
increase from 16% quoted widely in the
1990s. It is important, therefore, that the
land tenure systems guarantee access and
control over land by women. This would
boost agricultural productivity and enable
women to access financial services because
land is used as collateral.
The access to financial services by women
is further hampered by bank requirements
some of which women cannot access
as easily as their male counterparts. For
instance, in most banks, one has to show
COVER STORY
Men Matter in the
Quest for Women’s
Empowerment
President Museveni with the Rt. Hon. Speaker Rebecca Kadaga: The number of
women in leadership has increased significantly since 1986

proof of payment of utility bills and a valid
identity card, among other requirements to
open bank accounts. There is a significant
number of women who cannot meet the
requirements because of varied historical
disadvantages on their part.
Furthermore, men, who are generally more
literate than women, are in a better position
to access information on health, education,
modern agricultural practices among
others. If there is a deliberate effort by
men to share this information with women,
households could create more wealth and
societal transformation would be realized
sooner than later.
Several studies have shown that on
average, Ugandan women, work for more
than 16 hours a day compared to five for
men. This time poverty is a result of the
multiple household chores often performed
without appropriate technology. Women,
particularly those in rural areas, are
responsible for caring for all household
members, food production as well as
participating in community activities.
Looking after children requires the input
of both parents and that of the community.
Parents play an important role in shaping
the character and future of their children.
To support women, men should participate
more actively in the lives of family
members. This would reduce the work load
on women and enable them to participate
more actively in community activities and
possibly to work outside the home.
In addition, time and energy saving
technologies could be adopted because
these reduce women’s drudgery. Studies
also indicate that men are encouraged to
participate in household chores when they
use appropriate technologies that save time
and energy.
The situation pertaining to women’s access
to and control productive resources cannot
be changed sustainably without engaging
the male folk because culture gives them
an advantage in this area. Fathers, spouses
and male next of kin have the power to
unlock the cultural practices and make
women and girls inherit land and other
resources. Traditional leaders most of
whom are men also wield the power to
change the norms and ensure women and
girls’security of tenure to land. In the same
vein, policy makers and legislators should
develop policy frameworks and enact laws
that guarantee equal access to productive
resources by both men and women.
The engagement of men in the area of
sexual and reproductive health is critical
because men take most decisions in
relation to sexual activity including use of
contraceptives. Therefore, men can play
a central role in improving maternal and
child health for healthier families. For a
long time, reproductive health programs
have focused on women yet men control
resources that women need to access health
services for themselves and their families.
Men can support women to have safe
pregnancies, delivery and breastfeeding
thus contributing to better health outcomes.
Mencanalsosupporttheirpartnerstoadopt
better health seeking behaviour, while at
the same time, confronting their own health
risks by avoiding Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STIs) and taking care of their
own health needs. Furthermore, men
can choose to utilize male contraception
methods and reduce the burden on their
spouses.
Involving men should not mean that
women lose control over their fertility.This
A woman leads a study team around a mixed farm: Women have access to land but most do not own it
Photo:EnvironmentalAlert

COVER STORY
is fundamental to women’s empowerment
because if a woman can plan her family,
she can manage her life better. When she
is healthy, she can be more productive and
when she is able to decide the right number,
timing and spacing of children, she will be
able to participate fully in the society.
Transmission of HIV and AIDS in the
country is mainly through hetero-sexual
relationships. Men’s behavior contributes
substantially to the spread of HIV and also
puts them at the front line of the risk. Men
can play a critical role in implementation
of ABC Plus strategy in HIV /AIDS
response. Abstinence until marriage
ignores the fact that about 60% of the
new infections occur in marriage settings.
Faithfulness obscures the reality that 30%
of men in the country have two or more
partners compared to 2-6% of the women.
Condom use promotion fails to recognize
that most women are unable to negotiate
their partners’ condom use. Moreover,
women’s economic dependence makes it
difficult for some women to refuse unsafe
sex in addition to other traditional practices
such as polygamy which bind a number of
women to one male sexual partner without
their consent.
In all the above scenarios, men can play a
critical in the protection of women against
HIV and AIDS. Accordingly, men need to
free themselves from societal expectations
which lead them to acquire behaviour
that pre-disposes them and their partners
to HIV and AIDS. Traditionally, men are
socialized to be strong, emotionless and
sexually dominant.
Men friendly services and messages can
support them to unlearn some of these so
that they can respect women as equals.
This is fundamental for women’s rights.
Male involvement in women’s
empowerment should start early. The
formative years of a boy’s life are critical
for appreciation of females as equals. Boys
who grow up around male role models are
more likely to question gender inequalities
and stereotypes.
While the adult male in Uganda is
transiting from traditional to modern
man, the school curriculum does not offer
boys room to question gender inequalities
and their consequences. On the contrary,
girls’ movements, such as Girls Education
Movement (GEM) and Green Light
Movement are engaging girls in activities
including; building self-esteem and
offering life skills which are empowering
girls to face future challenges better. If this
trend continues, in future we might to have
a generation of women “go-getters” and
men who cannot cope with reality.
Education and sensitization of boys and
men is important for long-term gains in
the gender order and to ensure a gender
balanced society and avoid perceiving girls
as “winners” and boys as “losers”. Boys’
clubs could be a useful intervention for
providing boys with support on issues that
are unique to them and at the same time
highlighting the importance of respecting
girls and women as equals.
Men groups involved in advocacy for
gender equality are emerging. However,
these are still few and only involved in
limited areas such as addressing violence
againstwomenandresponsibleparenthood.
Also, the men in these groups need support
in order for them to cope with criticism
Zero grazing: A woman rears a cow as anincome generating activity
The bottom line is
that empowerment
of women should not
free men from their
responsibilities. If
this happens, it will
lead to negative
consequences for
women.

approaches to “fix” them. The needs of
their children particularly daughters,
protection of the rights of their sisters and
mothers are good entry points for engaging
men on issues of gender equality.
It is important to note that empowerment of
women does not lead to disempowerment
of men. Empowerment is not a “Zero-sum”
game to an extent that what is gained by
women is lost by men. In Uganda, like
elsewhere in the world, studies have shown
that women’s empowerment helps to raise
the standard of the family. Empowered
women are capable of breaking the
poverty cycles not for themselves alone
but for their families, communities and the
country at large. Long-term sustainable
development is only possible when women
and men enjoy equal opportunities to
raise their potential and participate in the
development process.
Today, women and girls continue to be
disadvantaged in every sector. If these
inequalities can be erased, then the women
can be put on equal footing with men,
unlock each other’s potential and transform
the society.
Jane Sanyu Mpagi is the Director,
Gender and Community
Development in the Ministry
of Gender, Labour and Social
Development
from fellow men who do not appreciate the
issues.
In discussing the role of men in
empowerment of women, men should not
beperceivedasahomogenouscategory.All
men should not be taken through a “guilty
trip” as if each of them is responsible for
disadvantaging a woman somewhere.
Men are also victims of the patriarchal
system although it is also true that they
reap the privileges and strive to maintain
the status quo. Professor Wangari Maathai
once noted, “I think when we talk about
the position of women in Africa and see
how miserable it is, quite often we forget
that these miserable women are married to
miserablemen”.Thecruxofthematterhere
is that development practitioners should
keep this revelation in mind because the
increasing social economic challenges of
the day tend to disempower men, resulting
in low self-esteem.
Unemployed men are unable to fulfill
their social roles and expectations and are
usually frustrated and their authority is
challengedandtheyfeelinadequate.Insuch
situations, the women are burdened with
extra responsibilities of performing their
traditional roles and those of their spouse.
This is how the so-called superwoman of
the 21st Century has been created.
The bottom line is that empowerment of
women should not free men from their
responsibilities. If this happens, it will lead
to negative consequences for women. Men
and women should live harmonious and
complementary lives without burdening
either party. As one feminist said “if we
want to see more equal playing field for
both women and men on the international
scale, we need to include both parties in
the process” Madame Dlamini Zuma,
the African Union (AU) Commission
Chairperson once said; “Women form half
of the world and give birth to the rest” I
hasten to add that men are the critical half
in order for women to attain meaningful
empowerment.”
Strategies and programmes to empower
women should therefore be cognisant of
the socio-economic environment where
men and women operate. Development
actors should endeavour to understand
gender roles of both women and men that
are constantly changing.
Women too, have a role to play in involving
men in the realisation of gender equality
and women’s empowerment. They should
avoid thinking that male involvement will
encroach on resources which are meant for
women programmes. If women want men
to change, women should change their
approaches and way of doing things. They
have to change the way they raise their
sons and daughters. They have to strive for
fairness in their homes and places of work.
Furthermore, women should focus on the
positive attributes and contribution of boys
and men and not what they (boys and men)
perceive to be judgmental or negative
Women in the Forces carry the Colour Party at the InternationalWomen’s Day in Nakasongola , 2013

OVERVIEW
WOMEN’S
EMPOWERMENT:
WHAT IT IS
By Elizabeth Kyasimiire
Women all over the world are
challenged by a number of obstacles
that restrict their ability to play significant
roles in their communities and the broader
society. For a long time they have lagged
behind men in key socio-economic
indicators.
Women are less likely to have access to
land, credit and decent jobs even though
a growing body of research shows that
the achievement of gender equality has
enormous socio-economic ramifications.
Occupational segregation and gender wage
gaps continue to persist in all parts of the
world even when research shows that
empowering women enhances economies
and spurs productivity and growth.
Empowerment can be defined as the
process of creating an environment in
which people can make decisions and
choices, either individually or collectively,
for social transformation. It includes
control over physical, human, intellectual
and financial resources and over beliefs,
values and attitudes. It is attained when
individuals have the power to think and
act freely, exercise choice, and, fulfill their
potential as full and equal members of
society.
Women’s empowerment has five
components, which are:
 A sense of self-worth;
 The right to have and make choices;
 The right to access opportunities and
resources;
 The right to have the power to control
their own lives, both within and
outside the home; and,
 The ability to influence the direction
of social change to create a more just
socio-economic order, nationally and
internationally.
Women’s empowerment is a process which
can be achieved if the following principles
are adhered to. The principles are as
follows:
The term women’s empowerment may be interpreted to mean:
 Acquiring knowledge, understanding of gender relations and the ways in
which these relations can be changed;
 Developing a sense of self-worth, a belief in one’s ability to secure desired
changes and the right to control one’s life;
 Gaining the ability to generate choices and exercising bargaining power;
and,
 Developing the ability to organize and influence the direction of social
change in order to create a more just socio-economic order, nationally
and internationally.
Women’s empowerment is about women gaining power and control over their lives. It
can be achieved through raising awareness, building self confidence, expanding choices,
increasing access to and control over resources. It is also about transforming structures and
institutions which reinforce and perpetuate gender discrimination and inequality.
Rt. Hon. Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly Margaret Zziwa(left) and the
Rt. Hon. Speaker of the Uganda Parliament Rebecca Kadaga(right) with Lady Justice Esther Kisakye
Photo:ShawnMakumbi

Leadership Promotes Gender
Equality
Thisisaboutstakeholderinvolvement,high
level political support, policy development
and accountability at all levels.
Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and
Non discrimination
This entails equal remuneration, gender-
sensitive recruitment and retention,
sufficient participation of women in
decision making – 30% or greater,
flexible work options, leave and re-entry
opportunities to positions of equal pay and
status and access to child and dependent
care is supported by providing services,
resources and information to both women
and men.
Health, Safety and Freedom from Violence
This is about establishing a zero-tolerance
policy towards all forms of violence at
work, offering health insurance, respecting
women and men workers’ rights to time
off for medical care and counseling
for themselves and their dependants,
identifying and addressing security issues
and training security staff and managers to
recognize signs of violence against women.
Education and Training
This requires investing in workplace
policies and programmes that open
avenues for advancement of women at
all levels, ensuring equal access to all
company-supported education and training
programmes, providing equal opportunities
for formal and informal networking and
mentoring, and offering opportunities to
promote the business case for women’s
empowerment.
Enterprise Development, Supply
Chain and Marketing Practices
This involves expanding business
relationships with women-owned
enterprises, support gender-sensitive
solutions to credit and lending barriers,
and respecting the dignity of women in all
marketing and other company materials.
Community Leadership and Engagement
This requires leading by example,
leveraging influence and working with
community stakeholders to promote and
recognize women’s leadership.
Transparency, Measuring and
Reporting
This is about making public the company
policies and implementation plan for
promoting gender equality, establishing
benchmarks that quantify inclusion
of women at all levels, measuring
and reporting progress internally and
externally, using data disaggregated by sex
and incorporating gender markers into on-
going reporting obligations.
Elizabeth Kyasimiire is the
Commissioner for Gender and
Women Affairs in the Ministry
Development
Women inspect a tomato garden: Women are still the largest contributers to
Uganda’s agriculture
Police Spokesperson Judith Nabakooba with Frank Baine of Uganda Prisons: Women
have taken on prominent roles in the forces.
Photo:ShawnMakumbi
Photo:PaulWambi

PROFILE
“A nation where men and women work
together, achieves much more in a
shorter period.”
Janet Kataaha Museveni
Meet HON. JANET KATAAHA MUSEVENI,
The First Lady of Uganda, Minister
for Karamoja Affairs and Member of
Parliament, Ruhaama County
By Maureen Nakatudde and Moreen Natukunda

The theme for this issue of the Uganda
Woman magazine is a good one. “In
fact, my whole life’s experience and career
as an advocate for social justice, reflects
this principle,” says the First Lady. She
believes that partnerships between women
and men are not only beneficial to women
but lead to empowerment of all people and
ultimately the whole human race.
“And the Lord said, ‘Behold, they are one
people and they have one language, and
this is only the beginning of what they will
do. And nothing that they propose to do
will be impossible to them’.” Genesis 11:6
When the Uganda Woman magazine
sounded out the First Lady on the theme
of this year’s International Women’s Day
which is about partnership of men and boys
for the empowerment of women and girls
in Uganda, Mrs. Janet Kataaha Museveni,
made this appeal: “Women and men should
agree to work together to create wealth and
have thriving families with children who
will grow up to become responsible leaders
of Uganda.
Uganda has had a lopsided way of
development. In the past, men shouldered
most of the responsibility of the family.
Now, it is the other way round, many
women are shouldering more responsibility
and that robs the country of time and
resources to transform. A nation where
men and women work together, achieves
much more in a shorter period.”
She pointed out that there is a
misunderstanding by some men especially
in rural areas that the Movement
Government has empowered women at the
expense of their male counterparts. She
reveals that the intention of the Movement
is to ensure that communities develop
because when couples work together then
the family prospers sooner than later.
As a mother, the First Lady advances that
the partnership between men and women,
boys and girls should begin in the family
which is the foundation for the nation. She
advocates that stay-at-home mothers whom
she actually refers to as women, who work
at home, should be given as much support
as women working outside the homes. The
reason she gives is that the stay-at-home
mothers shoulder a big responsibility of
shepherding the family.
They produce food, parent the children and
The President decorates his wife with a medal
support their husbands to create wealth.
In communities like Karamoja, it is the
women who actually build the houses.
Mrs. Museveni says this to disparage the
notion that is prevalent among women in
the informal sector that “they do nothing”.
“Obviously, women who are home-makers
are doing a great deal to contribute, not just
to the well-being of their families, but also
to the national economy,” she adds.
Journalists (left; Maureen Nakatudde and Moreen Natukunda) and Uganda Woman Edito-
rial members; Mondo Kyateka and Pamela Batenga) pose with the First Lady at State House,
Nakasero
As a mother, the First
Lady advances that the
partnership between
men and women, boys
and girls should begin in
the family which is the
foundation for the nation.

PROFILE
The First Lady says that her calling is about supporting
vulnerable communities and so when she and her husband
returned from exile in 1986, she was shocked by the high
number of children orphaned by the war and the HIV and
AIDS scourge. Consequently, she got involved in charities
initially as a volunteer. “Even though I had nothing, “the
first lady writes in her book ‘My Life’s Journey,’ “I had
to seek God for direction, for the burden of orphans lay
heavily on my heart.”.
Mrs. Museveni partnered with other concerned women
over this matter. Together, they raised the money for the
cause; that is how The Uganda Women’s Effort to Save
Orphans (UWESO) was formed. It operated in Luweero
Triangle which contained the districts of Luwero,
Mubende, Kiboga, Nakasongola, Mpigi, Wakiso, Mukono
and Kayunga. Today, UWESO covers the entire Uganda
and has branches in the United Kingdom and Denmark.
The First Lady also started the National Strategy for the
Advancement of Rural Women in Uganda (NSWARU).
The Organisation has empowered women to have a better
life and homes. She pioneered the formation of the Uganda
Youth Forum (UYF) with the intention of empowering the
youth to make good decisions such as abstinence from
sex before marriage and valuing education. “In all my
charity work, I hope to wake up our people to their own
responsibility and ability to cause change,” she says.
Mrs. Museveni is the Minister for Karamoja Affairs and
Member of Parliament for Ruhaama County in Ntungamo
District. Before 2006, she never imagined that she would
go into active politics. She believed that having one
member of the family, her husband, President Yoweri
Museveni, was enough and so for her there was no need
to join politics.
She had hoped that her work as First Lady and steering her
charities was enough. In 2006, Mrs. Museveni answered
God’s call on her life to go into active politics. “You should
run for Parliament next year to represent your parents’
constituency Ruhaama.” the voice said. The more she
tried to talk herself out of it, the more she was convinced
God wanted her into that area. Even when her husband,
was not convinced, the first lady prayed and the door was
opened for her to join politics.
As the contestant for Ruhaama County, Mrs. Museveni
refused to be corrupted as voters unashamedly asked the
contestants for gifts so that they could vote for them.
As a Christian and an exemplary leader, the First Lady
urged people to vote for their leaders on merit. She won
the election. In Ruhaama, Mrs. Museveni has raised the
household incomes, tackled the challenge of maternal and
infant mortality and increased agricultural productivity in
the constituency.
“My work in Karamoja is a monumental challenge, but it
is doable,” the First Lady reveals. “In Karamoja, we have
seen hope returning to whole communities; we have been
able to grow food and see families feed themselves; and,
in partnership with the President and Uganda People’s
My work in
Karamoja is a
monumental
challenge, but
it is doable.
A modern manyatta vis a vis a traditional manyatta
Hon. Janet Museveni listens to farmers in Nakapiripirit who exhibited
some of the harvested food from their gardens
Defence Force (UPDF), we have seen Karamoja Region become peaceful
like other parts of Uganda,” she adds.
Karamoja had many challenges including one of being remotely developed
and having armed people who could always shoot at will. Despite that, Mrs.
Museveni was unmoved. She believes that because of her faith in her God
and throwing all her effort and time into it, Karamoja will be a better place.
Even though the Region is improving steadily, the minister acknowledges

WOMANUGANDA
PROFILE
Mrs. Museveni with former street children from Karamoja, who underwent rehabilitation at UWESO Masuliita Children’s home
that there are high poverty levels, illiteracy,
poor nutrition, very low sanitation levels
and diseases such as Hepatitis E are still
rampant.
Mrs. Museveni is well-placed to counter
the health challenges in the Region because
she is the Patron of the Safe Motherhood
Initiative of the Ministry of Health and
World Health Organisation (WHO) for
the reduction of maternal mortality and
morbidity. She is also the Co-chair of
CURE Hospital - a special hospital for
crippled children in Uganda. In addition,
sheisanactivemember of theOrganization
of African First Ladies against HIV and
AIDS (OAFLA).
Mrs. Museveni was born into a Christian
family in 1948. She grew up in Irenga
village which is in Ntungamo District.
Her father, Edward Kataaha died when she
was only seven years. Her mother, Erina
Kyaremeera, raised her children on her
own with God’s support. Janet Kataaha
studied in Rwamanyonyi and Kyamate
Primary schools and Bwerenyangi Girls’
Secondary School. She briefly studied
nursing in Mulago Nursing School. She
also studied in Harlech College in Wales.
She is a graduate of Makerere University
with a Bachelor of Arts in Education.
She has a diploma in Early Childhood
Education from Montessori College in
Dublin.
Her elder brother, Henry Kainerugaba, who
was very close to her, met his untimely
death in 1968 in a car accident. By then,
Janet Kataaha was a teenager. Her cousin,
John Kazzora, took over her education. As
a lawyer in President Idi Amin’s regime,
Kazzora’s life was in danger and the family
had to move to Kenya. It was while she was
in exile in Kenya that her mother died. She
was unable to attend the funeral because of
the turbulent times in Uganda at the time.
During what was an unfortunate period in
her life: living in exile; losing a brother;
being unable to bury her mother; and,
failing to finish her studies in England,
Janet Kataaha’s destiny changed when she
met Yoweri Museveni, who was visiting
the Kazzora family in Kenya. Thereafter,
their friendship blossomed. In 1973, Janet
Kataaha married Yoweri Museveni in
England.
The couple later relocated to Tanzania
and then to Sweden. For some time, she
did not live with her husband because
he was in Tanzania leading the Front for
National Salvation (FRONASA) liberation
movement. Between 1974 and 1980, the
couple had four children, one boy and
three girls. The couple is blessed with 13
grandchildren.
Maureen Nakatudde is a free-
lance journalist corresponding
with the New Vision and Moreen
Natukunda is a News Anchor
with the Uganda Broadcasting
Corporation

By Hilda Twongyeirwe
“It is almost impossible to build
meaningful partnerships between men
and women, boys and girls, when the
social and legal systems are problematic.
I believe in partnerships but my strategy
for now is different; to dismantle systems
which cushion and propagate all forms
of injustices against women.” says High
Court Judge David Batema, who is also a
woman activist.
History played a role in what the Judge
believes in today. He remembers vividly
for instance, how as a child he witnessed
silent but firm injustices against women
and children. He noticed that a woman’s
position was not the same as that of a man.
Men had many wives whether they were
able to look after them or not and no body
found that problematic.
They demanded for many children from
their wives and yet it did not matter
whether they provided for them or not. It
was a normal occurrence for men to batter
their wives. He noticed too, how the many
wives and children struggled for resources
that were always inadequate while the men
boasted about the big numbers. He saw
wives struggle with jealousies because
of one man who did not care. According
to Justice Batema, polygamy, along with
some other traditions, is legalised torture
towards women and children.
During his time at university, Justice
Batema read about and listened to cases
where murders were justified because a
man had found his wife cheating or just
because he suspected her of cheating.
Even when the man had other wives, it
did not occur to him that the women had
accepted to share him. He questioned such
judgements but could not do much about
them at the time. He looked at what the law
said, and noticed that for most of the cases,
the law was silent or outrageously unjust.
For instance, under the Ugandan Penal
Code, a wife is guilty of criminal adultery
if she engages in sexual intercourse with
any man. On the other hand, a husband will
only be guilty of the same offence if he has
sex with a married woman. Furthermore,
the Succession Law is silent about
inheritance for women and girls. After
Justice Batema saw these inconsistencies,
he took a decision to study Women’s Law
at the University of Zimbabwe. “My reason
to go back to school was to question and
problematise what society and the current
law assumed usual and normal. By doing
that, I would start a new debate around
those issues in order to create ground for
law reforms.”
Upon return from Zimbabwe, he initiated
the Jurisprudence of Equality Project (JEP)
under the National Association of Women
Judges – Uganda Chapter. He has carried
out trainings with male and female judges
and magistrates and equipped them with
knowledge and facts to start questioning
law provisions or the lack of, and the
traditions that hinder women’s freedom and
empowerment. “When you see men rule
Dismantle Systems which
Propagate Injustices
Against Women
Justice David Batema, High Court Judge - Fort Portal

their households for years after their death,
it is because of socialisation. You receive
a card with; ‘The family of the late...invite
you to a wedding of their son’. Why do we
allow men to rule from the grave? These
issues need to be questioned. However,
since I do not have authentic weapons to
change socialisation, I will focus more on
the law”.
When magistrates and judges take sides
with men in court, it is because some
of them were socialised to believe in
male supremacy. When a woman seeks
redress at a Police station, after being
battered, the policemen are usually not
helpful. The policemen are aware of
individual constitutional rights and about
the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW), but they will still fail to help a
battered woman because they have grown
up seeing their mothers battered.”
Justice Batema’s approach is bearing fruit.
He reveals that the Employment Act 2006
has provisions on sexual harassment. He
believes that if relevant laws are put in
place and enforced, community voices of
resistance against change can be dealt with.
In addition to his negotiation for legal
reforms, he worked with Plan International
to train male and female Members of
Parliament in Gender, the Law and Human
Rights.Hehasalsosensitisedcommunities,
including those in Kalungu, Rakai,
Iganga and Jinja about the importance of
partnerships in the advancement, not only
of women, but of society as a whole. “I
alwaysexplaintopeoplethatempowerment
of women and girls is empowerment of the
community. Gender equality is a struggle
for Human Rights and all law enforcement
officers must know that.”
He has also developed training materials in
Gender, Human Rights and the law. He has
made documentaries on women’ issues,
produced a Police pocket book on laws
and guidelines on sexual and gender-based
violence.
There are challenges however, in building
meaningful partnership with men and
boys for the empowerment of women
and girls, in that sometimes, women have
not embraced all the parameters of the
partnership. They desire empowerment but
they continue to want to depend on men for
everything. An empowered woman should
be able to provide for children without
waiting for the husband. Women should be
daring, for example, they should be able to
refund bride price that their fathers paid for
their mothers in order to rescue them from
an abusive marriage.
He notes that within the judicial system,
partnerships are very important because
men easily get protected by fellow men
even when they are in the wrong. The
strategy of the Judge is to partner with men
so that they would instead protect women
The family of the
late...invite you
to a wedding of
their son’. Why
do we allow men
to rule from
the grave?
as is provided for in the Constitution. This,
he says will take substantive law, skills,
change of attitude and continued judicial
education. Once the structures have been
dismantled and re-designed in a directed
manner, women’s empowerment will
fall into place. That is when a holistic
development will be realised.
We must teach our children that women
rights are human rights. That way, the
partnerships will be nurtured naturally. If
we wait for them to learn that as adults,
we shall be faced with a crisis. Abosoga
tukoba akakyama amamela, bwokagolola
obukulu kamenheka bumenheka.
Hilda Twongyeirwe is a writer
with FEMRITE and the Sub-
Editor of the Uganda Woman
Magazine
Justice Batema tells his story
about women’s empowerment
to Uganda Woman’s Hilda
Twongyeirwe

Dr. Dorothy Okello, The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is pleased to add its voice to
the citations of honour you have received locally and internationally for your contribution to Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT).
Your latest accolade, the Digital Woman of the Year 2013, which was conferred upon you in Younde,
Cameroon, is indeed an honour to the women of Uganda and to the country as a whole.
As an engineering professional, we are pleased to note that you have initiated projects that promote the use of
ICT by women in Uganda. Prominent among this is the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) which you
founded in 2000. This organisation is at the fore-front of empowering women in small scale organisations for
national development. This anchors your job as a lecturer and researcher at Makerere University where you
have been for the last 15 years.
The Ministry applauds you for your professional involvement: in information sharing and networking; gender
and ICT Policy advocacy; and, technical support, and for partnering with various organisations; including
HIVOS, Indigo Trust, UNESCO International Programme for Development of Communication, the Swedish
Programme for ICT in Developing Regions, the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation and
the Association for Progressive Communication, for the benefit of the women of Uganda.
Congratulatory Message to
Dr. Dorothy Okello
Senior Lecturer Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology
Dr. Dorothy Okello(left) receiving an award

QUESTION: Honourable Minister,
would you like to give Uganda Woman
a short profile of yourself.
ANSWER: I am Fredrick Ruhindi, a
lawyer by profession and I believe that is
why I am the Deputy Attorney General
and also the Minister of State for Justice
and Constitutional Affairs. I come from
a humble family background. I did my
schooling in Mbarara Junior School, then
Mbarara High School, Ntare School and
Makerere University where I completed
my Law degree in 1979. Thereafter, I
joined the Law Development Centre
(LDC). I started working as a State
Attorney in the Department of First
Parliamentary Counsel from 1981 up to
1992. I left at the rank of Principal State
Attorney.
From 1992 to 1999, I was the Corporation
Secretary of the Uganda Investment
Authority. I own a law firm, Ruhindi
Interview with Fredrick
Ruhindi, Deputy Attorney
General And Minister
of State for Justice
and Constitutional
Affairs
Fredrick Ruhindi, is Deputy Attorney General and Minister of State for Justice and
Constitutional Affairs. He is also the Member of Parliament for Nakawa Division. In an
interview with Uganda Woman, he speaks about what Government has done to empower
the women of Uganda.
Photo:ShawnMakumbi

24
and Company Advocates at the Raja
Chambers, Parliament Avenue. In 2001, I
went into active politics, but even before
1997 I was a councilor at the Kampala
City Council. I was LCI Chairman of
Bugolobi, LCII Chairman of Bugolobi
Parish; LC III and LC V Councilor,
Kampala and then in 2001, I was elected
the Member of Parliament of Nakawa
Division until now.
I have been a leader most of my life. In
Primary, Secondary school and in higher
institutions, I was either a prefect or
a leader of debating, drama and other
societies. I was the President of the
Students Guild at LDC.
My wife passed on in 1995 and left me
with four children. They are all grown up
now: one girl is married and works with
the Uganda Bureau of Statistics; another
girl has just graduated from Makerere
University; one boy has finished MUBS
[Makerere University Business School]
and the last one is in UCU [Uganda
Christian University] doing Law.
Q: What do you think the status of
women in Uganda is today?
A: By and large, there is a great
improvement, as far as women are
concerned. It is true that some cultural
practices such as the Female Genital
Mutilation (FGM) are repugnant and that
is why through a private member’s Bill
of Honourable Chris Baryomunsi, it was
banned.
Q: As Government, how have you
dealt with the issue of violence against
women?
A: Violence by definition is very broad
and can be any act that traumatizes a
colleague or a spouse. It can be physical
or psychological. We have passed the
Domestic Violence Law. We trust that this
will reduce the incidences of violence. The
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social
Development and the Justice, Law and
Order Sector are the lead implementers of
this law.
Q: What was the situation like when
you were growing up?
A: Most of us grew up in predominantly
men-led societies. Even today, there
are many of those. The good thing is
that men’s subjugation of women has
been greatly reversed, mainly through
constitutional reforms. For instance, when
the colonialists were here, they had courts
for Africans, courts for Whites and they
really fought our cultures, good or bad.
Some of them labelled our cultures as
repugnant and against natural justice and
good conscience. However, not all our
cultures were bad. Of course, it is true
that some cultures were repugnant but I
believe some of them were good.
For instance, we get most of our herbal
medicines from China but we could even
be having better medicine than China’s.
There was a tendency to relate the use of
herbs to witchcraft. Of course, there were
those who exceeded the limits and there
was some witchcraft, but our herbs are
medicinal.
The Ministry of Health owes us a Bill
to demarcate and promote the growth of
herbal medicines in our communities.
Those days when you got malaria, they
would give you omururuza; or when you
got worms they would apply ekimala
or when you got constipation you got
omutohooro; and you got well. Some
clinical medicines have worse side effects,
but our herbs have minimal side effects,
if any.
Q: What is your opinion of the socio-
economic status of women in Uganda?
A: This is very important. Around 2004
when I was a back-bencher, there was
an amendment to the Land Act. In the
course of debate there was an impasse
on the family land rights. As a result
of the impasse, the Speaker, now Vice
President, Edward Ssekandi, formed of a
Hon. Ruhindi explains his views on women’s empowerment to Uganda Woman’s Ikebesi Omoding
Photo:ShawnMakumbi

Parliamentary Select Committee which I
was chaired.
Several people thought it was an
insurmountable task but I saw it as
achievable. I had very good members,
Professor Ogenga Latigo, Hon. Mary
Namuyangu, Hon. Sylvia Namabidde
and others. We produced the report which
was embraced by the House. The report
underscored the importance of family
land, which none of the spouses would
sell without the consent of the other.
Initially, it had a children’s section in it,
but we tactfully removed it because the
children are well taken care of under the
Children’s Act. That is a very important
statement as far as women’s emancipation
is concerned.
Some of us have witnessed homes in
which the man or woman is a drunkard.
Some of us don’t lead disciplined lives
and become vulnerable in one way or
another. This law puts people on notice
that one cannot sell family land without
the consent of the spouse because this is
the land from which the family ordinarily
derives its livelihood. If one has some
other land which does not come into the
definition of family land, then they can
sell or deal in it without the consent of the
other spouse, but if it comes within the
definition of the amendment of 2004, then
one must comply.
This law has been implemented to the
letter. You cannot go to a bank to borrow
money without the consent of the other
spouse. Even in the SACCOS [Savings
and Credit Cooperative Societies] when
one wants to use land as collateral,
the SACCO will demand the spouses’
consent.
The greatest challenge came during
the enactment of the Marriage and
Divorce Bill. I thought that we would
have sustained that Bill by constructive
amendments, but it was agreed that we
should have further consultations; we still
have a challenge where this is concerned.
Article 31, Clause 1(b) of the Constitution
states that a man and woman are entitled
to marry at the age of 18, and to equal
rights at, and during marriage and at its
dissolution.
Besides, when we were debating the
Marriage and Divorce Bill, we should
have borne this in mind that the courts
of law were going to continue legislating
for us, unless, maybe, we take a drastic
decision to amend the Constitution or
comply with it.
The courts continue to strike down some
of the provisions as unconstitutional.
Some of the laws are in conflict with the
Constitution and they strike them down
as null and void. An example; under the
Divorce Act, in order to divorce, a man is
only required to prove at least one ground
of adultery, but a woman has to add
one or more grounds for the dissolution
of marriage. That was struck down as
unconstitutional because it would be
contravening the Constitutional provision
on equal rights.
The best would be to avoid an Omnibus
Bill which deals with marriage and
divorce. The Marriage and Divorce
Bill covers church, customary and civil
marriages as well as divorce. It was meant
to cater for Islamic marriages as well,
but we took a decision to treat Islamic
marriages separately. The Marriage and
Divorce Bill remains an Omnibus if you
put all these together. One small provision
can stall the whole process, and that’s
what happened. The best is to have the
laws named specifically and amend the
specific laws when it is required.
Women leaders who had just been decorated with medals of honour by H. E President Museveni at a Women’s Day function
Photo:ShawnMakumbi

Q: How have these interventions
affected the Women’s Movement,
empowerment and affirmative action?
A: The benchmarks we put in place as a
country, in order to achieve affirmative
action, were excellent. In Kenya, during
the making of the Constitution recently,
they provided for one-third of the seats
for women. After the passing of the law,
they realized they had not put in place the
necessary processes to achieve that.
In Uganda, when we adopted the one-
third provision for the participation of
women, we put in place the necessary
processes. For instance, we decided that
in every district, there would be a woman
representative; Kenya did not do that.
At elections, the Kenyans realized that
they were not going to realize the one-
third requirement for the women. They
could have amended the law but that
would mean a larger Parliament. They
instead sought an advisory legal opinion
on this matter and won the approval of
the Supreme Court which ruled that the
principle would have to evolve in its
implementation.
You can see that, not only do we have
supportive provisions, but we comply
with them. In Cabinet, when there
are proposals for constituting boards,
authorities and commissions, whoever
minister is making proposals for Cabinet
to approve, must ensure that they comply
with the one-third provision for women.
Even in the appointments of the judiciary,
this principle must be complied with.
Furthermore, currently, the President and
Vice President are male. The Speaker is a
female. At one time, the Number Two was
a lady.
In Uganda, there has been a paradigm shift
from a male-dominated society to one
which takes care of both genders. As far as
the productive sectors are concerned, men
are aggressive in business matters, but
at micro and macro level, women play a
bigger role. At local Government level, the
majority of SACCOs in the constituencies
are run by women. Women are accessible
and disciplined. At household level, the
women contribute significantly to the
family income. Women are critical in the
productive process, and that matters a lot.
Q: What do you advise men and boys
on empowerment of women and girls?
A: We must promote simplicity and
frugality. For instance, a young man
graduates from university, starts work and
gets a fiancee; he cohabits with the girl
because he doesn’t have enough money
for the introduction ceremony. Of late,
the money that is spent on such functions
is exorbitant. It is enough to fund the
introduction, the wedding and some of it
could even be used as start-up capital for
some business.
Recently, in Kyankwanzi, someone
addressed us on this matter and noted that
we are wasting productive resources in
unproductive ventures. This has actually
deteriorated into cultural blackmail. I
was told that lately men go to a bonded
warehouse and hire cars to parade as gifts
to the girl or the in-laws and after the
introduction ceremony, they return the car
to the warehouse.
The introduction arrangement should be
between few relatives. We should think
of helping the couple psychologically and
mentally for a meaningful marriage. The
church rose up in arms when we proposed
that when a couple has lived together for
between 5 and ten years, they should be
deemed married. If we insist on formal
marriage, ceremonies should be simple.
The issue of dowry is sensitive. Dowry
could be viewed as a gift, and when
the marriage breaks it should not be
refundable. In some of our societies
however, this is a serious matter. For
instance, I understand that communities
in Teso and Karamoja, 50 or more cows
are paid for dowry. The cows have to be
returned if the marriage breaks down.
Some of our cultural practices need to be
simplified because they are still relevant.
A traditional introduction ceremony:
Marriage ceremonies are becoming
unaffordable and prohibitive
Photo:PaulWambi

By Staff Writer
Dr. Olive Sentumbwe currently works
with the World Health Organisation
as a Family Health and Population
Adviser. She is one of Uganda’s most
renowned senior consultants of obstetrics
and gynaecology. She is an expert on
reproductive and maternal health.
According to her experience, the need for
male involvement in the health sector is
critical especially in the management of
HIV and AIDS and Reproductive Health
(RH). Dr. Sentumbwe explains that male
involvement is not just a strategy for
Uganda. It is embedded in the 1994 Cairo
International Conference on Population
and Development Programme of Action
which cites male responsibilities and
participation as a critical aspect of
improving RH outcomes, achieving gender
equality, equity and empowering women,
reducing maternal, infant mortality and
morbidity. “Uganda has only been slow to
implement the programme but it is not a
new strategy,” she says.
The Doctor explains that women and
children’s health has a lot to do with
how men conduct themselves. The way
men conduct themselves has a lot to do
with socialisation. She advises that every
individual must care about how they bring
up their children because nurturing impacts
on everybody, even in old age.
A man who grows up without cooking will
not cook even when his wife is not well. A
woman who has been brought up to think
that it is a man’s job to fend for the home,
will not tell her husband to use a condom
even when she knows that her life is in
danger.Fromconfessionsmadebypatients,
friends and family, Dr Sentubwe reveals
that in most cases, men are completely
not concerned with reproductive and other
family roles but they decide how many
children their wives should have. “Some
women ask me to write letters to their
husbands so that they can let them begin
family planning,” she says.
The women take care of the home; they
cook food, collect firewood and water,
till the garden and nurse the children.
“But, when we talk to the men, we make
them understand that family is about the
woman, the man and the children.” She
further explains that men’ decisions are
communal. Sometimes a man will not do
certain things just because he is not sure of
what other men will say about him.
She advised that in order for men to be
present and to be partners, there is need
to negotiate with them because men carry
the baggage of what society considers
right and wrong. Therefore, it is important
to engage the men by showing them the
benefits of these partnerships in all sectors
and to reposition them in such a way that
they become the defenders of the women.
It is not enough for instance to ask the man
not to have many children. “Tell him that
many children will be too demanding and
will not be healthy. Tell him that his wife
should not have many children because
they will be weak and he will have many
responsibilities.”
It is also very important to identify male
role models so that they are encouraged to
inspire change and to attract more men into
the health sector.
Dr. Olive Sentumbwe
In order for
men to be
present and to
be partners,
there is need to
negotiate with
them because
men carry the
baggage of
what society
considers right
and wrong.
Negotiation is
Key in Building
Sustainable
Partnerships:
An Interface with
Dr. Olive Sentumbwe

By Dr. Kareem Buyana
What roles can men and boys play to
breakdown the barriers to women’s
and girls’ pursuit of positive change in
their lives and that of society? Globally,
equal benefit is measured by progress
made towards the closure of gender gaps in
earnings, productivity and the distribution
of national income.
At the 2014 World Economic Forum
held in Switzerland, leaders debated how
markets could be reformed to enable
women to compete equally with men in
business start-ups, corporate expansion
and access to gainful work. Various
options were suggested, including
gender-responsive government policies,
partnerships for gender-driven growth,
women empowering women and reforming
markets to enable women equally compete
with men in business. Across this range of
options, not so much was discussed about
men and boys working with women and
girls to empower the latter.
Nevertheless, in Uganda, men’s presence
in programs like prevention of violence
against women as well as family planning
interventions has been documented. The
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social
Development has also held discussions
with its development partners and other
government agencies, on how to shift
from focusing on men as perpetrators of
violence to involving them as partners in
primary prevention strategies.
However, it still remains questionable
whether men and boys can act as agents
of change and downplay norms that okay
lesser power for women and girls in
exercising choices that positively influence
their lives and transform society at large.
In this article, I explore what men and boys
have done for the empowerment of women
and girls. The aim is to encourage public
debate about the necessity and impact of
upscaling men’s participation in programs
thatseektoendgirls’andwomen’sinability
to participate in and equally benefit from
socio-economic programs at various levels.
I support the involvement of men and
boys in empowerment programmes for
women and girls, although I believe that
attention should be paid to the conditions
and principles that would make such
involvement careful not to promise too
much, since there are pressures elicited
when certain traditions in society are
tampered with.
Men’s behavioral change programmes are
increasingly being recognized as key to
Men as
Partners in the
Empowerment
of Women
A woman shows off her wine: More women are involved in large scale business today

successful intervention in women’s health
and education advancement. For example
the United Nations Children’s Fund in
Uganda is working with the Ministry of
Education and Sports to engage male
opinion leaders such as religious and
cultural leaders, to use their voice and
influence in the Girls-Go-Back to School
Campaigns in Northern Uganda. This
intervention seeks higher completion
rates amongst girls in Universal Primary
Education (UPE) schools.
The same approach has been applied by
the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) in theatrical and
outdoor advertising campaigns on family
planning and cross generational sex. This
kind of corporate norm, where exemplary
males are involved, creates supportive
attitudes towards programmes that are
sometimes misconceived as distortions of
tradition. However, attempts to popularize
and institutionalize male campaigns for
women’s and girls’ empowerment are still
limited and scattered in Uganda.
In some countries, male activism has
been institutionalized to effect responses
on women’s empowerment. For instance
the White Ribbon Campaign in Canada
encourages men to wear white ribbons as
an expression of their public opposition
to violence. In 2003, the Australian Office
of the United Nations Development Fund
for Women (UNIFEM), partnered with
men and men’s organisations to make
this a national campaign in Australia.
It is a good example of a community-
based intervention by men, which is now
supported by federal government.
While marking the launch of the 2013
Global Gender Gap Report – which
measures inequality of outcomes between
men and women – the Deputy Executive
Director for Policy and Programme at
UN Women, Mr. John Hendra, argued
that if countries are to walk a sustained
and inclusive path to growth, economic
and political empowerment and ending
violence against women should be high on
the agenda.
In Africa, this would for example mean
an agricultural sector that creates jobs
aligned to women’s capabilities. It would
also mean promoting intra-African trade in
emerging sectors like tourism, information
and communication technologies and
the extractive industry, in ways that offer
profitable linkages to small and medium
enterprises where women have ease of
entry and possibilities of rising to corporate
boardrooms. Moving women from the
sidelines of lucrative sectors is believed
to be a good entry point for educating
more girls and boys, improved seeking
of professional family health care and
accumulation of assets that give collateral
value to households.
At the launch of the African Queens
and Women Cultural Leaders Network
(AQWLN), President Yoweri Museveni
argued that if economic transformation
for wealth creation becomes the idea
behind women’s empowerment rather
than aid channeled through civil society
organisations, then the different forms
of gender inequality would be resolved
sustainably. This statement illustrates
how men can act as paradigm shifters
by regarding women’s empowerment as
an economic issue rather than its usual
conception as human rights activism.
As a policy shaper, World Bank
Economist, Stephan Klasen, argued that
China, although less perfect in its human
rights record, has grown partly because
of its prioritization of girls’ education
and inclusion of women in the workforce.
Further, while speaking at a university
in Saudi Arabia, Bill Gates advised that
tapping into women’s untapped talents is a
prerequisite for countries that want to make
it to the top in the world of information
technology.
Gates’ advice means that if African
countries, like Uganda, are to compete
sustainablyin today’s knowledgeeconomy,
human capital investments across all
sectors should take women’s health and
longevity in school and professional
training as a must-do for economic growth
and development. This resonates with the
push for gender responsive planning and
budgeting by male gender programme
officers in the public and non-government
organisations.
Notable of these are male Ugandans like;
Mubarak Mabuya, Richard Ssewakiryanga
and Aramanzan Madanda, who have
worked for not less than 10 years with the
ministries of Gender, Labour and Social
Development, Finance, Planning and
Economic Development and the academia
respectively.Itisevidentthereforethatmen
have for a long time played a substantial
role in advancing the goals of women’s
empowerment.
Although feminists have criticized
If economic
transformation for
wealth creation
becomes the idea
behind women’s
empowerment rather
than aid channeled
through civil society
organisations, then
the different forms of
gender inequality
would be resolved
sustainably
centering men in women’s empowerment
efforts as something that can lead to
misrepresentation of women’s experiences
and desires, the use of male role models in
behavioral change campaigns, policy and
programmes is a factor that has worked and
worth investing resources in.
Dr. Kareem Buyana is a Gender
Advisor, UN Women

Female Permanent
Secretaries Since 1986
TheNRM Governmentconstitutionalisedgenderequalityandwomen’sempowerment.
As a result, the number of women in leadership positions has grown significantly.
Presented below are the women who have attained the position of Permanent Secretary
since 1986, to-date. This level is the highest position of a technical officer in the
Uganda Civil Service.
1987 - 1995: Secretary, Education
Service Commission
1995 - 1998: Secretary, Civil Service
Reform
Philomena
Kemijumbi
Nshangano
Erina
Baingana
Permanet Secretary, Ministry of Public
Service
Secretary, Public Service Commission
Secretary, Judicial Service Commission
1987 - 1989: Permanent Secretary and Secretary to Treasury
1990 - 1993: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Trade
Joyce
Naluggwa
Busuulwa
(RIP)

Florence
Mugasha
1990-1996: PS, Ministry of Internal Affairs
1996-2002: Head of Public Service and
Secretary to Cabinet
2002: Deputy Secretary General
of the Commonwealth
Secretariat
Thecla
Kinalwa
1990 - 1991: Secretary for Constitutional
Affairs
1992 - 1993: Secretary for Industry,
Ministry of Commerce,
Industry & Cooperatives
1993 - 1996: Permanent Secretary, Ministry
of Local Government
1996 - 1997: Permanent Secretary, Ministry
of Gender and Community
Development
1997 - 2003: State House Comptroller
2003 - 2013: Secretary, Office of the
President
J.A. Ocaya
Lakidi
1990 - 1991: Ag Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Water
and Mineral Development
1991 - 1993: Secretary for Environment
Protection
1996 - 1998: Secretary, Ministry of Defence
1998 - 2005: Secretary to the Judiciary
Mary Ann
Lwanga
1989 - 1991: Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Housing
and Construction
1991 - 1993: Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Labour,
Rehabilitation and
Social Welfare

Jassy
R. Kisakye
Mary
Lubowa
Nannono
1996 – 1998: Principal Private Secretary to
the Vice President
1998 – 2000: Permanent Secretary, Office of
the Vice President
2000 – 2007: Secretary, Education Service
Commission
2007 – 2009: Secretary, Ministry of Health as
Permanent Secretary
1995-1998: Permanent Secretary, Ministry
of Labour and Social Welfare
1998- 1999: Permanent Secretary, Ministry
of Local Government,
2000-2002: Secretary, Health Service
Commission
Hilda
Musubira
1995-1997: Permanent Secretary for
the then Ministry of Lands,
Housing and Physical
Planning
1997-1998: Permanent Secretary for the
Ministry of Internal Affairs,
1998 - 2003: Principal Private Secretary to
His Excellency The President
2003 - to-date: Deputy Head of Public Service
and Secretary Administrative
Reform (based in the Ministry
of Public Service)
Christine
Guwatudde
Kintu
of Ethics and Integrity
2003-2006: Secretary, Health Service
Commission
Development
2013- to date: Permanent Secretary, Office of
the Prime Minister

2007 todate: Permanent Secretary, Ministry
of East African Community
Affairs
Edith
Nsajja
Mwanje
2007 to date: Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Defence
Rosette
Byengoma
Dorcas
Okalany
May 2008- to date: Permanent Secretary, Judiciary
Dr. Rose
Nassali
Lukwago
2013- to date: Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Education and
Sports
Deborah
Katuramu
2009 - 2013: Secretary, Health
Service Commission
2013- to date: Secretary, Office of the
President

Building Partnerships:
Recommendations of the
Commission on the Status of
Women
achieving gender equality as one of the
priority themes at its 48th
Session in March
2004. Extensive discussions concluded
that an understanding of the role of
equal rights, opportunities and access to
resources, equal sharing of responsibilities
for the family by men and women, and a
harmonious partnership between them
were critical to their well-being and that of
their families as well as to the consolidation
of democracy.
The outcome of this session was a major
step in the development of a global policy
framework to facilitate the role of men and
boys in the achievement of gender equality.
It was noted that men had a crucial role in
sharing family responsibilities, including
caring for dependants; preventing violence
against women, including trafficking and
HIVandAIDS transmission; and providing
role models for the younger men. The role
of men in efforts to mainstream gender
perspectives into national and international
policies and programmes was also
recognized.
The Session recommended deliberate male
involvement in gender equality efforts,
catalysing socio-cultural change through
By Agnes Kisembo
Gender equality is premised on the fact
that men and women are born equal and
as such, should be treated as equal partners
in all development processes. This should
be reflected in the respect for human
rights for all, equal participation, access to
opportunities and shared responsibilities
between women and men, boys and girls
at all levels. Empowerment is attained
when the rights of women and men, boys
and girls are preserved and protected and
they are free from discrimination and
exploitation.
Equality does not mean that women and
men are alike, but that they are born and
posses different potential and gifts and both
require space to exercise their potential and
freedom of expression.
Gender inequalities exist because society
and structures have permitted it. Therefore,
achieving equality should not be a
women’s issue, but should be the concern
of men and boys as well. Equality between
women and men is both a human right and
a precondition for sustainable and people-
centered development. Achieving gender
equality requires that the interests, needs,
priorities and contributions of both women
and men are taken into consideration,
while recognizing the diversity of different
groups of women and men. It is when
women and men are free to make informed
choices without fear of being discriminated
or coerced that empowerment will be
realized.
The United Nations Commission on the
Status of Women 13 was the first United
Nations inter-governmental body to
address the engagement and responsibility
of men and boys in a comprehensive
manner. The Commission considered
the issue of the role of men and boys in
socialisation and educational processes
and sensitizing men particularly in male-
dominated institutions, industries and
associations regarding their roles and
responsibilities in the promotion of gender
equality and the full enjoyment of all
human rights by women.
In2006,atits50th
Session,theCommission
on the status of women highlighted
the importance of education and the
sensitization of boys in their formative
years both through the formal educational
system and in informal settings through
peer programmes. Public information
campaigns were highlighted as important
mechanisms for disseminating positive
messages. Close collaboration with civil
society was also recorded as an effective
measure.
Furthermore, men’s partnerships in anti-
violence campaigns and in women’s
groups are critical because they are a
powerful and practical demonstration of
shared interest in stamping out violence.
Agnes Kisembo is a Programme
Specialist, UN Women
Participants during a partnership training programme

By Dr. Hilda M. Tadria
The Mentoring and Empowerment
Programme for Young Women
(MEMPROW) addresses three issues in
the process of empowering girls and young
women: Firstly, it addresses Sexual and
Gender Based Violence (SGBV) against
girls in primary and secondary schools
because this is one of the major barriers to
girls’educational attainment. SGBV is still
endemic.
Secondly, it addresses girls’ low social
esteem and confidence; and thirdly, it
addresses their life skills and knowledge,
such as sexual and reproductive health
information, entrepreneurship and
leadership skills.
MEMPROW addresses these issues
Dr. Tadria (with head scarf) at a function
because gender inequality in Uganda
affects young women in multiple ways
and more adversely than any other
category of people. For example, evidence
from the Uganda Demographic Health
Survey (UDHS 2011) indicates very
high vulnerability of women to violence.
“Almost four in ten women (39%) age 15-
49 have ever experienced sexual violence,
compared to one in ten men (11%)”.
In education, a UNICEF report (2008)
highlights some of the reasons for girls’
under-performance and under visibility
in education. These include; their
susceptibility to violence, compromised
gender equality in school processes,
and teachers’ negative attitudes to girls
capabilities.
Lack of self-esteem, confidence, and
weak life skills among girls and young
women are also examples of gender
inequalities. These are clearly manifested
in the girls’ and young women’s sexual
and reproductive health status. Young
school girls experience extreme pressure
for sex, not just from boys of their age
but equally, if not more so, from teachers,
their guardians and male relatives. As a
result, “six out of 10 (58 %) girls have their
sexual encounter before they are 18 years
compared to boys at 47%”; and “one-
quarter of women age 15-49 (24%)”, say
their first sexual intercourse was forced
against their will.
The negative implications and impact of all
this on the girl child can only be imagined.
However, a few examples show the gravity
of the impact the girls’lives.
Statistics from the Population Secretariat
MEMPROW Targets Men
for Girl-Child Empowerment
Photo:ShawnMakumbi

show there has been a 24% increase in teen
pregnancies with 12% of these ending in
unsafe abortions. This is an indication of
lack of life skills as well as inadequate
access to sexual reproductive health
knowledge and services.
The link between early sex and girl-child
education attainment is even clearer. For
example, UDHS 2011 reveals that while
there is almost no gender gap (0.96) at
Primary education level, this drops to 0.86
at Secondary level. The link between the
girls’ sexual reproductive health status
and school dropout is very clear; the
differences in the proportion of male and
female school attendance becomes starkly
visible at the age of 16 when the proportion
of males attending school becomes higher
than that of girls.
To involve men and boys in the
empowerment of women and girls,
MEMPROW has defined a two-pronged
approach. The first approach targets
changing the mind-sets, developing self-
esteem and providing life skills knowledge
and skills to girls and young women.
This approach is based on conviction that
change begins with women and girls.
It is also based on the belief that unless girls
and young women understand the basis of
their exclusion and marginalization, they
cannot understand where change needs to
happen and to demand for it. The centre of
operation is the school where MEMPROW
works with girls to enhance their belief in
self and value to society and to improve
their performance.
MEMPROW’s second target for change is
society’s negative mind-sets and attitudes
to rights and capabilities of girls and
young women. The devaluation of girls
and women is a direct consequence of our
patriarchal systems in which the power
relations are clearly and unequally defined
on the basis of gender. While the women
are custodians of this patriarchal system,
men define the framework of operation.
MEMPROW therefore notes that in order
to change the negative cultural context in
which gender inequalities are sustained
they must work with boys and men.
The organisation specifically targets
teachers and community leaders, almost
all of whom are men, to enhance their
understanding of the value of a gender
equal society and a school that is free of
sexual violence to girls’ performance
and education attainment. The negative
attitudes of male teachers and students
to girls’ capabilities and value in society
are major contributors to girls’ poor
performance. As a result, the protection
of school girls from sexual violence and
their rights to education is the centre of
MEMPROW’s advocacy work
The organisation has anecdotal evidence
showing that in the schools MEMPROW
work in, girls’ attitudes to education and
perceptions of themselves have changed
positively. Girls are beginning to recognize
that change starts with them as advanced
by this testimony of one girl after a social
survival training by MEMPROW:
“The training has changed my perspective
towards sexual relationships, I have a boy
friend who has been pushing me to have
sex with him, but this training has helped
me discover that a person who wants sex
from me at my age does not love me and
only wants to use me. I am going to break
this relationship when I return home for
holidays.”
In another example, the information we
have is that pregnancy related school
drop-out has not been registered since
MEMPROW started working in the
school. Working with school teachers and
community leaders, the organisation has
been able to work towards the valuation of
the girl child. Male teachers and students
in schools are beginning to appreciate the
role they can play in eliminating gender
violence in their schools. The approach is
proving that empowering girls is necessary,
but that without partnership with men and
boys it is not sufficient to keep them in
school.
Dr. Hilda M. Tadria is a Gender
and Social Development
Specialist
Students involved in MEMPROW activities:
The programme provides lifeskills knowledge to girls

By Regina Bafaki
Men play different roles either as
household, cultural, political or religious
leaders.Theycontrolaccesstoinformation,
services, finances and other key resources
including land. As Heads of State and
Government, as ministers and Members
of Parliament, as leaders of religious
institutions, as judges and law enforcers,
as clan and village heads, or indeed as
husbands and fathers, men often wield
enormous power over various aspects of
women’s lives. Therefore, gender equality
cannot be realised without the involvement
and cooperation of men.
Cognisant of the key role men are capable
of playing in championing gender equality,
Action for Development (ACFODE)
an indigenous, voluntary, non-partisan,
non-governmental women’s interest
organization piloted a male champion
approach in the Lango sub region. It was
envisaged that an increase in the number
of males engaged in the promotion of
positive social cultural practices in selected
communities would cause change in the
gender disparities.
Theorganisationidentified120outstanding
male social actors – who included clan
leaders, religious leaders from different
religious denominations, political and
technical leaders, including Local Council
chairpersons and parish chiefs.
These were sensitized on the existing
harmful socio- cultural practices in their
region and they made commitments to
advocate for gender responsive socio-
cultural practices. Thereafter, they were
commissioned as Male Role Models.
Interactions with this group later revealed
that, now, the men understand and
appreciate the different negative and
positive socio-cultural practices.
One male role model had this to say: “We
were practicing behaviour that degrades
women, for example leaving all the
domestic work to them; refusing them to
own property, including land; and taking
control of all the produce during harvest
time.”
They revealed that now women can take
part in activities initially done by men
only, such as inheriting property. Women
can also participate in leadership, including
holdingpoliticalofficesandclanleadership
positions.
The Male Role Models have demystified
gender equality through practice and
change of attitude in their homes. They
have mobilised and sensitized fellow men,
teachers and school children on issues
such as: domestic violence, women’s right
to own land, girls’ and women’s right to
choose a husband, without being forced
into any marriage or widow inheritance,
children’s rights, including equal right
of boys and girls to access education;
and, women’s ability to hold leadership
positions, among others.
The men have used different avenues and
platforms they find convenient such as
churches and mosques, funeral gatherings,
drinking places, family meetings and clan
meetings among others.As a result, several
people in the community have started to
change and respect women’s views and
opinions in a number of aspects, and cases
of domestic violence have reportedly
reduced.
The Ibuje sub-County Police Officer in-
charge of Station stated that; “We used
to receive a lot of cases at the Police
Station. Many women were reporting their
husbands for battering them. In a month we
would record around 28 cases but now we
just record 6 to 9 cases. The intervention
has helped the families to unite and solve
cases amicably.”
The role models have encouraged women
to take part in decision-making in their
homes. Accordingly, negative attitudes
towards women are beginning to change.
There is co-operation in households as
proceeds from the farm sales are shared
between husband and wife, and cases
of domestic violence have reduced. For
example, during harvest time, there used to
be many cases of domestic violence; now
women know their rights and often stand
up to demand for accountability from their
husbands.
The role models have appreciated the
intervention saying; “Bringing women
nearer planning and decision-making
processes is good for development. The
approach being used by ACFODE is
unique and engaging. I feel that as a man
I have great responsibility to play in the
promotion of gender equality.”
Growing Gender
Equality in
Communities
Women building a latrine: A case of women empowerment

NAWOU Guides on how
Men can Champion
Women Causes
By Monica Emiru Enyou
It is widely acknowledged that gender
equality cannot be realized through
actions of women alone. The cooperation
and participation of men is a very
important ingredient in achieving gender
equality. In Uganda, and indeed in many
developing countries, men are the power-
holders over culture and tradition which
guide relationships between women and
men in families and communities. Also,
gender roles and relations are dependent
on social contexts in which cultural,
religious, economic, political and social
circumstances are inter-twined.
Over the last twenty years, the National
Association of Women Organizations in
Uganda (NAWOU) has been working with
its members, who are women civil society
organizations such as women’s groups,
community based organizations (CBOs),
faith based organizations (FBOs) and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
across the country to build their capacities
to promote gender equality and eliminate
negative practices such as gender based
violence (GBV).
ACFODE targets boys and girls within
70 primary and secondary schools across
the country. It piloted a boys led peer
education model in four primary schools
in Lango sub- Region. Through a media
campaign children were sensitized on their
rights.
Child rights clubs were formed and 30
senior teachers were oriented on children’s
rights, equality of boys and girls as a
source for peace within schools and homes,
detecting and reporting any form of sexual
violence within the school.
The members of the clubs actively
participated in developing talking-
compound messages which are placed
in strategic locations around the school
compounds. “There should be equal rights
and responsibilities for both boys’ and
girls’, ‘SendAll Children to School’, ‘Stop
Child Labour’ and ‘Stop Early Marriages’
are some of such messages.”
The relative status of men and women;
the interaction between gender and race,
class and ethnicity and questions of rights,
control, ownership, power and voice
have a critical impact on the success
and sustainability of every development
intervention. Therefore, ACFODE will
continue empowering women and girls,
but also increasingly involve males as key
partners in advocacy for gender equality.
Regina Bafaki is the Executive
Director, Action for Development
(ACFODE)
Men attend a community sensitisation meeting

(NAPAKAWO) marketing network and
micro credit programme offered economic
empowerment training to its members.
Thereafter, the women decided to grow and
sell groundnuts. The men supported the
project because they had been consulted
from the beginning. The men opened up
the land and participated in other farming
activities as well. They also allowed the
women to take control over the proceeds
from the project. From the proceeds of
the groundnut project, the women have
expanded to other income generating
activities.
In Kayunga, the promotion of the rights
of women and gender equality through
the popularization of the Convention
on Elimination of all forms of Violence
against Women (CEDAW) attracted the
involvement of men. Mr. Collin Kafeero,
a Community Development Officer
who was part of the project still updates
NAWOU regarding progress on realization
of the rights of women in Kayunga. He
confesses that the training opened his mind
and changed his perception about women’s
rights.
The CBO capacity building project in
Agago, Moroto and Soroti engaged 12
CBOs and equipped them with various
skills including; governance, leadership,
programme design, monitoring,
evaluation, networking and advocacy
skills. The members, one third of whom
were men, were also sensitized about
human rights and gender equality.
During monitoring in Agago, it was
established that the project was able to
extend its village savings and loans to
more women as a result of implementing
projects with limited funds. Furthermore, it
was established that CBOs in Agago, with
mixed membership, developed a position
paper demanding for action on defilement
and GBV. In Moroto, the men engaged
the warriors and other men who are the
perpetrators of GBV.
In Apac, Kanungu, Mubende and Sironko,
combating GBV through drama has
attracted male involvement. Mr. Obote,
who was a renowned wife-beater, reformed
after receiving advice and counseling
from the Ocan Onote Group. He stopped
drinking alcohol and started participating
in domestic chores. Now, he is an advocate
against wife beating and other forms of
GBV. Then, a lady revealed that the drama
and community dialogue changed her
husband and now, he is supportive of her
and the children.
Despite, these achievements, equality
between women and men, is still a far cry
for women in Uganda. For instance, the
practical and strategic gender needs of
womenarestilllacking,theimplementation
of policy and enforcement of legislation
is inadequate, also, institutions need to
prioritize women and girls and mainstream
their concerns in all their programmes.
NAWOU adds its voice to the call for all
actors to work together, build partnerships
with men so that the goal of gender equality
and empowerment of women and girls is
achieved.
Monica Emiru Enyou is the
Secretary General, NAWOU
Experienceindicatesthatpromotinggender
equality and elimination of GBV can only
be achieved when women and men work
together to identify the underlying causes
to the challenges, design mechanisms for
response and implement them together.
Male involvement is not about bringing
men into the project as observers and/ or
recipients of programme interventions. It
entails involvement of men right from the
design and inception of project, consulting
men and women regarding the underlying
issues to be addressed and the best
strategies to apply to obtain results. Men
have been very instrumental where their
participation is sought from the beginning
and the fruits of male involvement have
began to show.
In the Eastern Region the Nakapiripirit,
Pallisa and Katakwi Women
Women and men farm together in Kabale
Photo:PaulWambi

Uganda woman issue 4 march 2014 web

Uganda woman issue 4 march 2014 web

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (12)

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (14)

Ähnlich wie Uganda woman issue 4 march 2014 web

Ähnlich wie Uganda woman issue 4 march 2014 web (20)

Mehr von Ayebazibwe Kenneth

Mehr von Ayebazibwe Kenneth (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Uganda woman issue 4 march 2014 web