Uganda Woman Magazine October 2013

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THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA

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WOMAN
Issue 3, October 2013

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

The Gains for Women of Uganda

UGANDA WOMAN October 2013

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Ed

iti

on

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: The Gains for Women of Uganda

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C O N T E N T S
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22

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: GAINS AND WAY FORWARD FOR THE
UGANDAN WOMAN

Providing Food Security for a
Living: The Story of Josephine Okot

18

Interview with Karooro Okurut

24

Hunger Project Contributes to Food
Security and Poverty Reduction

28

Enabling Equal Opportunities for all

Improving Gender Relations in
Coffee Farming Households for
Sustainable Development

30

Adult Literacy Enhances Socio-economic Development

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Advancing UPE in Public Schools

34

Ugandan Women Make Strides in Decision-making

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UGANDA

WOMAN

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Published by;
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development,
P.O. Box 7136,
www. Mglsd.go.ug
www.facebook.com/mglsd
KAMPALA, Uganda.
Editor-in-Chief: Pius Bigirimana
Managing Editor: Jane Sanyu Mpagi
Deputy Managing Editor (Administrative):
Elizabeth Kyasiimire
Deputy Managing Editor(Editorial):
Francis Mondo Kyateka
Contributing Editor: Maggie Mabweijano
Editor: Pamela Irene Batenga
Administrator: Kenneth Ayebazibwe
Sub-Editor: Hilda Twongyeirwe
Consulting Editor: Ikebesi Ocole Omoding

Making a Difference in Children’s Lives

38

Contributors: Hodan Addou, Firmina Acuba, Kenneth Ayebazibwe,
Jane Bemigisha, Jolly Beyeza, Alphonse Ejoru, Christine Atuhairwe
Karya, Margaret Kasiko, Rukia Nakamatte Mbaziira, Jane Mpagi,
Jane Nalunga, Aggripiner Nandhago, Catherine Mbabazi Ngorok,
Dennis Obbo, Ikebesi Omoding, Daisy Owomugasho, Fortunate
Paska, Hilda Twongyeirwe
Layout and Graphics: Paul Wambi

Improving Child Survival in Uganda: The Progress Made

Printing: World Point Ltd
Cover Picture: Women Cabinet Ministers at the helm of

Hon. Janet
Hon. Amelia
Hon. Jessica Alupo Hon. Irene Muloni
Kataaha Museveni
Nafuna
Kyambadde Anne
Minister of
Minister for
Minister of Energy Minister of Trade,
Education
Karamoja affairs
and Minerals
Industry and
and Sports
Cooperatives

Hon. Kasule
Justine Lumumba
Government
Chief Whip

Hon. Maria
Kiwanuka
Minister of Finance
and Economic
Planning
Hon. Mary Karoro Okurut
Minister of Gender, Labour
and Social Development

Hon. Rose
Namayanja
Minister of
Information and
National Guidance

Hon. Maria
Mutagamba
Minister of
Tourism, Wildlife
and Antiquities

Inside Front: A young woman making a mat: Some women
make a living from making and selling mats
Inside back: Children posing for a picture with a foreign friend

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41

Legal and Policy Framework for Improving Maternal Health

43

implementing the Millennium Development Goals

Uganda Combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

45

How Kaleeba’s battle against HIV and AIDS inspires the World

47

Impacting Communities for Environmental and Sustainable
Development

48

Women’s Leadership Influences Achievement of Water and
Sanitation Target

50

Reducing Bio-diversity Loss in Uganda: Recounting Women’s
Participation and Benefits

52

Equitable Land Use for Socio-economic Development

53

Promoting Social Justice for Poverty Reduction

54

Evaluating the MDGs with the Post-2015 Development Agenda
in Mind

56

DECENTRALISATION: The Uganda Woman Experience

58

MDG 8: The Impact on Uganda’s Development

UGANDA WOMEN’S ANTHEM
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.


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Message from the Hon.
Minister of Gender,
Labour and Social
Development
Fellow Ugandans!

I

t is with great pleasure that I embrace this opportunity
to congratulate you on this very important occasion to
commemorate 51 years of Uganda’s Independence. This day
is worth celebrating because it is an excellent opportunity to
take stock of the achievements of Uganda and lay strategies
for the future.
As we take stock of Uganda’s performance in relation to
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), I take this
opportunity to thank the NRM Government for championing
the socio-economic and political transformation of this
country. In the same vein, I wish to appreciate all Ugandans
and especially women, for their contribution towards the
transformation of this country. I believe that with your
diligence and commitment, we have the potential to transform
Uganda into a middle income country.
The articles in the 3rd issue of the Uganda Woman Magazine
detail Uganda’s efforts towards ensuring that women benefit
from the various sectors. However, one should note that there
are various challenges that need to be addressed.
In the next 49 years, we should work towards achieving
total emancipation of all women and girls. We should work
relentlessly for a Uganda that will be free of child marriages,
early pregnancy, domestic violence, female genital mutilation,
HIV and AIDS, among others. We should also work towards
ensuring that no mother dies during birth or due to pregnancyrelated causes.
I am convinced that given the current momentum of our
struggle for total emancipation, we shall achieve our goal. I

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take this opportunity to thank the Development Partners and
Civil Society Organisations for the financial and technical
support during the implementation of the targets relating to
the MDG’s. I call upon you to strengthen this partnership with
Government so that we achieve better results by 2015.
Finally, I wish to thank the authors of the stories and the
editorial team for a job well done. I call upon the readers to
enjoy and digest the stories.
I wish all the women and men of Uganda, and all our friends,
pleasant Independence Day Celebrations.
For God and my Country

Mary Karooro Okurut (MP)
MINISTER

Message from the
Hon. Minister of
State for Gender and
Cultural Affairs
Dear Readers!

I

take this opportunity to welcome you to this Independence
Issue.

As a country, we are still basking in the glory of the Golden
Jubilee Celebrations of Independence which we marked with
great jubilation and a sense of accomplishment as a nation
in 2012. At that time, we took stock of the milestones for
Ugandans during the post-colonial era. The achievements
were several; ranging from advancements in democracy,
leadership, education, employment, business and above all,
recognition of women’s contribution to the development of
our motherland.
My Ministry through the Uganda Woman Magazine
applauded the women who pioneered various causes and
opened the doors for many other women to follow. As Minister
responsible for women, I take this opportunity to appreciate
these women once again and reiterate that their efforts to
empower the women of Uganda will not only be remembered
but will continuously be a source of inspiration for women
and for all Ugandans.
At this juncture, I would like to sincerely thank H.E Yoweri
Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda,
for his continued support to the empowerment of the Women
of Uganda. The conducive environment that the NRM
Government has provided over the years has enabled the
women in Uganda to participate in, implement and benefit
from various interventions, including those geared towards
achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Overall, Uganda has made great strides in its journey to
achieve the Millennium Development Goals because the core
agenda of the NRM Government is premised on achieving
social, economic and political transformation for all. I believe
that we are on the right path of achieving our vision of “a
transformed Ugandan Society from a peasant to a modern
and prosperous country within 30 years”.

As Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, we
take great pride in our contribution to the achievement of the
MDGs. We have led the way in guiding all stakeholders on
how to mainstream gender in all development initiatives. It
is no wonder therefore that some of the most commendable
progress has been made under MDG 3 which is about
Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. I call upon
all Ugandans to read this issue and get information about the
gains for women.
I would like to thank all the contributors to the three issues
of the Uganda Woman Magazine. Your articles are an
indication of your dedication to exposing and documenting
the achievements made by Uganda especially for the benefit
of women.
In the same vein, I wish to thank our readers whose
enthusiasm has grown with each issue. Your zeal indicates
genuine interest and support for women advancement, gender
equality and social justice.
Finally, I wish to appreciate the UN Women and Department
for International Development(DFID) for the support towards
various programmes including producing the Uganda Woman
Magazine.
I invite the general public to read and make comments about
the Magazine so that we can serve you better.
For God and my Country.
Rukia Nakadama Isanga
MINISTER OF STATE FOR GENDER AND CULTURAL
AFFAIRS


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Editorial

I

t is with great pleasure that I welcome readers to Issue
Three of the Uganda Woman magazine. I have just
joined the Social Development Sector and I am inspired
by its diverse mandate. The scope of the Ministry is broad,
covering the lifecycle of a person from childhood to old
age.
Gender and women’s empowerment is a cross-cutting
issue in all the functions of the Ministry. Therefore, this
magazine is a useful platform through which the Ministry
can share its aspirations, good practices and information
on gender equality and women’s empowerment in
particular.
The Government of Uganda has been instrumental in
implementing the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) and through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and
Social Development, it has ably provided the direction on
gender mainstreaming in all aspects of development with
the intention of alleviating poverty and addressing other
development concerns.

goals have been translated into action and action into out
comes as the indicators in poverty levels, education, water
and sanitation, health, and employment show. Uganda’s
future is therefore bright; the country is steadily moving
towards middle income status, investment in modernizing
agriculture, infrastructure, industry including oil and gas
is on the rise. Economic growth is at 5.1% per annum, a
positive indicator despite the global economic crisis.
Hence, the story of women’s success is a story of success
for all of us. These successes should not however make
us complacent; challenges exist and for some goals, we
are still short of the targets set. For instance, maternal
mortality and the HIV and AIDS prevalence is still high.
This means that the task ahead is still enormous and we
need to rise up to this challenge.
The struggle for equality and social justice is for all
humanity: boys, girls, men, women, young and old. This
struggle must continue until we reach the goals we aspire
to attain.

This issue provides an insight into the level of achievement
in relation to the implementation of the eight MDGs
drawn from the UN Millennium Declaration, endorsed
by the Heads of States and Governments in September
2000. For Uganda, the pursuit to achieve these goals
is firmly rooted in the conducive policy environment
that promotes social and economic transformation of
communities.
The gains made for women in pursuit of these goals have
their basis in the supportive policies of all the sectors.
What is also evident in the articles is that the policy

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We commend all our partners who work to uplift the
status of women and our communities at large and look
forward to a stronger partnership for the benefit of all
Ugandans.

Pius Bigirimana
PERMANENT SECRETARY/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

UGANDA WOMAN March -September 2013

I wish everyone joyous Independence Day celebrations.

ISSUE 2 ONLINE READERSHIP
By Kenneth Ayebazibwe
The Uganda Woman Magazine
is a bi-annual publication of
By Kenneth Ayebazibwe
the Ministry of Gender, Labour
and Social Development. The
publication is a 60-page glossformat premium publication
featuring the state of women
achievers in Uganda. The
Uganda Woman Magazine is
an independent publication that
is reader-focused and managed
by a highly skilled editorial
team with extensive experience
in magazine and newspaper
publishing.
Five thousand copies of the
magazine are printed per issue
and distributed to various
stakeholders in the country.
In addition, the Magazine
is 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 made
the Magazine global.

Patience
This information is awesome! I am in
the beginning stages and pages of
this Magazine and this is going to be
a tremendous help in advocating for
Women’s Rights! Thank you again…this
is definitely a post that I can refer back
to over time.
Thanks, Ministry of Gender, Labour and
Social Development

Uganda Woman
Magazine can be
accessed online:
www. facebook.com/mglsd

The Second Issue of the Uganda Woman Magazine reached an online global public of
925 people. It generated 320 comments on both the mail system and facebook. The
magazine was also shared with 5,000 stake holders on email.
To download a copy of the magazine, go to www.mglsd.go.ug/eresource/documentation/
Uganda Woman Magazine 2013LR(1).pdf.
Sampled Comments

Patrick
Wow. This is quite an extensive
publication. Thanks for taking all that
time out to provide us with all of this
useful information. Facebook has proven
to be a very useful social platform for
sharing content and spreading the word
and I’m sure all of this content will be
a huge contributor to the success of the
rest of us doing gender related work.
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social
Development
Facebook is a great place to be – thanks
Patrick for being part of the Ministry!

Aaron
This is one seriously great resource!
Have bookmarked this for future
reference.

Chris
Talk about comprehensive, what a great
compilation of info in one place. Thank
you to everyone that contributed to the
insights on the Magazine. This is an
incredible resource, Ministry!

Ian
Wow! This is an awesome Ugandan
magazine to connect women at the roots.
Thanks for putting it together – I’ve
already downloaded and picked up a few
great ideas from some of the articles.

Kenneth Ayebazibwe is the E-Resource
Centre Manager in the Ministry
of Gender Labour and Social
Development (MGLSD)

9


Congratulatory Message to
the Rt. Hon. Speaker Rebecca
Alitwala Kadaga from the Ministry
of Gender Labour and Social
Development

The Right Honourable Speaker of the National
Parliament of the Republic of Uganda, Rebecca
Alitwala Kadaga.
It is with utmost pride and honour that the Ministry
of Gender Labour and Social Development
wishes to congratulate you for having been
elected to the illustrious office of the presidency
of the Commonwealth Women’s Parliamentary
Association (CWPA).
That you emerged winner in a tightly-contested race
of the Women’s Parliamentary Association of the
Commonwealth of 54 member countries is testimony
to the faith and confidence of the Commonwealth in
your leadership. Indeed, for Uganda, it is a moment
of admission that the Honourable Members of the
Parliament of Uganda were right-thinking when
they elected you as the Speaker of Parliament.

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Your new position is a clear indication of the
NRM Government’s commitment to women’s
empowerment in all spheres. You are a role model to
the women and girls of Uganda and an inspiration
to the attainment of equality, empowerment and
development in Uganda.
As you steer the CWPA in the next three years,
Ugandans and the whole Commonwealth
community, will be attuned to the diligence you will
bring to the Association. We are confident that you
will endorse gender sensitive policies and export
Uganda’s commitment to the empowerment of
women and girls in the Commonwealth.

WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN THIS
NEW ASSIGNMENT

Cover story

MILLENNIUM
DEVELOPMENT
GOALS: GAINS
AND WAY FORWARD
FOR THE UGANDAN
WOMAN
By Jane S. Mpagi

A

s 2015, the year set as the target for
full attainment of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) draws
closer, the world at various levels is on
the alert. While some are focusing on
increasing efforts to attain the targets,
others are evaluating the extent of
attainment. Yet, others are centred on
the unfinished agenda, emerging issues
and even the missing elements that
should be incorporated into the Post2015 Global Development Framework.
The MDGs, which contain eight
goals, 21 targets and 60 indicators,
present the ideals of the Millennium
Declaration which was the outcome of
the Millennium Summit of UN Member
States in September 2000. The Summit
acknowledged the challenges facing
humanity and established a framework
for global partnership to reduce extreme
poverty, promote inclusive development,
human rights and improve standards of
living.

Goals, Targets
and Indicators
The internationally agreed framework of 8
goals and 21 targets was complemented
by 60 technical indicators to measure
progress towards the Millennium
Development Goals. These indicators have
since been adopted by a consensus of
experts from the United Nations, IMF, OECD
and the World Bank.
Each indicator below is linked to millennium
data series as well as to background series
related to the target in question.

Goal 1: Eradicate
extreme poverty and
hunger
Target 1.A: Halve, between 1990 and
2015, the proportion of people whose
income is less than one dollar a day
1.1 Proportion of population below $1
(PPP) per day
1.2 Poverty gap ratio
1.3 Share of poorest quintile in national
consumption
Target 1.B: Achieve full and productive
employment and decent work for all,
including women and young people

The MDGs focus on improving human
capital and increasing social, economic
and political rights with the majority
focusing on increasing basic standards
of living.
The targets and indicators on the
human capital focus on health care
that is; reducing child mortality, HIV/
AIDs and tuberculosis and improving
reproductive health and education. For
infrastructure, the focus is on increasing
access to safe drinking water, energy,

1.4 Growth rate of GDP per person
employed
1.5 Employment-to-population ratio
1.6 Proportion of employed people living
below $1 (PPP) per day
1.7 Proportion of own-account and
contributing family workers in total
employment
Target 1.C: Halve, between 1990 and
2015, the proportion of people who
suffer from hunger
1.8 Prevalence of underweight children
under-five years of age
1.9 Proportion of population below
minimum level of dietary energy
consumption


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Cover Story

Goal 2: Achieve
universal primary
education
Target 2.A: Ensure that, by 2015,
children everywhere, boys and girls
alike, will be able to complete a full
course of primary schooling
2.1 Net enrolment ratio in primary
education
2.2 Proportion of pupils starting grade 1
who reach last grade of primary
2.3 Literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds,
women and men

Goal 3: Promote
gender equality and
empower women
Target 3.A: Eliminate gender disparity
in primary and secondary education,
preferably by 2005, and in all levels of
education no later than 2015
3.1 Ratios of girls to boys in primary,
secondary and tertiary education
3.2 Share of women in wage employment
in the non-agricultural sector
3.3 Proportion of seats held by women in
national parliament

Goal 4: Reduce
child mortality
Target 4.A: Reduce by two-thirds,
between 1990 and 2015, the under-five
mortality rate
4.1 Under-five mortality rate
4.2 Infant mortality rate
4.3 Proportion of 1 year-old children
immunised against measles

Goal 5: Improve
maternal health
Target 5.A: Reduce by three quarters,
between 1990 and 2015, the maternal
mortality ratio
5.1 Maternal mortality ratio
5.2 Proportion of births attended by
skilled health personnel
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Pupils at their school
housing, modern information and
communication technology, sustainable
agriculture practices and preserving the
environment.
Socio-economic and political rights
focus on empowerment of women,
increasing political voice, access to
public service and security of property.
The MDGs also emphasise the role of
developed countries in supporting the
developing countries as captured in
Goal 8.
As 2015 approaches, there is a consensus
at the global level that the MDGs have
managed to galvanize commendable
efforts to meet the needs of the poorest
in the world.
In Uganda, several analyses have been
done to establish if the country is on
track in relation to the MDGs. These
include; National Household Surveys,
Demographic and Health surveys
and other relevant reports on the
implementation of the commitments on
population and development.
Uganda’s commitment to empowerment
of women and elimination of inequalities
between men and women dates way back
before the MDGs. In the late 1980s and
early 1990s, Uganda was the first African
country to involve women in political
decision-making through Affirmative

Action policies. It established structures
for women (the Ministry and Women
Councils), developed the National
Gender Policy, adopted a gender
mainstreaming strategy for all sectors
and, most importantly, promulgated a
gender sensitive Constitution. This was
in addition to the Affirmative Action
Policy in favour of women and girls on
entry into public universities.
The country has managed to meet
the target of MDG 1 by reducing the
percentage of the people living under
extreme poverty from 56% in 1993
to 31.1% in 2006 and 24.5% in 2012.
However, the majority of the 7.5 million
people who live below the poverty line are
the vulnerable groups such as widows,
children, youth, and persons with
disabilities, older persons and ethnic
minorities. Within these categories,
women and girls are disproportionately
affected.
Furthermore, as a result of the
Government’s
conducive
policies,
several women have entered into wage
employment in the public and private
spheres. Yet, the challenge of the
unemployment rate which stands at 4.2
% and the gender-based biases during
recruitment and at the workplace still
exist.
Also, food security measured by caloric

Cover Story

Target 5.B: Achieve, by 2015, universal
access to reproductive health
5.3 Contraceptive prevalence rate
5.4 Adolescent birth rate
5.5 Antenatal care coverage (at least one
visit and at least four visits)
5.6 Unmet need for family planning

Goal 6: Combat HIV/
AIDS, malaria and
other diseases
Target 6.A: Have halted by 2015 and
begun to reverse the spread of HIV/
AIDS

Women and men display their land certificate
intake has improved over the period,
though it is still below the required
standard set by the World Health
Organisation. This affects the health of
women and children.
The progress in the implementation
of MDG 2 in Uganda is commendable
because by 1990, 34.7% of the girls and
24.3% of the boys were not attending
school. However, after the successful
implementation of the Universal Primary
Education initiative, the enrolment rate
in primary school increased to 83%
for both boys and girls, thus attaining

gender parity at this level. It is important
however to address the challenges that
lead to high dropout rates which affect
girls more than boys.
Perhaps, one of the country’s best
performance has been recorded under
MDG 3. Uganda has made significant
progress towards achieving the goals as
monitored by the trends in the three key
targets namely; improved ratio of girls to
boys in three cycles of education, share
of women in wage employment in the
non-agricultural sector and increased
proportion of seats held by women in
National Parliament
The ratio of girls to boys in schools has
increased tremendously. Gender parity
has been achieved at primary level and
the ratio of girls to boys stands at 0.84
and 0.79 for secondary and tertiary
levels. The share of women employment
in non-agriculture sector has increased,
although the majority are in the
informal sector with a percentage of 71%
compared to 64% of men.
There has been increased number of
women representation in political
processes and public life. The proportion
of women in the Parliament has
increased from 24% in 2001 to 34% in
2011, thus attaining the critical mass
of representation of 30% set out in the

6.1 HIV prevalence among population
aged 15-24 years
6.2 Condom use at last high-risk sex
6.3 Proportion of population aged 15-24
years with comprehensive correct
knowledge of HIV/AIDS
6.4 Ratio of school attendance of orphans
to school attendance of non-orphans
aged 10-14 years
Target 6.B: Achieve, by 2010, universal
access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all
those who need it
6.5 Proportion of population with
advanced HIV infection with access to
antiretroviral drugs
Target 6.C: Have halted by 2015 and
begun to reverse the incidence of
malaria and other major diseases
6.6 Incidence and death rates associated
with malaria
6.7 Proportion of children under 5
sleeping under insecticide-treated
bednets
6.8 Proportion of children under 5
with fever who are treated with
appropriate anti-malarial drugs
6.9 Incidence, prevalence and death rates
associated with tuberculosis
6.10 Proportion of tuberculosis cases
detected and cured under directly
observed treatment short course

Mother and child: Ensuring child
survival

13

Cover Story

Goal 7: Ensure
environmental
sustainability
Target 7.A: Integrate the principles of
sustainable development into country
policies and programmes and reverse
the loss of environmental resources
7.1 Proportion of land area covered by
forest
7.2 CO2 emissions, total, per capita and
per $1 GDP (PPP)
7.3 Consumption of ozone-depleting
substances
7.4 Proportion of fish stocks within safe
biological limits
7.5 Proportion of total water resources
used
Target 7.B: Reduce biodiversity loss,
achieving, by 2010, a significant
reduction in the rate of loss
7.6 Proportion of terrestrial and marine
areas protected
7.7 Proportion of species threatened with
extinction
Target 7.C: Halve, by 2015, the
proportion of people without sustainable
access to safe drinking water and basic
sanitation
7.8 Proportion of population using an
improved drinking water source
7.9 Proportion of population using an
improved sanitation facility
Target 7.D: By 2020, to have achieved a
significant improvement in the lives of
at least 100 million slum dwellers
7.10 Proportion of urban population living
in slumsb

Goal 8: Develop a
global partnership
for development
Target 8.A: Develop further an
open, rule-based, predictable, nondiscriminatory trading and financial
system

14


Women in a goat rearing project
Beijing Platform for Action.
MDGs 4, 5 and 6 form the core of
the MDG Framework because a
healthy population is the foundation
for
sustainable
socio-economic
development. Although it is unlikely
that Uganda will achieve the targets
under these goals, the steady progress
that has been attained so far should
be acknowledged. Maternal mortality
rates reduced from 505 in 1995 to 435
per 100,000 live births in 2011. Infant
mortality and under 5 mortality reduced
from 89 to 54 per 1000 live births
between 2001 and 2011 and from 158 to
90 per 1000 live births during the same
period, respectively.
Furthermore, there was slow but
steady improvement in contraceptive
prevalence rates from 15% in 1995 to
30% in 2011. Also, antenatal, post-natal
care and child immunisation improved
slightly.
Though prevalence rates of HIV
infections reduced tremendously in the
1990s from 18% in 1992 to 6.4% between
2002 and 2009, there was an increase in
the rates to 7.3% in 2011. HIV infections
have continued to exhibit a female face
particularly that of a young woman.

Environment conservation and women
empowerment are intrinsically related.
Bio-diversity loss, lack of access to
safe water and sanitation negatively
affect the women’s livelihoods. Due to
persistent unequal gender division of
labour, women and girls especially in
the rural areas and peri-urban areas are
responsible for collection of firewood
and water for home consumption.
By 2010, according to the National
Development Plan, bio-mass accounted
for 92% of the total energy consumed,
while hydroelectricity and solar energy
contributed to only 1%. This situation
clearly shows slow progress on the MDG
target on reducing bio-diversity loss.
Access to improved drinking water
sources increased from 57% in
1999/2000 to 68% in 2005/2006, far
short of the target of 89% by 2015.
Other indicators under this goal, such
as sanitation and improving the living
conditions of slum dwellers, which have
strong bearing on women’s livelihoods,
have not progressed substantially.
In as much as most of the targets under
MDG 8 call upon the countries of the
North to take leadership to exercise
flexible financial and trade regimes
towards the developing countries, there

Cover Story

Includes a commitment to good
governance, development and poverty
reduction - both nationally and
internationally
Target 8.B: Address the special needs of
the least developed countries
Includes: tariff and quota free access for
the least developed countries’ exports;
enhanced programme of debt relief for
heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)
and cancellation of official bilateral debt;
and more generous ODA for countries
committed to poverty reduction

Women holding tree seedlings
are also targets which the countries of
the South should have implemented.
For example, one of the indicators is
about making available the benefits of
new information and communication
technologies (ICTs) in cooperation with
the private sector.
In the last decade, Uganda has witnessed
a proliferation of ICTs, especially mobile
phones and to some extent, the use of
computers. There are visible gains for
women resulting from use of ICTs. For
example, some women have benefited in
terms of ease of communication.
Some women use ICT to source markets
for their produce and information for
business, while others own telephone
booths as businesses. There is also an
increasing number of young girls taking
up ICT as a profession. Despite these
gains, anecdotal evidence is emerging
to the effect that family conflicts and
domestic violence could be a result of
these technologies being used in a society
that is still predominately patriarchal.
From the above account, it is clear that
the women of Uganda have made some
gains from the implementation of MDGs
although some challenges still persist.
The analysis on the implementation of
the MDGs, shows that Uganda has made
commendable progress in attaining the

targets in MDGs 1, 2 and 3. However,
there are targets that have not been
met and are unlikely to be achieved
before 2015. Achieving targets in MDGs
4, 5 and 6 still remain a challenge. It
is important therefore to initiate the
discourse for the Post-2015 Development
Framework with the intention of
positioning women’s rights and gender
equality issues. The opportunities and
justification for this are embedded in
the Constitution and in Uganda’s Vision
2040 which is “a transformed Ugandan
society from peasant to a modern and
prosperous country within 30 years.”
It is critical that we ensure that the next
Development Framework builds on our
successes and addresses constraints in
the implementation of MDGs. As the
National Machinery responsible for
Gender and Women Empowerment, the
Ministry suggests that national proposals
for the Post-2015 Global Development
Framework should include;
 Tackling of the root cause of food
crisis and nutrition insecurity.
Uganda is one of the countries in subSaharan Africa which depends on
women’s labour for food production.
Actions to prioritise the critical role
that women play in food security
should be prioritised.

Target 8.C: Address the special needs
of landlocked developing countries and
small island developing States (through
the Programme of Action for the
Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States and the outcome of
the twenty-second special session of the
General Assembly)
Target 8.D: Deal comprehensively
with the debt problems of developing
countries through national and
international measures in order to make
debt sustainable in the long term
Some of the indicators listed below
are monitored separately for the least
developed countries (LDCs), Africa,
landlocked developing countries and
small island developing States.
Official development assistance (ODA)
8.1 Net ODA, total and to the least
developed countries, as percentage
of OECD/DAC donors’ gross national
income
8.2 Proportion of total bilateral, sectorallocatable ODA of OECD/DAC donors
to basic social services (basic
education, primary health care,
nutrition, safe water and sanitation)
8.3 Proportion of bilateral official
development assistance of OECD/DAC
donors that is untied
8.4 ODA received in landlocked developing
countries as a proportion of their
gross national incomes
8.5 ODA received in small island
developing States as a proportion of
their gross national incomes


15

Market access
8.6 Proportion of total developed country
imports (by value and excluding
arms) from developing countries and
least developed countries, admitted
free of duty
8.7 Average tariffs imposed by developed
countries on agricultural products
and textiles and clothing from
developing countries
8.8 Agricultural support estimate for
OECD countries as a percentage of
their gross domestic product
8.9 Proportion of ODA provided to help
build trade capacity
Debt sustainability
8.10 Total number of countries that have
reached their HIPC decision points
and number that have reached their
HIPC completion points (cumulative)
8.11 Debt relief committed under HIPC
and MDRI Initiatives
8.12 Debt service as a percentage of
exports of goods and services

Women going to dig in the garden

Target 8.E: In cooperation with
pharmaceutical companies, provide
access to affordable essential drugs in
developing countries
8.13 Proportion of population with access
to affordable essential drugs on a
sustainable basis
Target 8.F: In cooperation with the
private sector, make available the
benefits of new technologies, especially
information and communications
8.14 Fixed telephone lines per 100
inhabitants
8.15 Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100
inhabitants
8.16 Internet users per 100 inhabitants

Woman in her banana plantation

16


Women with bumper cassava harvest
 Climate change mitigation which
was missing in the MDGs. People
living in poverty, the majority of who
are women, are disproportionately
affected by climate change. Women,
especially those in rural areas, are
responsible for providing food, fuel
and water for households. Also, in
cases of natural disasters which are
becoming common in the country,
women tend to be affected most due
to their roles and responsibilities
in the households as well as their
disadvantaged position in property
rights.
 Introduce a target on elimination of
gender based violence which affects
girls and women more than boys and
men. Studies in Uganda have shown
that the number of cases related to
gender based violence, particularly
domestic violence, rape and sexual
violence against the Girl-child is on
the increase in some regions of the
country. Violence against women
and girls is an impediment to
development.
 Address the time poverty of women
which is crucial for sustainable
development. Women in Uganda
work for more than 16 hours a day.
The unequal and heavy burden
women carry in sustaining the

care and well-being of members of the
household and communities, affects
their participation in the productive
economy,
making
development
unsustainable.
 Broaden the targets so as to address
women’s rights. The Ugandan experience
indicates that gender inequality should
be addressed through a twin-track
approach where on one hand, gender is
mainstreamed, and on the other hand,
there is direct targeting of women specific
issues. Accordingly, gender equality
should be deliberately mainstreamed in
all goals and the goal on gender equality
and women’s empowerment should be
maintained.
 Social protection measures such as cash
transfers, provision of meals in school
and social health insurance should be
included. This is because achieving
targets does not necessarily translate
into equity in provision of services. The
percentage of population left out of the
targets, still live in intergenerational
poverty, and should be targeted to avoid
exclusion.

The Millennium Development
Goals and targets come from the
Millennium Declaration, signed
by 189 countries, including 147
Heads of State and Government,
in September 2000 (http://www.
un.org/millennium/declaration/
ares552e.htm) and from further
agreement by member states
at the 2005 World Summit
(Resolution adopted by the General
Assembly - A/RES/60/1, http://
www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/
ws.asp?m=A/RES/60/1). The
goals and targets are interrelated
and should be seen as a whole.
They represent a partnership
between the developed countries
and the developing countries “to
create an environment - at the
national and global levels alike which is conducive to development
and the elimination of poverty”.

Jane S. Mpagi is the Director for Gender
and Community Development in the
Development


17

INTERVIEW

“I address these
issues with a
gender lens to
motivate women
to engage with
these issues and
to also write”
Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut is the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social
Development and the Woman Member of Parliament for Bushenyi District. In
an interview with Uganda Woman, she speaks about her impact on the gender
discourse as an author
Question: Hon. Minister, would
you like to give The Uganda Woman
Magazine a short profile of yourself.

development since the Millennium
started?

Answer: The major part of my working
life started at Makerere University,
Department of Literature where I taught
from 1981 to 1993. From 1996 - 1999
I served on the Education Service
Commission. In 1994, I decided to join
politics. I contested for the Constituent
Assembly but did not make it. From
1994 to 1996, I was Press Secretary
to the Vice President, Dr. Specioza
Wandira Kazibwe. From 1999 to 2004,
I served as Presidential Press Secretary.
My background in communication
skills, has been one of the driving forces
behind what I have been doing. I joined
mainstream politics in 2004 when I
stood for Woman MP Bushenyi District
and won. In 2011, I was appointed
Minister for Information and National
Guidance. And here I am today in a
Ministry that I consider key to women’s
empowerment and emancipation.

Goals [MDGs] defined the global
development discourse putting
development issues into perspective and
streamlining partnerships among key
development partners and development
workers.

Q: Can you please share with readers
your perspective on Uganda’s

18


A: The Millennium Development

In Uganda specifically, there has been
significant progress in almost all the
areas of the MDGs. More women
have come into the decision-making
space, there is Universal Primary
Education and Universal Secondary
Education, Uganda has registered
significant progress in the fight against
HIV and AIDS, malaria and child
mortality. As a developing nation,
there are still challenges, but of course
the Government continues to set the
agenda and develop new strategies to
address these areas as detailed in the
Vision 2040 which I encourage all of
you to read.
It

is

global

knowledge

that

His

Excellency, President Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni and the National Resistance
Movement Government [NRM], laid the
foundation for women empowerment,
when the NRM Government took over
the reigns of power in 1986. Then, the
woman issue was put on the national
agenda, and like the President said,
Government called out the name of
“Woman” in public, thereby giving her
visibility. Since then, the woman of
Uganda has been on a forward march.
I take this opportunity to thank His
Excellency, President Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni and the National Resistance
Movement Government, for the
affirmative action that has released
the creative energy of women. This
potential would not have been realized
under the past oppressive regimes.
I take note that some critical areas were
left out of the MDGs. For instance,
we all know that Culture drives
development which is the reason it has
been described as a Fourth Pillar of
Development, yet the MDGs were silent
about it. The Creative Industry, another

INTERVIEW

important pillar, was also left out.

Q: You have been associated with

promoting development focusing
specifically in the field of Gender,
Media and Education. What are your
most significant achievements in
regard to promoting gender equality
and the empowerment of women?

A: Being a communications specialist,
my most significant achievements have
first of all been as a wordsmith. I have
written and published novels, short
stories, children’s fables and a play. In
almost all my literary works, I address
issues of gender. For instance, in my
novel, The Invisible Weevil, I created a
protagonist, Nkwanzi, and the woman
Liberator, Mama, with the purpose of
repositioning women on the social,
political and military landscape. In
Child of a Delegate, I created Hero for
many reasons one of which was to
show that girls are capable of making
it whatever the circumstances. The
Curse of the Sacred Cow, also has strong
decision making women characters.
While at university, I wrote and directed
a political play, The Trial of Thomas
Sankara, and it was such a big success.
My writing has motivated other women
to write. FEMRITE, the organization
I founded in 1998 is testimony to
this. These women have been able to
bring home major literary awards. It is
important for Ugandans to know these
women writers.

writing. As a columnist, I comment
on all social and political issues. As
a woman, I address these issues with
a gender lens which has motivated
women to engage with these issues and
to also write.

Q: More and more women like

yourself are actively involved in
politics. As a Minister and Member of
Parliament, what is your view of this
trend on the future of Uganda?

A: This is a very encouraging trend

and it confirms that Uganda is on the

right track, politically. This trend has
demystified politics and taken it to
another level where both men and
women have equal opportunities on the
political terrain. At the risk of sounding
a cliché, the future can only be brighter,
with more young women in major
political and decision-making positions.
This will, no doubt, create a more
gender-responsive community with
more young women like Hon. Susan
Nakawuki, Hon Mariam Nalubega,
Hon. Proscovia Alengot and Evelyn
Anite, among others, taking on the
political mantle.

Q: You have been Uganda’s major and

most consistent woman columnist. Do
you think that has influenced gender
positioning in the country? And how
do you manage to keep your column
going?

A: How do I manage to keep it going?
How come men are never asked that
question? That stereotyping which
separates women from men is what
sometimes causes women to be
complacent. It reminds me of when I
had just started writing political pieces.
People said it was my husband who was
writing them for me! They waited for
my pen to go silent. Today, I am still


19

INTERVIEW

Q: Since your entry into politics, what

If we maintain the current peace in the
country, we shall have more local and
international investors in the country.
The discovery of oil created a new
chapter for Uganda. The Government
has put in place relevant establishments
which are addressing issues of oil, there
should not be any panic.

has been your major contribution to
women empowerment?

A: I joined politics on women
Affirmative Action ticket. It gave me
the opportunity to work with women,
closely especially those at grass-root
level. I have mobilized a modicum of
resources for girls to meet their basic
necessities in order that they remain
in school. Recently, I offered 150
mattresses to girls who had excelled in
the 2012 Primary Leaving Examination
in order to motivate others to perform
better. I have offered bicycles to women
councilors to enable them travel
through villages easily. If men can ride
to ease their life, why not women?
I have mobilized women to form
development groups and I offered some
of them sewing machines to enable
them generate their own income.
One of the major challenges causing
gender-based violence is lack of
economic stability. Women must
get economically stable in order for
them to determine their future. An
economically empowered woman
cannot, for example, be locked up in
an abusive marriage. She will leave the
marriage with no fear of the future.

Q: One of your major personal

achievements is promoting women
in the literature sector. Most of
these women have won regional
and international literary awards.
However, their works have not been
considered for inclusion on Uganda’s
literature syllabus, a situation that
has created imbalances in the literary
landscape. What is your comment?

A: It is a literary tragedy. As a country,
we need to embrace the fact that
creative works are not born out of a
vacuum. Literature is inspired by true
life. Ugandan women, not being part
of the literary curriculum, means that
Ugandan children are suffering the
misfortunes of listening to, and reading
only one story. Ugandan women
therefore need to take interest in the

20


Q: How do you advise women to

position themselves to take advantage
of the opportunities available in the
oil and gas industry?

curriculum development process in
order to understand it better and thus
be able to influence change. It is long
overdue. Ugandan women cannot afford
to be complacent in this regard. I know
that our works are taught in universities
and schools outside Uganda, which
is very good for the country, because
writers are cultural ambassadors. The
same needs to be done here at home.

Q: Uganda has a Vision 2040 and

we have discovered oil. How do you
envision Uganda in the next 10 years?

A: Vision 2040 is very important for

the country. We all, therefore, have a
duty towards realizing the parameters
that it sets. For instance it talks about
education, energy, creating employment
through industrialization and much
more. Currently, the country aims at
funding 80% of its budget through
domestic revenues. Vision 2040
refocuses our attention to our nation
and how we can build it from within. If
we remain on track, as I am sure we shall,
Uganda is headed for a brighter future.

A: I encourage women to take up
all study opportunities in the sector
and to read a lot about the sector in
order to understand what is going on
in there. One of the major challenges
women face is self-censorship. Many
women, and sometimes some men,
decide they are not good enough.
Women should be encouraged to
step forward and seek opportunities
without being intimidated. It should be
up to the employer to decide whether
one qualifies or does not qualify for
a particular job. Women should have
interest in the oil sector in order to
ensure gender mainstreaming in the
sector.
Q: Hon. Minister, what in your

view are the pertinent challenges to
women’s development in Uganda
and how should we mitigate these
challenges?

A: There are several challenges to
women’s development. I would like to
however, sum them up as two major
issues; education and economic muscle.
We cannot talk about empowerment
and emancipation to uneducated and
poor women. For instance, if all the
girls in Kapchorwa received quality
education they would, themselves, kick
female genital mutilation [FGM] out of
their lives. The women who are battered
by cruel husbands would not wait
for anyone to tell them about women
emancipation, if they had economic
muscle. They would live independent
lives. The other salient challenge is
society’s attitude. Affirmative Action

INTERVIEW

The Minister deliberating with her colleagues in Parliament
has played a key role and I
applaud it. However, there
is need to review its current
nature in order to repackage
it in relation to the current
challenges.

Q: Finally, As Minister of

Gender, Labour and Social
Development, what is your
dream for the Ministry?

A: If my wishes could come
true, I would want to see
an end to the following;
unemployment among the
youths, child and human
trafficking, child marriages,
child labour and female
genital mutilation – in short,
an end to gender-based
violence.

Members of the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) exemplify the
leadership potential of women that the NRM Government has fostered


21

Providing Food Security
for a Living: The Story of
Josephine Okot
By Hilda Twongyeirwe

M

s. Josephine Okot is a graduate of Makerere
University Business School. She attained postgraduate trainings at Purdue University, Havard
Business School and recently at the Stanford
Graduate School of Business.
She holds a Masters Degree in International
Business from Washington International
University.
Josephine Okot was inspired to support women
early in her childhood when most of the young
friends she played with had their fathers killed
during the turbulent period of the 1970’s. “I
observed then, how women, including my own
mother, were single-handedly providing for their
families’ well being,” Okot reminisces.

Since childhood, she saw women fending for their
families during the civil war, heading households,
and contributing most of the agricultural production
in Uganda. “As l got older, l got to understand that
women were the primary producers of Uganda’s food
output (70 - 75%) and yet they had little or no
control over productive assets including
land.” She thus became acutely aware
that this lack of control remained the
root cause of gender poverty coupled
with limited opportunities to access
credit, agricultural support services,
market information and educational
opportunities.
In 2004, Ms. Okot founded Victoria
Seeds Limited. She was motivated to
capitalize on the market opportunity for
agriculture inputs because she found out
that crop yields in fields were well below
the farmers’ potential, sometimes only
1/4 of the actual output being realized.
She attributed this under performance
to limited availability of improved seed,
crop protection products and extension
services. She was also driven by the
desire to make a difference in the lives of
rural women in Uganda.
22


In 2008, Ms. Okot was awarded the
MDG3 Torch Bearer for Gender
Equality and Empowerment of Women.
This award was in recognition of her
company’s commitment and efforts to
empower rural women and to lobby for
innovative financing options that take

into account women’s limited control
and access to productive household
resources.
In addition to this award, Victoria
Seeds Ltd, has received numerous other
prizes; the YARA Prize 2007 for a Green
Revolution in Africa, Investor of the

Year Prize 2007 – Small and Medium
Enterprise Category, Best Exhibitor
Source of the Nile Agricultural Show,
Oslo Business for Peace Award 2009, 2009/10 Woman Entrepreneur
of the Year and Share Holder Value
Champion, 2011 First Prize Small and
Medium Enterprise Award, 2011 Africa
Awards for Entrepreneurship. 2012
Women Achievers Award and Uganda
Responsible Investment Award, Best
Seed Company 2013.
The role of Victoria Seeds in the context
of food security has evolved and today,
the organization makes contributions
to key policy issues. Ms. Okot spends
considerable time providing policy
advice to the Government as well as
other development partners, such as
the World Bank, DFID, UN Women,
USAID and others involved in food
security issues. She was a member of the
Presidential Investor Roundtable and
key player in harmonizing seed policies
and laws in East Africa.
Victoria Seeds Ltd grew from humble
beginnings with a workforce of 5
people into Uganda’s Leading seed
house, employing over 120 people with
an annual turnover of three million
kilograms of quality seed. The company
markets over 94 varieties of vegetable,
cereal, legume, oil and pasture seed
in the domestic and export markets
of South Sudan, Democratic Republic
of Congo and Rwanda. “Our product
base has also expanded to include crop
protection products and fertilizers.”
Ms. Okot notes that Victoria seeds has
over time moved from focusing only on
business survival and financial returns
into growing the business to develop
communities in their area of operation
as a way of giving back to the society.
Furthermore, the organization works
with and trains small holder farmers
who are in its supply chain. These
farmers totaling 900 (of whom 70% are
women) are responsible for the output of
Victoria Seeds and are also beneficiaries
of the same.
“I do not take credit for any of those
achievements. All the glory goes to
Jehovah God who gives me courage

Woman with bumper ground nuts harvest
and the wisdom to face and overcome
business obstacles successfully.” I also
acknowledge my late Father Justin Okot,
for inspiring me to be confident and
believe in myself although he died when

I was only 6 years old.
Hilda Twongyeirwe works with
Uganda Women Writers Association
(FEMRITE)

Josephine’s success tips to women
entrepreneurs
 Have Self confidence - Always believe in yourself! Follow your dream
through and do not wait for others to validate it;
 Only venture into a profession or a business that you are truly
passionate about so that no matter what obstacle comes your way, you
will overcome it with a smile;
 Stay focused on one enterprise, never diverting resources from it
until your goals are achieved. Investing hard work and energy in one
enterprise always pays in the long term;
 When you make mistakes, learn from them and move on but do not quit
because life rewards those who persevere;
 Create a cadre of team players/managers who share your vision and
surround yourself with advisors who are smarter than you – this means
investing in human resource as your most valuable asset;
 Keep training to get new ideas and energy. There is no age limit for
learning. Always find time to read and be informed about your industry
trends regionally and globally; and
 To grow your business, find a financial partner willing to support your
growth and committed to see it succeed. If you are not satisfied with
one financial partner move to another immediately because delay could
lead to failure.


23

The Hunger Project
Contributes to Food
Security and Poverty
Reduction
By Daisy Owomugasho

T

he Hunger Project (Global) predates
the establishment of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) by over 35
years. Its mission: “To end hunger and
significantly cut poverty in all its forms.”
In line with this, the Hunger ProjectUganda has pioneered women-centered
strategies and is advocating for their
widespread adoption in the country.
In its 14 years of existence, the Hunger
Project Uganda (THP-U) has registered
remarkable success in managing
community-based programs in areas
of food security and hunger, grass root
mobilization and empowerment of
women as producers of food. To date,
THPU has successfully established 11
epicenters in Mpigi, Wakiso, Kiboga,
Kyankwanzi, Mbarara, Kiruhura, Iganga
and Mbale districts. THP-U has utilized
three critical elements that, when
combined, empower people to make
rapid progress in overcoming hunger
and poverty.
By mobilizing people at the grassroots
level to be self-reliant and empowering
women as the key change agents, it has
encouraged the forging of partnerships
with local governments. Through its
multi-pronged approach, called the
epicenter strategy, its interventions
have contributed to the improvement
of people’s welfare through: food
production and security; health and
24


Fighting hunger: a woman selling potatoes at a market
nutrition; literacy and education;
community
mobilization;
women
empowerment;
public
awareness,
advocacy and alliances; water, sanitation
and environment; and, monitoring
and evaluation. About 651,000 people
currently benefit from this strategy to
end their own hunger and poverty.
In various trainings, communities
are sensitized in food production
and security using best agronomic
practices, food storage, diversification
in production, growing various crops,
fruits and vegetables and, the use of
improved seed and fertilizers.
THP-U has trained 75% women in the
epicenters districts in better farming

methods. Since 2009, it has conducted
over 400 trainings, serving over 15,000
partner farmers, the majority of whom
are women. Over 16,000 households
have trained and received high-value
pests and disease-resistant cassava
varieties.
Over 3,500 agriculture trainers of
trainers were instructed to build the
capacities of low-level farmers using the
knowledge and skills acquired through
the food security trainings. Also, over
28,000 kilogrammes of improved seeds
have been distributed to farmers and a
valley dam for agricultural production
constructed in Kiruhura District.
As a result, best farming practices

Woman with a harvest of avocados
have been adopted in the epicenter
communities including; planting of
early maturing and high yielding seed
varieties, post-harvest handling and
storage and collective marketing, green
house farming technology in Kiruhura
and drip irrigation system in Mbale.
Eighty-five percent of our partners have
sufficient food in their homes; the level
of malnourishment among women
in epicenter communities was at 4%
compared to the national average of
12% in 2008, while 3% of children were
underweight compared to 36% at the
national level.
In the area of Health services, 78% of
partners have attended HIV and AIDS
counseling sessions and 53% have been
tested. Health-seeking behavior stands
at 82%; immunization of children is at
80%; the rate at which pregnant mothers
seek ante-natal classes is 70%, while,
72% of the households have at least one
usable mosquito net. In literacy, about
30,000 village partners, 80% of whom are

women, are literate through Functional
Adult Literacy (FAL) classes. Over
3,651 children attend epicenter nursery
schools enabling early childhood
development.
Moreover, nine epicenters have got rural
banks and official recognition by the
Government with women occupying
over 75% of leadership’s positions.
This is so because 84% of women in
these areas have shares in the village
THP-U banks and other financial
groups in the communities. In these
banks, 340,245,592 shillings has been
mobilized as savings; 1,980,172,500
shillings accessed as loans, while over
9,219 rural partners have accessed credit.
This has enhanced women economic
empowerment.
In the area of sanitation, hygiene and
environmental sustainability, THP-U
has increased access to safe water
averaging 65%; an average of 52% of the
households have planted a minimum of

200 trees, and latrine coverage has also
improved with the highest in Mbarara at
78% and the lowest being Kiboga at 42%.
Completing the MDG cycle in 2015, will
give the opportunity for refocusing these
THP-U’s achievements.
Smallholder
farmers
need
be
empowered to move from subsistencebased to market-oriented production
and use more improved technologies in
production. There should be deliberate
efforts to involve the youth into farming
and, creating market access and
value-chain additions which increase
agricultural productivity should be
prioritised. Also, partnerships with
the Government and the communities
remain critical to end hunger and
poverty in communities and realize
the dream of transformation, poverty
alleviation and wealth creation.
Dr. Daisy Owomugasho is the Country
Director of The Hunger Project-Uganda


25

Improving Gender Relations
in Coffee Farming Households
for Sustainable Development
By Fortunate Paska

U

ganda has made impressive
progress in reaching its MDG
targets. Between 1993 and 2006 the
population living below the poverty line
has already declined by 25% and the
share of those suffering from hunger
has reduced significantly (Millennium
Development Goals Report for Uganda
2010, Ministry of Finance, Planning and
Economic Development) Regardless,
Uganda still suffers from widespread
poverty, a phenomenon which is

partially exacerbated through striking
gender-based inequalities.
Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung Africa
(HRNS AF), is a foundation that
promotes sustainable development and
currently works with small-holder coffee
farming families and communities
in the districts of Masaka, Kalungu,
Bukomansimbi, Mityana, Mubende,
Luwero, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and
Kasese. Through the establishment
of commercially focused farmer
organizations, participating farmers

have been able to gain access to essential
services such as extension, value
addition and to markets. Thus, project
farmers have been able to enhance
their competitiveness and increase their
incomes, but it was quickly realized that
these benefits might not be reaching all
members of the household equally.
As experience has shown, women’s
contributions to coffee production,
such as field activities, picking, drying
and sorting, are often not sufficiently
recognized in coffee-farming households
due to gender-related power imbalances.
At the same time, women are frequently
overburdened with work: on top of their
participation in cash crop production,
the responsibility for growing food crops,
child-care and household chores also
rest upon their shoulders. In addition,
they are generally not informed about
the proceeds from coffee and are not
involved in decision-making on how to
spend the income.
These unequal gender power relations
within the homes have negative
influences on both household livelihoods
as well as coffee quality. According to
the women, the fact that their efforts go
unrecognized often makes them feel demotivated and may lead to poor picking
and poor care during the drying process.
Furthermore, since this is often the only
way they can get access to coffee income,
some women have been reported to
“steal” coffee from their own farms to
sell it to middlemen.

Woman noting points on coffee-growing at a workshop
26


HRNS AF encourages farmers to adopt
coffee-growing as a family business
with all members benefitting equally
from proceeds. In 2010, a household
approach was introduced, to encourage

Gender Equality: a family grows coffee together
farmers to enhance gender equity in
their homes.

inequalities that may exist in their
homes.

Couple seminars are held and farmers
are introduced to participatory gender
analysis tools such as activity profiles
and access and control matrices. These
are used to expose existing gender
inequalities. Accompanied by separate
group discussions for women, men and
youth, as well as subsequent collective
discussions, this approach allows
farmers to discover and define these
inequalities for themselves and decide
together on potential means of action for
addressing them.

Already, HRNS AF has been able to
register positive change in participating.
Women are increasingly involved in
decision-making processes and feel
that their their contributions are valued
and recognized, resulting in increased
motivation to improve productivity of
their family farm enterprise.

Furthermore, the importance of
women and men working and planning
together for the benefit of the entire
family is specifically highlighted. At
the end of the training, couples who
express commitment to adhere to these
principles of gender equality in their
own households can voluntarily register
as change agents. After receiving further
training, the change agents assume a
strong role in sensitize communities
and encourage their colleagues in
the community to address gender

“Previously, my husband never involved
me, never revealed the amount of money
from the coffee sales. Excluding me from
knowing how much money he got from
coffee would hurt my feelings and I would
be de-motivated to work on the coffee
garden. I used to fake sickness during
the months when we would be weeding
and harvesting coffee to avoid working
on the garden where I do not benefit.
After sensitization on joint planning
and joint decision making, my husband
now informs me about the proceeds
from coffee sales and we plan together to
address family needs. I am now happy
to work on the coffee garden and this
has resulted in increased production. We
used to produce approximately 10 bags

of coffee per season but now we have
reached 30 bags per season. The income
obtained from coffee is being used to pay
school fees for our children.“ - Ssemuju
Herman and Nassali Rose of Butalaga
DC Masaka, 2012
Furthermore, the more balanced
distribution roles and responsibilities
inside the home reduces women’s
heavy workloads. Coupled with better
collaboration and decision-making over
the use of funds, it has also enabled some
women to engage in their own income
generating activities. Approximately 18%
of women reported having started their
own businesses to further contribute to
household incomes during an HRNS AF
survey 2012. These businesses included
setting up vegetable gardens, salons,
small restaurants and retail shops.
Survey results also indicated that food
security improved in the households
where gender equity principles were
adopted.
Fortunate Paska is the the Gender
Expert Hanns R. Neumann Stiftang


27

Adult Literacy Enhances
Socio-economic Development
By Alphonse Ejoru

L

iteracy is the ability to read, write
and calculate in a meaningful and
useful way depending on the level and
situation. It is part and parcel of basic
education and a fundamental human
right for individuals, families and
communities. Acquisition of literacy
and numeracy skills requires sustained
learning and application in daily life.
Literacy contributes to strengthening
capabilities of individuals and families
to benefit from existing opportunities.
As a basic ingredient of women’s
empowerment,
literacy
facilitates
women to take control of their lives.
Currently, adult literacy services in
Uganda are provided mainly through
the Functional Literacy Approach (FAL),
Regenerated Freirian Literacy through
Empowering Community Techniques
(REFLECT), and to some limited extent,
Family Basic Education (FABE).
FAL emphasizes integration of basic
literacy and numeracy with practical
application of skills for personal, family,
social, economic, political or cultural
purposes, while REFLECT promotes

Women in a functional adult literacy class
problem solving through creative
thinking and active participation to
solve common problems. The FABE
approach promotes synergies between
formal and non-formal adult basic
education by strengthening parental
support to meet educational needs
of their children through improved
communication between the parents,
children and teachers.
Uganda
has
increasingly
put
considerable commitment to adult

literacy as one of the strategies for
poverty eradication and development.
This has been demonstrated by inclusion
of adult literacy service provision in its
poverty reduction strategy, the Poverty
Eradication Action Plan (PEAP); the
National Development Plan (NDP)
2010-2015, as well as Sector plans - the
Social Development Sector Investment
Plans (SDIP 1and 2) , National Adult
Literacy Strategic Investment Plan and
National Action Plan for Adult Literacy.
Since 1991, considerable progress

Trends in Adult Literacy Rates in Uganda by Sex
Literacy Rates for the Population Aged 18 Years and Above by Sex
1995/96

1999/00

2002/03

2005/06

2009/10

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

Total

75

48

61

77

51

63

80

59

69

80

58

69

81

61

71

Urban

90

79

84

93

82

87

91

84

87

91

81

86

Rural

72

43

57

75

47

59

77

54

65

78

53

65

Central

83

70

76

84

71

77

86

79

82

85

75

80

Eastern

70

40

54

74

45

59

74

47

60

74

50

61

Northern

76

34

53

71

27

46

78

42

58

82

40

59

Western

70

44

56

76

55

65

79

64

71

78

54

66

Source: Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS)

28


has been registered in improving
adult literacy levels especially among
women. Nationally, adult literacy rates
among women aged 18 years and above
increased from 48 percent in 1991 to 51%
in 1999/2000; to 59 percent in 2002/2003
and to 61 percent in 2009/2010.
All regions experienced increase, with
central having the highest rate of 70 %
in 1995/1996 to 75 percent in 2005/2006,
followed by western with 44 % in
1995/1996 and 54% in 2005/2006. The
2002/03 Uganda National Household
Survey report associates this increase
to contributions by adult literacy
programmes in the country.
For the last two decades, over 1,500,000
adult learners, more than 70% of whom
are women, enrolled in adult literacy
programmes of the Government, Civil
Society Organisations, Faith Based
Organisations and the Private Sector.
Learners report benefits from adult
literacy programmes in terms of
knowledge and skills acquisition and
practical use in daily lives. Such benefits
include: self-esteem and confidence
among peers, family and community,
active participation in meetings, writing
and reading simple agreements, reading
religious books and helping children
with their homework.
Other benefits include; initiation of
group rotational savings and income
generating projects to enhance family

Woman takes adult literacy class under a tree
income and wellbeing, vying for
leadership positions in community
groups, religious committees and Local
Council I. Furthermore, women have
gained knowledge and adopted positive
attitudes to preventive and protective
health practices, family planning,
nutrition and, education of children.
Although there is general agreement,
increasing adult literacy rates is
important for poverty eradication and
development as a whole, investment in
adult literacy is inadequate compared
to demand of the programs. Provision
of adult literacy services heavily relies
on volunteer instructors who, besides
their low education levels, are poorly
remunerated. Furthermore, there is
disparity in access for people in hard-to
-reach areas. Also, due to poverty, some

women find it difficult to avail time to
attend literacy classes and at the same
time look for food and income for the
family.
Then, due to cultural beliefs, some men
stop their wives from attending classes
which they consider a waste of time. As
such women, having learned to read,
write and numerate, rarely practice the
literacy and numeracy skills acquired
and eventually relapse into illiteracy.
This is accentuated by the scarcity of
reading materials in local languages.
Literacy is a right and therefore there
is need to strengthen partnerships,
collaboration and networking for
improvement in the delivery of adult
literacy service. Also, the investment
in
literacy
programmes
should
increase so that support to instructors
and development of the relevant
instructional and learning materials is
sustained. Furthermore, the continuous
request to establish an equivalence and
qualification framework for learners and
designing programmes for learners with
special needs, should be addressed.

Alphonse Ejoru is the Assistant
Commissioner Literacy in the
Development

Woman with her child writing on a black board in an adult literacy class

29

Advancing Universal
Primary Education in
Public Schools
By Staff Writer

M

s. Scholar Ndyagambaki was
born in 1955 to Olive and
Augustine Rwamutwe and she studied
at Mitooma Primary School in Bushenyi
and Immaculate Heart Girls School
in Rukungiri. She is very grateful to
her parents who she says, valued girls’
education, although they were not
educated themselves.
She never thought she would be a teacher.
Her dream was to become a secretary.

Scholar Ndyagambaki

Girls at school
30


“Although I qualified for Higher School
Certificate, I initially preferred to go
to Nakawa College of Commerce to
pursue a diploma in secretarial studies.”
During her vacation she accompanied
her friends who wanted vacancies in
Shimoni Primary Teachers College
(PTC), and out of curiosity, she also
applied for a place. She was admitted
immediately because of her good
results. Meanwhile, her admission letter
never arrived until after she had started
studying at Shimoni PTC.

Her first posting was to Namugongo
Girls’ Primary School in 1978.
In 1979 she was transferred to St Jude
Nagulu. It was a very small school by
then and she got very worried about
her own personal development. She
applied to Nakasero Primary School
but was not taken although her transfer
had been approved. Later, she learnt
that she did not get the place because
she was a married woman. In 1980, she
was transferred to Bat Valley Primary
School.
In 1988, Ms. Ndyagambaki was posted
to Kampala Primary School (present
day Agha kan) as Deputy Head Teacher.
This, she believes, was the turning point
in her career. Shortly after she joined
the school, there were severe conflicts
between the two Moslem sects that
had vested interests in the school. Ms.
Ndyagambaki was asked to be the Ag
Head Teacher in the middle of the crisis.
She stemmed off a possible takeover of
the school by the warring factions and
proved her bravery.
Then she was posted to Banda Primary
School, a very small primary school with
a total number of about 200 pupils only.
To improve the school, she appointed
Mr. Kalinda Kranmer as chairman of the
Management Committee. Mr. Kalinda
was at the time the Chairperson of the
Education Committee Kampala District
and Director of National Curriculum
Development Centre. The move was
strategic and resulted into the roofing of
the school and construction of teachers’
houses. Thereafter, the population of the
pupils increased.
When she was transferred to St. Jude
Primary School, she was prepared for
the challenge. The school offered free
education for all war victims. Hardly any
pupil wore shoes or had a school uniform
and there was no lunch. The school
community was so laid back and most
of the pupils missed afternoon classes
because they had to fend for themselves.
Some children worked in markets and
many dropped out of school.
Through negotiation and strategy, Ms.
Ndyagambaki eventually managed to
make all children and parents embrace
the need for shoes, school uniform and

A group of adolescent girls

The First Lady, Hon. Janet Museveni poses with school girls
lunch. Within two years, the school
population grew from 800 to 1480
pupils. Also, the drop-out rate reduced
as more children completed school.
In 1994, she teamed up with three
friends to start Mpoma Girls’ private
school because she had realized that
girls needed special attention during the
transition from primary to secondary
education. She was Principal of
Mpoma and Head Teacher of St Jude
when she was undertaking a Masters
degree at Makerere University, and she
accomplished all these assignments
satisfactorily.
In 2001, Ms. Ndyagambaki was
transferred to Kitante Primary School
where she became the first woman
to head the school. So far, she has
facilitated the building of four teachers’
houses. She observes that; “Teachers
need accommodation in order to
concentrate on delivering Universal
Primary Education [UPE]. You cannot

give quality education when you are
riddled with financial and daily survival
challenges.” She has inspired her teachers
to start up income-generating projects
and to buy land.
She is retiring in early 2015 but before
that, she yearns to see UPE transformed
and government partnering with
teachers and parents to deliver the best
education to Ugandan children.
“MDGs are not an issue if we all do
what we are supposed to do,” she says.
In addition to Mpoma Girls School, she
co-owns other high-quality schools;
Twinkles Nursery School in Kiwatule,
Mpoma Boys’ School in Mukono and
Pearl Academy in Bushenyi.
“Maybe one day I will build a university.
UPE is producing many children and
they will need more universities,” she
says.


31

Achieving UPE –The
Gender Dimension
By Margaret Kasiko
Right from attainment of independence
in 1962, Uganda has continued to
prioritize the attainment of education
with a special focus on basic education.
This commitment underscores the belief
of the country in the important role that
education plays in causing the much
desired political, economic and social
transformation.
The adoption of the Education for All
(EFA) agenda and the subsequent Dakar
Framework of Action (2002) deepened
Uganda’s national resolve to implement
the Education for All agenda fully and
achieve agreed targets by 2015. The
commitment is reflected in the elaborate

macro-economic and sector reforms
that have resulted into the current
supportive policy, legal and institutional
frameworks for delivery of EFA.
To date, UPE remains a flagship program
for expansion of access to quality and
equitable primary education to all
primary school going-age children in
the country. The UPE initiative is firmly
anchored in both the Constitution of the
Republic of Uganda and the Education
Bill (2008).
The country has registered tremendous
progress towards achieving the target
of universalizing basic education as
follows:

Enrollment Statistics at a Glance
• The total number of primary schools (both public and private) increased
by 51.4% from 11,578 (2000) to 17, 524 ( 2012);
• Increased total enrolment by 27% from 6,559,013 pupils (3,395,554 boys
and 3,163,459 girls) (2000) to 8,317,420 (4,161,057 boys; 4,156,363 girls)
(2012);
• The Net Intake Ratio (NIR) improved from 69.6% (69% boys; 70% girls)
(2000) to 63.3% (63.2% boys; 63.3% girls) (2012);
• The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for primary education improved by
12 points from 128.3% (132.4% boys;124.1% girls) (2000) to 116.8%
(116.9% boys ;116.7% girls) (2012).;
• The Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) in primary schools improved by 10
points from 85.5% (88.8% male and 82.3% female) (2000) to 95.5%
(95.1% male and 95.9% female) (2012).;
• In 2000, the Gender Parity index (GPI) in primary schools was 51.77:
48.23 for boys and girls respectively. By 2009, gender parity was achieved
at 50: 50 for boys and girls respectively. In 2012, the GPI remained at
50:50;
• Enrolment of Children with Special Needs increased from 157,416 in
2000 to 199,618 pupils (2012);
• Enrolment of orphaned children accessing primary schools increased
from 406,659 pupils in 2000 to 1,255,930 in 2012.;
• At the secondary level, secondary enrolment increased by 142% from
518,931 (290,176 boys;
• 228,755 girls) (2000) to 1,258,084 (boys 662,003 and 596,081 girls) (2011)

32



Expansion of primary school
enrolment leading to gender parity.
The introduction of UPE led to a
substantial increase in the enrolment
of children from poor households,
which was particularly beneficial
for girls, who saw a substantial
improvement in enrolment relative to
boys, thereby, eliminating the gender
gap in primary enrolment that had
persisted for long. Gender parity
was achieved in 2009. Similarly, the
UPE program is responsible for the
increase in girls’ enrolment by 31%
from 3,162,459 (2000) to 4,156,363
(2012).
 Enrolment of girls in secondary
education more than doubled during
the decade from 228,755 (2000) to
567,688 (2012).

Participation of children from
marginalized areas of the country
in primary education improved. For
instance, in Karamoja sub-region,
enrolment in primary education
improved from 110,739 (i.e. 54,926
boys; 55,813 girls) (2000) to 137,362
( that is 76,158 boys; 61,204 girls)
(2012).
 At secondary school level, enrolment
increased from 6,037 (3,820 boys;
2,217 girls) (2000) to 10,347 (that is;
6,330 boys; 4,017 girls) (2012).
 The P7 completion rate for girls in
primary education improved from
41% (2002) to 66% in (2012).

Margaret Kasiko is the Gender Advisor,
Ministry of Education and Sports

Enabling Equal
Opportunities for All
By Christine Atuhairwe Karya

E

qual opportunities for Ugandan
women will be achieved when
they enjoy the intended benefits of
development enshrined in the MDGs.
The UN Millennium Summit of 2000
targeted: eradicating extreme poverty
and hunger; achieving Universal
Primary Education; promoting gender
equality and empowerment; reducing
child mortality rates; improving
maternal health; combating HIV and
AIDS, malaria and other diseases,
ensuring environmental sustainability
while evolving a global partnership for
development by 2015.
The Government in 2007 assented to
the Equal Opportunities Commission
Act 2007; establishing the Equal
Opportunities Commission (EOC).
Its mandate is the elimination of
discrimination and inequalities against
any persons on any grounds. It stipulates
affirmative action for the marginalized
groups. It provides for; the removal
of discrimination that impairs the
enjoyment of rights and freedoms;
access to social services, education,
employment, physical environment by
all and, participation by all in social,
cultural and political activity regardless
of socio-economic standing, disability
and political opinion.
In Uganda the aged, women, children,
youth, people living with disabilities,
indigenous ethnic minorities and the
poor, among others, face discrimination
in their endeavours to access, use and or
gain control over resources and services.
Establishing the EOC was a deliberate
effort to erase this inequality and the
women of Uganda have made some
gains. Women occupy important
positions in all the three arms of the

Woman entrepreneur with a milling machine
Government; the Executive, Legislature
and the Judiciary. Furthermore, there
are more women in the administrative
space and law enforcement.
On the social front, there has been a
concerted fight against gender-based
violence in all its forms and gender
imbalances due to stereotyping. Also,
there is a greater emphasis on enabling
women and girls to realise empowerment
in various sectors including agriculture,
health, education and business, among
others.
The EOC monitors, evaluates and
ensures that all policies, laws, customs
and any related activities by any
individuals or bodies comply with equal
opportunities. It has a national role in
disseminating information to promote
public awareness about equality issues.
It continues to examine laws, customs,
policies or any related matters which

affect employment and enjoyment of
rights by all.
In fostering the potential of women, the
EOC has authority to prepare, publish
guidelines for implementing equal
opportunities, hear and determine action
against perpetrators who undermine,
hinder and obstruct the participation of
women in national development. Where
women have any concerns which stem
from abusive culture and community
stereotypes; or anything that impairs
their enjoyment of equal rights, they are
encouraged to report these matters to
the EOC.

Ms. Christine Atuhairwe Karya
is the Senior Information and
Communications Officer, Equal
Opportunities Commission


33

Ugandan Women Make
Strides in Decision-making

By Agripinner Nandhago

T

he women of Uganda have always
organized themselves to advocate
for a common cause. Even before the
advent of western feminism in the 1960s
and 70s, women in Africa and Uganda
in particular, played key roles in the
independence struggles.
Women ventured into unfamiliar
territories to pave way for the new
generation. It is their hard work,
commitment and selflessness that bore
the fruits of women emancipation that
women are enjoying today. In 1946
women’s councils were formed and these
exerted pressure upon the Government
then to consider active participation of
women in decision-making. In 1956,
their efforts bore fruits when the first
Ugandan woman Pumla Kisosonkole,
was nominated to serve on the Legislative
Council (LEGICO).

34


Uganda Women’s Parliamentary Association members in a group photo
with the Vice President Hon. Edward Ssekandi
Later, other women such as,
Florence Lubega, Frances Akello and
Joyce Mpanga followed. Women’s
emancipation, therefore, has existed
in Uganda and is not a Western idea as
some people would like to argue. In the
words of Pumla Kisosonkole, “Times
have changed and are changing very fast
and the woman must change with them
in order that she does not become the
forgotten factor.”
Women became more visible in the 70s
and 80s with the increasing demands for
democracy which coincided with global
demands for gender equality. Although
the Second Parliament (1967-1971),
had one woman and none during the
1971-1979 era, the numbers rose to two
between 1979-1980.
The turning point came with the advent

of the National Resistance Movement
(NRM) which coincided with heightened
demands for women’s participation in
all sectors at the global level. The 1995
Constitution of the Republic of Uganda
guaranteed not only affirmative action
and fair representation of marginalized
groups but also non-discrimination.
The women in Constituent Assembly
(CA) worked tirelessly for affirmative
action and ensured that it was enshrined
in the Constitution. They caucused,
lobbied their male counterparts and
worked with Civil Society Organisations’
for a cause they genuinely believed in
and eventually increased representation
of women in decision making.
The phenomenal increase in the
numbers of women at national level
was first realized in 1989 with 38

Decision-making: UWOPA members at work

women elected to Parliament followed
by 51 in 1996-2001, 74 in 2001-2006,
102 in 2006-2011 and 135 in the 9th
Parliament. At the moment, the women
in Parliament are continuing to build the
capacities of other women to ensure that
the numbers translate into better quality
representation.

women Members of Parliament (MPs)
lobbied for a maternal health loan to
improve maternal health services. In the
9th Parliament women MPs, supported
by their male counterparts, lobbied for
extra funds to be allocated to the health
sector to cater for recruitment of more
health workers.

Some of the achievements that are
recorded include; the enactment of
gender sensitive legislation including
the Domestic Violence Act, The Female
Genital Mutilation Act, Trafficking
in Persons Act and amendment of
the Land Act, among others. Women
parliamentarians also catalysed the
increase in funding to sectors that
directly affect women, particularly
maternal health.

However, even with these achievements,
women’s participation in politics has
not been without challenges. Women
have had to contend with low levels
of education, inadequate skills to
participate in politics and multiple
domestic demands. They have also been
affected by lack of financial resources
and lack of self-confidence due to
socialization which does not encourage
women to be articulate. To date, there
are many women who still forego
politics to avoid domestic quarrels and,

In the 8th Parliament for example,

sometimes when women are in politics,
their sexuality becomes an object of
attack and public discussion and this
de-motivates other women from joining
politics.
Women politicians can still achieve
more if young women are mentored to
take up leadership and are capacitated to
work with men and other institutions to
change the negative attitudes to women’s
participation in decision-making.
Agripinner Nandhago is the
Coordinator of the Uganda Women
Parliament Association (UWOPA)


35

Making a Difference
in Children’s Lives
By Staff Writer

D

r. Sabrina Bakeera-Kitaka was born
in Nsambya Hospital but she grew up
in the mining town of Kilembe in Western
Uganda where her late father worked as a
mining engineer; and her mother who is now
retired, worked as a nurse at the Kilembe
Mines Hospital.
Her father, was among the very few Africans
to work in a top position in the Kilembe
Mines in the early 70’s. Hers, was a privileged
upbringing and she and her siblings studied
in the best primary school in the area.
The Namuhuga Preparatory School for
Europeans had every aspect of the modernday international school; a well-equipped
library, tennis court,a swimming pool and a
squash court.
She was however in constant touch with
children from the underprivileged families
because her father always reminded her and
her siblings that these children also needed
friends to play with and that being poor
did not make them less human. Dr. Kitaka
thinks that it was this upbringing that made
her respect other people and have a special
connection with the underprivileged.

36


Growing up, surrounded by different
professionals, made her think that she could
be anything. She remembers fondly how as
a young girl she used to fancy surgeons. She
would collect dead fetuses from a nearby
butcher and operate them. She would also
line up her dolls and inject them. Often
times, she admired the neighbour’s aunt
who was an air hostess with Uganda Airlines
and dreamed of being one herself. Also, she
fancied becoming a lawyer and a judge in
order to make big decisions. Other times, she
wanted to be a news anchor like the eloquent
Lucy Banya.
Her focus to become a pediatrician came
one morning when, as a third-year medical
student, she walked into a hospital room in
Mulago and found nine babies lying dead.
The sight saddened her a lot and she made
up her mind to become a paediatrician.
She spoke to pediatricians and they were
supportive of her decision.
Dr. Plaxedis Kituuka, who is also a
pediatrician, was a special inspiration.
Dr.Kitaka says, “You cannot be a good
pediatrician if you do not have the passion
and commitment. Being a pediatrician
means that you must speak the language of

every child and the language of every mother
and I have been able to do that.”
Being a paediatrician means learning how to
communicate with people from all walks of
life, including communicating to babies. It
is therefore very disturbing when a doctor is
not able to make a diagnosis in the guise of
‘communication barrier’.
She has been able to engage with both local
and international governments, with hospital
leaders, with donors and with policy makers
about the state of child mortality in the
country and on the continent. “Children are
voiceless. As pediatrician, I have to speak for
them.”
She has attended numerous meetings
and conventions and she sits on several
committees in Uganda, East Africa,
Southern Africa, United Kingdom and the
United States, discussing implementation
and progress of MDG 4 on reduction of
child mortality. Her message is the same:
“Whatever can be done in the United States
and United Kingdom for child survival,
should be done anywhere else in the world
for the well being of children.”

Dr. Sabrina Bakeera-Kitaka with children (above), and with conference participants(on previous page)
With her fellow pediatricians, they
have mobilized citizens and carried
out sensitisation campaigns for basic
interventions such as immunization,
breastfeeding, prevention of mother-to-child
HIV transmission, and food security. She
notes sadly that Uganda is still far behind
the indicators. However, she points out that
child mortality is not only a government
issue but everybody’s issue. Dr. Kitaka is very
convinced that Uganda can achieve MDG 4
if all Ugandans put their heart to it and take
action now.
She believes in service beyond self. It is neither
for doctors’ only, nor only government,
but for every Ugandan to strive towards
achieving MDG 4 and 5. “MDGs should only
guide us to do our best. Children are a joy to
the nation and they are the leaders after us.
We do not want to shoulder the responsibility
of creating lost generations,” she said. She
however calls upon government to revitalize
the health sector in order for the nation to
realize not only MDGs but also Vision 2040.
Other doctors recognize her contribution
and have been very supportive of her work.
In 2009, she became the youngest doctor to
be voted President of the Uganda Paediatrics

Association. Although younger doctors have
been voted thereafter, she was the champion
and under her leadership, the association
scored highly in raising issues of child health.
Dr. Kitaka says that her passion to save
children directly links into her passion about
the health and wellbeing of women. No
mother will be happy in an environment that
is risky for her baby.
Dr. Kitaka attended Mt. St. Mary’s College,
Namagunga and completed her medical
training at Makerere University. In 2003
through 2007, she was Infectious Disease
Fellow through the Accordia program at
the Infectious Diseases Institute. She is a
member of the Global Alliance for Vaccines
and Immunisation Civil Society Steering
Committee, she chairs the Uganda Civil
Society Immunization Platform Technical
Advisory Group, she is a member of the
Uganda National Academy of Sciences’
Advisory Committee for Vaccines and
Immunization and has sat on various World
Health Organisation Guidelines Writing
Committees.

Department for Pediatrics at the Makerere
University College of Health Sciences. She
has taught at Columbia University, the
University of Minnesota; the Perinywata
Hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe and at the
Muhimbili University in Tanzania. She has
given various talks in East and Southern
Africa. She has done research in paediatric
infectious diseases and adolescent medicine.
Dr. Kitaka’s passion does not end at saving
babies only. In 2003 she and her colleagues
launched a teens’ initiative to build bridges
between childhood, adolescence and
adulthood. This was after they realized
that teenage deaths were on the increase,
sometimes due to risky behavior.
“You cannot delink MDGs because they are
all intertwined. Our teenage children are
dying of HIV, early pregnancies, skating on
dangerous roads, abortion, drug abuse and
much more. No one is going to protect our
children. We have to do it ourselves,” she
says. Through this project, she has made
tremendous difference in lives of young
people living with HIV and other infectious
diseases.

She is currently a Senior Lecturer based at the


37

Improving
Child Survival
in Uganda: The
Progress Made
By Rukia Nakamatte Mbaziira

T

he Government of Uganda
committed itself to reducing by
two thirds, between 1990 and 2015,
the under-five mortality rate. To date,
however, one in five children die before
their fifth birthday and yet almost
all child deaths can be prevented
using simple, inexpensive solutions.
According to the 2011 Uganda
Demographic and Health Survey
(UDHS), the under-five mortality rate,
per 1,000 births is 130 and the neonatal
mortality as a percentage of under-fives’
mortality is 24%.
The Government is undertaking a
number of interventions to accelerate
the reduction of the rate of under-five
mortality by two-thirds in the next
two years as set out in the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) targets.
The Ministry of Health is therefore
committed to implementing the
roadmap to accelerated reduction of
maternal and newborn morbidity and
mortality.
To reduce infant mortality, maternal
mortality too should be considered
as well. It is evident that in order
to improve maternal and infant
health outcomes, there is need for a
fully functional health care system,

38


availability of life saving commodities
and adequate and well motivated health
human resource, among others.
The findings from the UDHS 2011
indicate that most reproductive health
indicators are improving. For example,
Infant mortality has declined from 76
to 54 deaths per 1000 live birth and
under 5 mortality reduced from 156 per
1,000 live births in 1995 to 152 in 2001
and further to 137 in 2006 per 1000 live
births.
The Ministry of Health has intensified
a number of interventions to help
accelerate the progress of reducing
child and infant mortality. Scaling
up of immunization is being done in
a bid to protect children against the
immunizable diseases.
Immunizing children fully remains
the safest way of protecting them
against the vaccine-preventable
diseases. Currently Government
provides vaccines for nine immunizable
diseases free of charge. These are;
Measles, Diptheria, Whooping Cough,
Tuberculosis, Meningitis, Polio,
Pneumonia, Hepatitis B and Tetanus.
In addition to that, the Ministry of
Health, in the months of April and
October, undertakes Child Health
Days Strategy as a way of taking
child health services closer to the

people. During these days, outreach
programmes are conducted. These
services include immunization,
nutrition supplementation, vitamin A
supplementation, antenatal care, post
natal care, de-worming, and health
education, among others.
Furthermore, child care facilities have
been established in all hospitals and
health facilities. This has encouraged
mothers to take their children
to treatment centers. Also, the
Government is distributing mosquito
nets throughout the country and special
attention is being paid on children and
pregnant mothers.
More still, the Government has rolled
out the elimination of Mother-toChild transmission of HIV and AIDS
popularly known as Option B+ which
ensures safety of babies from their
HIV+ positive mothers. This option
allows delivery of a baby of HIV and
enables the mother to breastfeed
without fear of contracting the deadly
virus.
Despite these interventions, concerted
efforts of all stakeholders are required to
save children and mothers.

Rukia Nakamatte Mbaziira is the
Public Relations Officer of Ministry
of Health

Uganda Woman Magazine October 2013

Uganda Woman Magazine October 2013

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Uganda Woman Magazine October 2013