The change we want to see 2011-2016

TRANSFORMING WOMEN’S LIVES

The change we want to see 2011-2016

Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) congratulates fellow citizens for having actively participated in the recently concluded Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections. We further congratulate those elected to the different leadership positions, particularly the women who had to overcome significant cultural and systemic barriers to get into these positions.

We acknowledge the achievements realised in empowering women, but we are concerned that while the status of women has advanced significantly in the past 25 years, the progress has been distressingly slow even as new and diverse challenges affecting the advancement of women continue to arise. Guided by a common agenda for the promotion of the rights of women as fundamental, non-negotiable and inherent human rights, the women of Uganda in October 2010 launched “Equal by Right: The Uganda Women’s Agenda 2010-2016” , which brings to the forefront key issues that women will prioritise over the next five years for meaningful empowerment of women and girls.

As a sign of commitment to the Uganda Women’s Agenda, various political parties included some of the issues in the Agenda in their election campaign manifestos. We however noted that most of the political parties made general statements with regard to women’s issues without making specific commitments upon which the parties can be held accountable within the next five years.

We call on government (including the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies), political parties, and other stakeholders to focus on the issues that are critical for the women if meaningful development and the total empowerment of Ugandan women and girls is to be achieved. The pertinent issues that must be addressed in the next five years include:

I. WOMEN AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

The gap between the rich and the poor, men and women has further widened. Women are the majority actors in the area of agriculture yet interventions such as the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), commonly exclude women, while benefitting more men. Women continue to have unequal access to, ownership and control of land and access to markets, information, and loans (besides microfinance monies). This affects their ability to access other productive resources and impedes their economic, social, and political advancement.

While 400,000 Ugandans join the workforce annually, only 18,000 jobs are created and the situation is worse for female youth who also face threats of sexual harassment in the bid to get jobs. We therefore would like to see:

1.    An allocation of at least 10% of all budget allocations to development programmes focusing on women’s specific needs.

2.    Amendment of the Income Tax Act, to provide for incentives and tax waivers for private sector employers with a minimum of 30% female employment, at all levels of their organisational structures.

3.    Allocation of 10% of revenue from oil and other natural resources to sectors that directly benefit women

4.    50:50 gender parity, in all decision-making structures that manage natural resources.

5.    Amendment of the Land Act and other relevant laws, to provide for the co-ownership of matrimonial property by spouses.

6.    Establishment of clear, measurable, and practical actions, to address women’s access to markets, credit, and information

7.    A review of tendering and procurement processes at local government level, to take into account affirmative action and to promote women’s participation.

II. HEALTH

Uganda’s health indicators are generally low for all social categories and worse for women. About 16 women in Uganda die every day from pregnancy and childbirth related complications, many of which are preventable. Teenage pregnancy estimated at 25% is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Only 47% of women attend the

recommended four times of antenatal care visits to health facilities. Health sector challenges include absenteeism of staff and service providers, low motivation of staff and rampant corruption in the delivery of drugs, including essential drugs for HIV/AIDS patients and mosquito nets for pregnant mothers and children.

Most women have limited access to health services yet as caregivers they shoulder the greater burden of caring for the sick. To change the situation of women in the health sector, stakeholders should:

1.    Allocate sufficient resources for the implementation of Government commitments made under the Abuja Declaration on Health, the AU Commitment on the Campaign on the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa and the National Roadmap on Maternal health to ensure functional and accessible health services, as well as improved remuneration of medical personnel.

2.    Support and operationalise the Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in health care service provision.

3.    Adopt the Uganda Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy (2009) and the operationalisation of the Central Coordination Institution/ Centre on Disaster Management, to strengthen the country’s preparedness for disasters and epidemics.

4.    Integrate components of advocacy against Sexual and Gender Based Violence, in HIV Counseling, Care and Support.

5.    Increase funding to HIV research and interventions aimed at technologies controlled by women, such as Microbicides studies and HIV Vaccines

III. EDUCATION

Girls and women have lower literacy levels compared to men and boys, which limits their participation in many processes and their own development. The quality of education has remained a major source of contention in Uganda, with key concerns being about the inability to focus on education that enhances innovation and encourages people to explore their abilities. The Government and parents need to pay renewed attention to the retention of the girl child in school.

Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) has taken root in Uganda and it is encouraging to note that there is overwhelming demand for it in the whole country. However, the available resources cannot meet the overwhelming and increasing demand for FAL. There is also limited access to functional literacy by persons with special learning needs including the blind and deaf. The following should be done to change the situation for girls:

1.    Review the Affirmative Action Policy in the education sector, to promote the enrolment of girls in Teacher Training Colleges and Polytechnics.

2.    Re-design training curricular in all institutions of education, to ensure that they are gender responsive.

3.    Improve conditions of service for teachers and provision of incentives to ensure quality education and the retention of staff.

4.    Develop a gender responsive policy and implement regulations for the effective implementation of the Business, Technical and Vocational Training (BTVET) Act.

5.    Increase resource allocation to Universal Primary and Secondary Education, as well as vocational schools that cater for primary education dropouts.

6.    Increase funding for FAL and finalise Non-Formal Adult Education Policy, in order to streamline and promote the coverage of FAL countrywide.

IV. PEACE, HUMAN SECURITY AND DIGNITY

Women bear the greater brunt of conflict in both the private and public spheres leaving them in a permanent state of insecurity even when there is no war in the country. In addition, conflict prevents women from participating in leadership because of threats to their personal and bodily integrity. We would like to see:

1.    Funding for the implementation of the UN 1820 and Goma Declarations and the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement 2006.

2.    Integration of UN Resolution 1325, within government policies and plans such as PRDP, NDP, etc.

3.    The establishment of a Reparations Fund for women with a special focus on mental health.

4.    An assessment of the land question in the context of the war, taking cognizance among others of gender, poverty, culture, patriarchy and the communal land tenure system of ownership, prevalent in the Greater North.

5.    Involvement of women in peacekeeping, conflict resolution, and management at all levels.

6.    Institution of national reconstruction and reconciliation initiatives among people from all regions and of all political persuasions, especially in view of the sentiments of various segments of the populace following the recently held elections.

V. ENVIRONMENT

Disasters, climate change, economic and conflict-induced displacement have devastating impacts on women who are the caretakers and shoulder the burden of providing for the family. These conditions often force rural women to leave their communities as they migrate internally in search of shelter and livelihood exposing them to various forms of violence. Women have a critical role to play in utilising and managing the environment and natural resources and must be involved in the planning and implementation of environmental conservation programmes to enable women’s voices to be integrated, in policy making at all levels. It is critical to:

1.    Promote participation of women in the planning, management and preservation of the environment and sustainable use of natural resources.

2.    Increase investment in research on alternative and renewable energy sources and other appropriate technologies, while facilitating women’s access to and participation in their control.

3.    Protect water sources from private ownership for public good and restrict the leasing of sections of water bodies, which makes them inaccessible to the people, particularly women.

4.    Invest in the preparation of communities for disaster and the provision of disaster management interventions that are well resourced, timely, and responsive to the specific needs of women.

Research on gender inequality in the labour market shows that eliminating gender discrimination in occupation and pay could increase not only women’s income but national income too. In addition, there is mounting evidence that increases in women’s wellbeing yields productivity gains in the future. Furthermore, women’s time burdens are an important constraint on growth and development and the benefits of reducing this gender-based constraint can be considerable. The fact that gender inequality was identified as one of the binding constraints in Uganda’s National Development Plan also demonstrates that it is a critical factor that has to be dealt with as it affects the country’s development. We therefore emphasize that real development in Uganda will only be realized when women’s issues are recognized as Uganda’s development issues and urge the government, political parties and all stakeholders to pay attention to the critical demands of the women of Uganda.

“Once again we make our voices heard;

Once again, we emphasize that we are equal by right;

Once again we claim our position at the center; and

Refuse to be kept at the sidelines.”