WOMEN WITH WHISTLES: CHALLENGING STATUS QUO

The women with whistles parallel session at the 2^nd Uganda Women’s Week one to reckon as it attracted women and men of substance among them; political leaders, members of the civil society, local government officials, national and political party representatives, Women’s NGOs and young women leaders; women in the media and academia. This Session was organized by Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) and Women’s Democracy Network (WDN). 

 

Themed ‘Women with whistles, galvanizing voices for Good Governance’, the session sought to enhance awareness of critical governance issues in the political and economic arenas and mobilize citizens to challenge status quo; current governance concerns in Uganda today and their impact on the nation, the effects of bad governance on the women of Uganda.  

 To pace set the parallel session was the FOWODE executive Director, Mrs. Mrs. Patricia Munabi Babiiha who challenged the participant to do thorough introspection noting that the Beijing Platform for Action was above the 30% critical mass right from the local level to the national level. And that Uganda’s poverty levels have declined by 20% thus a change in lives of women who are the most affected by poverty. Yet important to note is that the country is still in the democracy and governance arena, constitutional fields, rule of law, and separation of power leading it into a failed state level.  With this, she called on women of Uganda not to look on as things take the wrong turn. 

Dr. Busingye Kabumba, the key note speaker emphasized that the women demand for space has not been an easy struggle but one that has grown over the years indicating that Uganda as a state has excluded people in general in the governance arena. He added that the struggle had excluded women in the struggle for example no women in the legislative council. He urged the women to take on the mantle from the women that succeeded in this field.

Aisha Kabanda, the Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC), also participant noted that the women’s problem is not President Museveni but Male Chauvinism male saying that the specie is willing to dominate the governance spaces that be. She called on women to galvanize their voices and act as one in the struggle to so as to make milestones.

“If you think Museveni is your problem, then you are fighting the wrong person” Aisha said

Ingrid Turinawe, the Chairperson FDC women’s League gave insight into the critical role of women in the political and economic change in Uganda. She said that regardless that many women that have have earned the political position in Uganda, they have remained powerless.  

In order to build this power, She urged participants to build the self-esteem of the women to enable them lead the societies that they come from.

The session stirred up the women to do an introspection- Women were challenged to take responsibility and as a result many participants expressed interest to take the Women with whistles campaign to their regions.