Forum for Women in Democracy Uganda

Patricia Munabi Babiiha Executive Director Forum For Women in Democracy Solome Kimbugwe Chairperson Board FOWODE with Hon: Margaret Zziwa Speaker East African Parliament Dr. Kadi Sesay Former Vice president Sierra Leone Children of People Concern Kikubamutwe Entertaining the delagates Hon: Miria Matembe, Madam Maggie Kigozi and Hon: Getrude Discussion Session Jewellery at the Exhibition Penny of Uhuru Institute during a parallel session as Hellena Okiring of UYONET looks on   Award that was given to Alfred Okot the winner of the women and power photo contest  Commitments were made     Copyright: Forum For women in democracy reserves all the rights to use these pictures. Please seek permission before use

July 22-23, 2014 We , the participants gathered in Kampala, Uganda on the occasion of the National Women in Politics Conference held on the 22-23 rd July 2014, organized by the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE); Having come together in the spirit of sisterhood and guided by our common agenda of promoting women in politics and leadership as a fundamental non- negotiable right; Affirming that democracy without women’s equal participation is flawed and observing that multiple challenges continue to limit women’s equal participation in leadership including institutional bias; stereotyping; historical imbalances, poor political party internal democracy; weak electoral laws; gender based violence targeting women; high poverty levels; lack of sufficient resources to run successful political campaigns; Recognising that politics and political campaigns in Uganda continue to be highly monetized, leading to high levels of corruption and unethical practices, and additionally se...

By Francis Emorut         The civil society is concerned that the 2014/2015 national budget presented by the minister of finance, Maria Kiwanuka did not reflect the aspirations of Ugandans saying women and youth got a raw deal. The activists under the umbrella of Civil Society Budget Group (CSBAG) criticized the government for introducing new taxes on fuel.  “The budget is not pro poor and not for women. Critical issues on education sector have not been addressed instead we see a decrease of money allocated to education from 1800b (last financial year 2013/2014) to 1699b this financial year,” Patricia Munabi the executive director, Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) said. The executive director of Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), Patricia Munabi (L) and the chairperson of Uganda Women's Network (UWONET), Sheila Kawamara during (C) listening to Nickson Ogwal an official from Action Aid Uganda during the civil society budget...

Rhoda Kalema is a story of commitment, courage, character and triumph as a girl, a woman, mother, and grandmother to many young women in Uganda.   Rhoda is quick to mention that this story not about her but that she is just a branch that came out of people that mentored her over the years. Born in 1929, the patriarchal society was no hindrance as she had a father that believed in her and the strength of the girl child and  Kings College Budo shaping her early years. Inborn traits, her allegiance to God but also commitment to make a difference in the lives of the people that were around her gave her the resilience to carry on against all odds. She shares with us her amazing story. A strong women’s movement emerged in 1946 when I was completing S.6, the government then was supportive there was very good coordination between the government and Women’s movement in the 1950. At the University, I joined the Uganda association of University Women a place that la...

Finance minister Maria Kiwanuka displays the briefcase containing her 2014/2015 Budget Speech at Serena Hotel earlier this month. Women activists say the Budget has left out many gender issues. PHOTO BY Geoffrey Sseruyange  By STEPHEN KAFEERO Kampala. Women activists have asked the government to redistribute resources to sectors where women are directly involved or the 2014/15 Budget will not have significant impact on women. The women raised their concern during a think-tank meeting held at the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) offices in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb recently. Ms Margaret Kakande, the head of Budget Monitoring and Accountability Unit at the Ministry of Finance, presented the gender analysis of the 2014/15 National Budget speech, where she noted that the drivers of growth such as cash crop production, manufacturing, mining; transport and communication are not sectors where women are engaged. She added that gender ineq...

The youth have been challenged to be productive and disciplined if they are to be respected. Participants listen in during the entrepreneurship session This was during a Young Leaders Camp organized by Forum for Women in Democracy AT FOYER DE CHARITE- Namugongo under the theme “Citizens role in building a nation. “The bulk of citizens in Uganda are the youth but are unemployed and even those who get work are not productive but keep grumbling. You have an option to do serious work or remain forever complaining about everything,” Leonard Okello the Executive Chairman of Uhuru institute said while facilitating at the camp. Participants share experiences after the Four-day leadership camp  He tasked the youth to add value to whatever they do and warned that if they remained unproductive, they would become a liability to the nation. “Young people don’t want to take responsibility but if you are productive, you would be able to pay taxes and then take on gov...

Women farmers have been advised to grow a variety of crops as a means of ensuring food security in their homesteads. This advice was given during a visit by 50 women from Amuria and Amuru districts to Katende Harambee Rural Urban Training Centre in Namugongo, Wakiso district. John Baptist Malinzi, the Centre’s manager, who was one of the facilitators noted that farmers, especially women make losses because they do not take agriculture as a business. “If you have one crop like maize, it can easily be destroyed but if you have grown different crops on a sizeable piece of land, then issues of hunger and famine can be history.” As a business He advised them to engage in agricultural activities that benefit each other. “All projects at the farm should have the ability to help each other, if you have flowers in your home; make sure they are either edible or medicinal.” The visit was organised by Forum For Women in Democracy (Fowode), a civil society organisation, whic...