Forum for Women in Democracy Uganda

Ushenzi Vs Ugwama I have a dream…you may also call it a moral vision for Uganda’s development…of dignity of labor…of maximization of resources…of responsible interdependence…of dynamic balance of the rest of creation especially of dynamicity based on community…of personal wholesomeness that maintains personal and public integrity all amassing to respectful and principled behavior.     I have a dream…of capricious erratic behavior on its last legs as sharpness of mind crawls in… of voracious money eating vultures swapping their desire for depriving Namukasa, Namulinde and Nantongo of that maternal bed, that maama kit, that maternal security and health so longed for and that vast space for recovering peacefully with benevolent character oscillating with life, charity, hospitals with medicine, remarkable ideas favoring immediate vigor and activity…I have a dream that the glaring, gaping potholes propelling Acan’s, Acumo’s and Acen’s ears to be greeted by that first ti...

Forum for Women in Democracy ( FOWODE ) in July broke off its three day midterm review meeting to visit Kamwezi Health Center IV in Kabale district the purpose of the visit was to monitor the quality of maternal health care services. While at the health center, FOWODE donated a set of mama kits to the health center as a means of supporting women’s access to quality maternal health care. FOWODE ED - Patricia Munabi Babiiha hands over MAMA kit to the health center in-charge Although government plans annually to give free mama kits to expectant mothers this has been hard to implement on government’s side as many health centers that FOWODE village budget clubs monitor have discovered that in some instances, the health centers end up selling the mama kits to the patients and in others do not have the mama kits at all. It was for this main reason FOWODE , on their visit, made monitoring the maternity ward and donating MAMA KITS to the health center a priority. The donation was ha...

Uganda Women Parliamentarians (UWOPA) have resolved to reject tax levies on both water and kerosene proposed in the 2013-2014 budget read by the Minister of Finance Maria Kiwanuka a few weeks back. U ganda Women Parliamentarians (UWOPA) have resolved to reject tax levies on both water and kerosene proposed in the 2013-2014 budget read by the Minister of Finance Maria Kiwanuka a few weeks back.   The budget made an additional 50 shillings excise duty on fuel, re-introduced kerosene excise duty at a rate of 200shs per litre, a 1% levy by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) on gross income of Telecom Operators, motorcycle registration fee of 70,000 shillings, motor vehicle registration fee of two hundred thousand shillings and others.   The chairperson of UWOPA Betty Amongi said that women members have agreed by consensus that taxes on water and kerosene will have implications on the women of Uganda and propose that the tax on kerosene be delayed and the...

Residents and local leaders in Luweero have condemned the newly proposed value added tax on fuel and Water describing the government as insensitive to the poor. In her Budget speech on Thursday, Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka reinstated the 200 shillings excise duty on every litre of kerosene 50 shillings on every litre of petrol and diesel. She also instituted value added tax (VAT) on domestic water. Re sidents and local leaders in Luweero have condemned the newly proposed value added tax on fuel and Water describing the government as insensitive to the poor. In her Budget speech on Thursday, Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka reinstated the 200 shillings excise duty on every litre of kerosene in what she described as a move to discourage the practice of adulterating diesel by mixing it with kerosene. Kiwanuka explained that the move will generate over 15 billion shillings as revenue in the financial year 2013/2014. Kiwanuka also slapped another excise duty of 50 shill...

"A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided." - Tony Robins

“The communities were grateful for having been involved in the budget discussions claiming that often times, budgeting and planning meetings are held mainly at the districts and they are highly dominated by the men”   The national budget plays a central role in the country’s economic and political functions. It is important that local priorities are identified through the local government budget process to inform the national budget priorities. To contribute to this process, Forum for Women in Democracy ( FOWODE ) organized and mobilized grassroots communities to interface with their meetings policy makers in the districts of Amuru and Amuria to discuss women specific budget priorities for the financial year 2013/14. Hon. Eriaku Peter the Member of Parliament for Kapelebyong County, Amuria district met with 157 people who among others included sub county female councilors, district technocrats and citizens from Kuju and Asamuk Sub counties. The MP shared with the communi...

Mbale: The women activist organizations have embarked on the countrywide program to educate district female councilors to become good legislators so as to influence policy making. Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) in partnership with other women concern groups organized a three day workshop under the theme ‘Enhancing the leadership roles of district women councilors’ that is ending today at Rest Villa hotel in Mbale municipality. The women councilors including youth female councilors, directly elected councilors and persons with disabilities come from Sironko, Kapchorwa and Tororo district. The program is targeting 12 districts in the eastern region and central region. During the workshop, councilors were trained on the order of business in the councils, procedures of enacting ordinances, forming caucus, tabling motions, how to use Email and bulk SMS and how to conduct research using research engines like Google. They were also trained on how to lobby in distr...