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Quarterly Newsletter with updates on Forum for Women's in Democracy's (FOWODE) Work in advocating for gender equality and women's empowerment
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Uganda@50
FOWODE E-NEWS F O R U M F O R
WOMEN IN DEMOCRACY
FFIINNAANNCCIINNGG GGGGGGGGEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR EEEEEEEEQQQQQQQQUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTYYYYYYYY
AA PPRREERREEQQUUIISSIITTEE
FFOORR UUGGAANNDDAA
♀♀♀♀ Making the FY 2012/13 national budget people-centred
♀♀♀♀ Denying women land is denying women life-but what a
shame
♀♀♀♀ Social political corner: the rain drop
♀♀♀♀ Women in Uganda’s villages influence local budgets and
policies
APRIL-JUNE 2012, ISSUE 5
FOWODE E-NEWS, P.O BOX 7176, Kampala Uganda | Plot 15 Vubya Close, Ntinda Nakawa Rd. Email: [email protected] Web: www.fowode.org. Facebook: http://facebook.com/FowodeUganda
Government’s target
• Government resources increased from9, 630bn FY
2011/12 to Shs11, 157 billion FY2012/13.
• 75% of budget will be financed from domestic
resources.
• 25% of the National Budget will be from Grants and
Loans.
• Revenue collections for next financial year are
projected at Shs7, 251 billion.
• Total debt service including interest payments are
projected to amount to Shs1, 101 billion in financial
year 2012/13.
Making the FY 2012/13 national budget people-centred
budget
of 12% and short grace period of 3-6 yet agriculture is long term investment. Key concerns
• The commodity based approach is a welcome venture as it will give small scale farmers an opportunity to benefit from government assistance. The major concern however is that irrigation schemes have appeared in the last three budget speeches but there has been limited action and progress.
• Under MAAIF, only 10% of civil works for the rehabilitation of Doho irrigation scheme have been finalised, while 15% of works for Mobuku irrigation scheme had been undertaken by end of half of the FY 2011/12.
Trade and Private Sectors To simplify requirements, reduce discretionary powers, and eliminate redundant procedures, Government will in FY 2012/13, eliminate about 27 licenses all of which were found to be either obsolete or redundant and establish an electronic licenses registry that will serve as a repository for all approved business licensing in Uganda. Government also plans to establish a One Stop Centre to provide online registration services for the various licenses required to start a business. In addition, a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Business Guide has been developed to provide SMEs with information on available financial, business development services (BDSs), and business licensing information. Key recommendations
• These proposals have been overdue and will contribute to reducing the cost of running business. It is however proposed that these services should be decentralized to allow local companies to benefit from the initiative. We also want government to include agricultural market information and prices in the business guide.
Creating Employment Opportunities In this financial year, government intends to allocate an additional 3bn to the Youth Capital Venture Fund although in FY 2011/12. Additionally government is to establish the Graduate Venture Capital Fund with an allocation Shs. 16 billion to address the needs
In June this year, the Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development released the national budget for the Financial Year (FY) 2012/13 with the theme “Priorities for Renewed Economic Growth and Development.” In this edition, the highlights of this budget and the key recommendations for government’s consideration are shared with you. This time the national budget was released at a time when inflation was high (18%), youth Unemployment was at 32.2%, the central bank lending rates was at 21% and commercial banks lending rates were at an average of 26-27%, there was general decline in purchasing power and a depreciating Uganda shilling.
Inflation and Interest Rates
Inflation was majorly caused by increase of food prices (50.4%). The Bank of Uganda identified inflation as a key macroeconomic problem and placed emphasis on keeping inflation low, raising interest rates limiting aggregate spending which makes credit less affordable to borrowers and brings about negative impact on growth and investment. This implies that the cost of borrowing will continue to be prohibitive especially for the small scale business enterprises largely owned by the poor and women. In 2011/12, growth in industrial production slowed to 1.1% during the year, and the hardest hit industrial sub-sector was formal manufacturing sub sector, where growth contracted by 4.4%. Key recommendation • Bank of Uganda should identify the real
social economic problems and address them rather than the consequences.
• If government is to effectively deal with inflation, an increased investment in agriculture and target food production rather that inflation targeting is highly
Agriculture In FY 2011/12, the agricultural sector recorded an annual growth of 3.0% which is attributed to the increased cash and food crop production following favourable rains in the first planting season of the last year. To further support the sector which employs over 80% of Ugandans, this FY 2012/13, Agriculture is set to receive 5.2% of the national budget i.e. 585bn in the FY 2012/13 an increase from 447bn for the FY 2011/12, to support its priorities of ensuring food security, providing raw materials and enhancing export revenue.
Government is credited for adopting the commodity based approach to complement Government’s Agricultural Zoning Strategy. The approach will concentrate on eleven (11) selected agriculture commodities and to implement this successfully, government will focus on the provision of improved seed and farm inputs and implements, supporting seed industry and provision of improved breeding stock for the selected commodities; and completing the ongoing rehabilitation of irrigation schemes and embarking on establishing of new ones. It is anticipated that this approach will help Uganda produce sufficient quantities that will support domestic and regional trade, as well as agro industrialization to add value and create non-farm jobs required for the youth. In addition concentrating in a specific zone will allow the efficient provision of relevant services such as extension services, roads, electricity and financial services.
Furthermore, Government maintained the Agricultural Credit Facility to finance post-harvest activity and the purchase of equipment. However, the facility faces some key constraints in that although over 37.5 billion had been disbursed by Bank of Uganda to commercial banks, only 5.5 billion UGX (15%) has been borrowed by the farmers in FY
2011/12. Secondly, was the high interest rates
of graduates who have bankable project proposals but lack the requisite funding. The major concern is the current performance of the Youth Capital Venture fund, which is very low. Out of 25 billion UGX, only 8bn has so far been accessed by only 3000 youth (youth constitute 65% of the Uganda Population). Key recommendations
◦ Government should develop operational modalities and clear guidelines on how the youth should access the fund. And this should not be left to the private sector. Such ventures should be proposed based on clear policy frameworks.
◦ Government should broaden the job creation schemes and ventures to employment programs.
Health Sector
Despite increases over time, a decade after the Abuja Health financing commitment, the average percentage share of government allocation to health is still below 15%. In FY 2011/12, the health sector was reported to have achieved progress by increasing availability of basic medicines, achieving immunization rates of children against major killer diseases of 90% and reducing infant and maternal mortality rates from 62.47/1000 to 54 per thousand persons and 352 per hundred thousand persons, respectively. The sector however is still faced with key challenges of low access to quality basic health care for all, maternal and child mortality, the sector’s failure to deal with emerging diseases such as the nodding disease and its poor staffing capacity currently at 50% Key recommendations � The health budget has gone down from Shs
804bn to Shs 752.5bn. This allocation (8.2%) is still below the NDP target of 11.3% and with the NMS budget remaining constant, the challenges of drug stock out will be difficult to achieve. Government needs to significantly increase the percentage allocation to health if it’s to
meet the Abuja target of 15%.
� Government should establish a maternal health fund to deal with maternal and infant mortality concerns.
Water and environment
Government’s focus under this sector is to provide water for production and CSBAG applauds government efforts of increasing the water sector budget from Shs. 271 billion in the last FY to Shs. 355 billion FY 2012/13 a factor that resulted from transferring the water for production budget from Ministry of Agriculture to water and sector. To date the rural population has 65% access to clean water and 72% have access to adequate sanitation, however the rural sanitation coverage has wide disparities with some districts like Amudat District (2.0%), Kotido District(11.5%), Moroto District (6.6%), and Nakapiripirit (2%) recording coverage that is far below the national target. According to the Water and sanitation sector performance report 2011, Uganda’s target 50% hand washing by 2015 but the current coverage is at 23% Key Concerns
• Government’s proposal to reinstate VAT on water at 18%, although estimated to generate Shs.21.7bn might hamper its efforts and reduce access to clean and safe water. In most cases water points have been privatized and in a situation where a 20-litre jerry can of water was costing between Shs 150 and Shs 200, the user fees might double or go higher. It is feared with this increase, water prices will rise and institutions like schools, manufacturing industries might end up transferring the burden to the final consumer by increasing commodity prices and this might push the poor to use unsafe and contaminated water.
• Limited resource allocation to the sector as shown in the figure below remains a challenge to service delivery. The sector has a long way to go in supporting primary growth across other development sectors as hoped in the Uganda’s National Development Plan.
Education sector
In its efforts to continue enhancing the quality and relevance of education at all levels, the education sector budget has increased to 1.6bn. Government is commended for its pronouncement to improve the quality of education by: training inspectors of schools (2bn), monitoring UPE (1.1bn) monitoring USE (1.3bn). Key recommendations • The completion rate for school going children is at a low of 25%, the classroom pupil ratio is at 85:1 against the recommended national standard of 55:1. 92% of P3 pupils tested could not correctly read a P2 level English story, 78% of P3 pupils could not solve numericals of P2 level, and according to the Budget Monitoring Report 2011, the ministry wastes 25bn UGX a year in ghost schools, ghost pupils and ghost teachers. Civil society calls for the finalization of the probe into the misuse of universal primary and secondary education funds by the Judicial Commission of inquiry and implementation of its recommendations.
• Government should increase allocations for school inspection to enable School Inspectors effectively inspect and monitor school progress. The sector is registering high levels of absenteeism among the teachers and pupils, conflicts in schools, teachers' under performance and low syllabus coverage hence poor performance due to poor inspection.
• Girl child education needs to be made a priority and the Gender in education policy needs to implemented.
Improving Government Effectiveness
This is an area that needs government’s adequate attention, there is too much wastage of government resources and service delivery continues to suffer. The cost of running government business is increasing, in FY 2012/13, for example close to 2 trillion Uganda Shillings will be spent on running government Accountability (590.76bn), Public Administration (234.88bn), Public sector management (1,020bn) and the Legislature
A doctor examining a child in a local health center
Improving service deliveryImproving service delivery such it has featured in the previous five budget themes. The concern however is that although allocations are highly focusing on social and productive sectors, most of the funds are concentrated at the centre with government ministries and agencies, rather than at front line service delivery points (whichlevels). In addition, service delivery has been affected by the unprecedented district creation in Ugandaallowed districts that are unviable to operate.
The other challenge is that affected by the declining nonUnfortunately, the problem seems unlikely to be addressed in the coming FY 2012/13, as government intends to maintain the current level of allocations.
There are too many government agencies that are duplicating services and this has rendered the ministrecommendation is the institutions. We also call for the review of new sub counties and districts.
Supplementary budgets
The credibility of the budgetincreasing supplementary budget appropriations, which reacheda record high of 38% in FY 2011spending is unavoidable, these appropriations continue
Justice Law &
Order
14%
Trade and
Industry
3%
Education
9%
Distribution of the Supplementary Schedule 1 FY 2011/12
benefit public administration and security sectors depriving spending on social and productive sectors. It has also become a culture of the executive to use supplementary budgets as to divert budget expenditure priorities. Recommendation
• The legislature (Parliament) should amend the law on supplementary budget to strengthen the oversight function of parliament and remove the provision for retrospective approvashould only be for critical and emergency cases sucepidemics, security and natural calamities.
JLOS &Accountability Uganda is experiencing high levels of corruption and despite this trend there are minimum efforts in allocating resources to fight corruption. The small dedicated to human rights observers yet JLOS institutions are among the top human rights violators in Uganda. It is recommended that government should the inspectorate system of government corruption in Uganda.
Improving service delivery Improving service delivery is one of the key focus areas and as
has featured in the previous five budget themes. The concern however is that although the nationalallocations are highly focusing on social and productive sectors,
are concentrated at the centre with government ministries and agencies, rather than at front line
(which are mainly at local governmentervice delivery has been affected by the
unprecedented district creation in Uganda a factor which allowed districts that are unviable to operate.
The other challenge is that Service delivery is greatly being clining non-wage recurrent budget.
Unfortunately, the problem seems unlikely to be addressed in the coming FY 2012/13, as government intends to maintain the current level of allocations.
There are too many government agencies that are duplicating es and this has rendered the ministries redundant
recommendation is the proper coordination of these s. We also call for the review of multiplication of
new sub counties and districts.
Supplementary budgets The credibility of the budget has continued to be eroded by increasing supplementary budget appropriations, which reacheda record high of 38% in FY 2011/12. Although supplementary spending is unavoidable, these appropriations continue
Administration
Security
9%
Local Governments
1%
Distribution of the Supplementary Schedule 1 FY 2011/12
benefit public administration and security sectors depriving spending on social and productive sectors. It has also become a culture of the executive to use supplementary budgets as to divert budget expenditure priorities.
legislature (Parliament) should amend the law on supplementary budget to strengthen the oversight function of parliament and remove the provision for retrospective approval of supplementary spending which should only be for critical and emergency cases sucepidemics, security and natural calamities.
Uganda is experiencing high levels of corruption and despite this trend there are minimum efforts in allocating resources to
small budget line in the JLOS Sectodedicated to human rights observers yet JLOS institutions are
uman rights violators in Uganda. It is recommended that government should focus on strengthening
inspectorate system of government as a means of curbing
is one of the key focus areas and as has featured in the previous five budget themes.
the national budget allocations are highly focusing on social and productive sectors,
are concentrated at the centre with government ministries and agencies, rather than at front line
ocal government ervice delivery has been affected by the
a factor which has
Service delivery is greatly being rent budget.
Unfortunately, the problem seems unlikely to be addressed in the coming FY 2012/13, as government intends to maintain the
There are too many government agencies that are duplicating ries redundant and our
proper coordination of these multiplication of
has continued to be eroded by increasing supplementary budget appropriations, which reached
. Although supplementary spending is unavoidable, these appropriations continue to
Revenue Generation Domestic revenueshortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation pressures. By declined by 7% compared to the previous half of FY 2010/11. The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated between 12%system that is not responsive to GDP growth. Rstagnation of the revenue effvoluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is not taxed, and tax incentives to promote investment Key recommendations
• The increase in PAYE threshold is resource redistribution and the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle should be applied to other sectors such as trade and i
• The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing simultaneous taxes on the same taxable peopleexpand our tax base to include the informal sector which is engaging in import and export business.
• Government should rpolicies and practices if it’s to increase revenue generation.
Tax compliance and administration
The porous borders and very small business which have failed to register have failed URA in enforcing tax compliance. Smuggoods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of corruption in the tax system e.g. speci ConclusionGovernment improving economic growthbudget, government maintain sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary items or non priority secWith regard to service delivery at the local government level, given the budget constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government Ministries and Departlocal governments in respecdelivered to the population. For effective budget implementation, gCSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to avoid wastage, laxity and corruptionthat mainstreamingshould become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets in the next
Public
Administration
64%
benefit public administration and security sectors depriving spending on social and productive sectors. It has also become a culture of the executive to use supplementary budgets as a tool
legislature (Parliament) should amend the law on supplementary budget to strengthen the oversight function of parliament and remove the provision for
l of supplementary spending which should only be for critical and emergency cases such as
Uganda is experiencing high levels of corruption and despite this trend there are minimum efforts in allocating resources to
JLOS Sector is dedicated to human rights observers yet JLOS institutions are
uman rights violators in Uganda. It is focus on strengthening as a means of curbing
Revenue Generation Domestic revenue for FY 2011/12 is expected to experience shortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation pressures. By the middle of FY 2011/12, revenue in real terms had declined by 7% compared to the previous half of FY 2010/11.
The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated between 12%system that is not responsive to GDP growth. Rstagnation of the revenue effort include the following; low voluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is not taxed, and tax incentives to promote investment
recommendations
ncrease in PAYE threshold is welcomeresource redistribution and addressesand the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle should be applied to other sectors such as trade and i
The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing simultaneous taxes on the same taxable peopleexpand our tax base to include the informal sector which is engaging in import and export business.
Government should review and streamline tax exemption policies and practices if it’s to increase revenue generation.
Tax compliance and administration The porous borders and very small business which have failed to register have failed URA in enforcing tax compliance. Smuggoods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of corruption in the tax system e.g. specifically under the Oil business.
Conclusion overnment is commended for its budget
ing economic growth. However inbudget, government needs to avoid supplementary requests and
sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary items or non priority sectors, not to disrupt budget implementationWith regard to service delivery at the local government level, given
get constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government Ministries and Departments should provide the required backup to local governments in respective sectors to ensure services are delivered to the population.
For effective budget implementation, gCSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to avoid wastage, laxity and corruption.
mainstreaming of gender and equity issues in sector budgets should become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets
xt FY 2012/13 budget.
Comparisons between the Public Administration Budget with other sectors (FY 2012/13
for FY 2011/12 is expected to experience shortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation
f FY 2011/12, revenue in real terms had declined by 7% compared to the previous half of FY 2010/11.
The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated between 12%-13% due to a tax system that is not responsive to GDP growth. Reasons for the
ort include the following; low voluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is not taxed, and tax incentives to promote investment
welcome if it’s to contribute to and addresses the gap between the poor
and the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle should be applied to other sectors such as trade and investment.
The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing simultaneous taxes on the same taxable people. There is need to expand our tax base to include the informal sector which is engaging in import and export business.
eview and streamline tax exemption policies and practices if it’s to increase revenue generation.
Tax compliance and administration The porous borders and very small business which have failed to register have failed URA in enforcing tax compliance. Smuggling goods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of
fically under the Oil business.
budget proposals that aimed at owever in the implementation of thisavoid supplementary requests and
sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary o disrupt budget implementation
With regard to service delivery at the local government level, given get constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government
ments should provide the required backup to ive sectors to ensure services are
For effective budget implementation, government institutions and CSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to
. It is further recommendedand equity issues in sector budgets
should become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets
Comparisons between the Public ation Budget with other
for FY 2011/12 is expected to experience shortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation
f FY 2011/12, revenue in real terms had
13% due to a tax easons for the
ort include the following; low voluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is
to contribute to the gap between the poor
and the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle
nvestment.
The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing here is need to
expand our tax base to include the informal sector which is
eview and streamline tax exemption
The porous borders and very small business which have failed to gling
goods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of
fically under the Oil business.
aimed at the implementation of this
avoid supplementary requests and sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary
o disrupt budget implementation. With regard to service delivery at the local government level, given
get constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government ments should provide the required backup to
ive sectors to ensure services are
overnment institutions and CSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to
ed and equity issues in sector budgets
should become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets
Winnie Byanyima: No ordinary woman
At a time when even colleagues in her political party regarded the idea of a woman running for office as political suicide, she did not only run but won a parliamentary seat. It was only one
of her daring acts that proved to women and Ugandans at large that all
was possible, writes Brian Magoba.
Instead, she lived the very opposite of such type-cast roles; magnetised to politics by her father’s example, studying engineering at university mainly to defy society’s expectations of girls and excelling at it and winning a scholarship. She refused the token seat and beat men in hotly-contested Women member of Parliamentary elections, spearheading censure of the corrupt, actively contributing to a guerrilla war effort when she was aged 22, being vice chairman to a group in opposition to the government she once worked for and founding, and directing, organisations devoted to bettering the circumstances of women.
Leading by example The impact on Ugandan society and women in particular is as wide-ranging as the various facets of her personality. Where her father was once National Chairman of the Democratic Party, she ended up being the third Vice-Chair of the Reform Agenda, before it evolved into the FDC. She aided its transformation from an Elect Kizza Besigye Task Force into a party formed on July 12, 2002, aimed at achieving political reforms for good governance, sustainable national unity, democracy and national development.
Her election in 1994 to the parliamentary seat for Mbarara Municipality was one small step for her, but one giant leap for Ugandan women. At the time, she was one of the few women who stood for direct election when others were content with the seats available to them on government’s affirmative action.
“The day I was first elected, women ran out on the streets, sat in the middle of the road, they climbed on top of the cars, ululating and even taking off their tops”, she recounted in a 2004 interview with the magazine Feminist Africa.
Partly, the euphoria was because she was on the road to fulfilling her pledge to campaign for equal value in government policies for women and children. Partly, it was because she had dared Ngoma Ngime, an incumbent Constituent Assembly delegate, on President Museveni’s own home turf.
But more than dare, she actually had beaten a sitting National Political Commissar who had the resources of the NRM’s machinery at his disposal while her strongly feminist platform seemed like political suicide and won her no favours from her party, despite her longer track record and achievements.
Leveling the political ground for women In Parliament, she formed the Women’s Caucus, which was instrumental in creating a constitutional basis for a Uganda where the genders were equal. The women’s caucus helped shape the writing of the 1995 Constitution in gender-sensitive language.
It sponsored the inclusion of an explicit statement of equality before the law, which invalidates all other laws, cultures, traditions or customs that undermine the dignity and well-being of women,
and provides affirmative action for women to
redress historic imbalances. In 1995, she became a founding member and first chair of the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), which grew out of the caucus. FOWODE extended the caucus’ scope by promoting gender equality in all decision-making through advocacy, training research and publishing.
After two terms as Mbarara Municipality’s representative in Parliament, she voluntarily stepped down in 2004. Hers is an example very immediate as Uganda currently debates the presidential term limits.
Ironically, she has expressed interest in standing for President, come 2016. If she does, she will be the third woman, after Miria Kalule Obote in 2006 and Betty Kamya in 2011, to stand for president.
Popular opinion maintains she might be the first one with a serious chance of succeeding where even her husband has yet to.
Published by the Daily Monitor
Education: Mt St Mary’s College, Namagunga. Has a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, the first female Ugandan to become an Aeronautical Engineer.
Profession Background: Aeronautical engineer, politician and diplomat. Byanyima worked as a flight engineer for the now defunct Uganda Airlines. She has served as the Director of the Gender Team in the Bureau for Development Policy at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 2006.
Political Background: Byanyima is a
member of the FDC party, although she has significantly reduced her participation in partisan Ugandan politics since she became a Ugandan diplomat in 2006. Political jobs she has held over the years:
• She was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Ugandan 1995 Constitution
• She served two consecutive terms as a Member of Parliament, representing Mbarara Municipality, from 1994 until 2004.
• Appointed Director of the Directorate of Women, Gender and Development at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2004. She left this for appointment at UNDP.
Imagine a picture captioned with “Mrs. Winifred Besigye, aeronautical engineer for the Uganda Space Programme, conducting orientation for entrants to the Flight Engineers Training Workshop”. Feels strange on the tongue and mind if you are Ugandan, doesn’t it?
It gives the impression that someone other than Winnie Byanyima, Ugandan politician and women-rights activist, is the subject. Perhaps this is as it should be, because for a long time, Byanyima has been phenomenal in proving that it is only challenging, not impossible, for a woman to score successes while working with or against patriarchal structures.
Besides rather than behind In hindsight, it seems like a deliberate branding strategy on her part for never overtly using her husband’s name to get ahead, since her 1999 marriage to retired Colonel Kizza Besigye, leader of the opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Her example proves that women can be besides successful men, instead of behind them as the popular adage maintains.
She could have scripted her bucket list like most girls: understudy other women for the role of wife and mother; study “soft” courses if the family was either willing or able to send her to school and have many babies really quickly. She could have settled for talking about and leaving women’s issues at the village well, never dabbling in politics beyond voting passively, and generally being satisfied with whichever dream, life or her husband, allowed her to chase.
In 2011, I had the opportunity to visit
different districts in Uganda to assess the
situation of women and their rights to land.
From Pader to Apac, Gulu to Kyenjojo, Hoima
to Kabarole and Jinja, the message written on
the women’s faces was simple and clear, “We
are tired of being marginalized”.
Almost wherever I travelled, I could see
mostly women tilling the land. As I visited
different homes, I saw women arriving from
the fields with food stuffs on their heads and
children on their backs. Little wonder it’s said
that over 80% of all the food consumed in
Uganda is produced by women. This
notwithstanding, as I discussed with the
women, I got to learn that some of them at
the age of 80, had never had a piece of land
to call their own, yet they had ideally
produced food to feed hundreds across
generations and lineages.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR) and other international and national
human rights legislations including the Uganda
Constitution spell out clearly that all human
beings are equal in everything including
property ownership. As such, denying women
a chance to own land on mere accord of being
women, is inhuman and must not be allowed
to happen in the 21st Century. It’s a question
of simple logic that does not even necessarily
need legislation for anyone to observe that
she who feeds the country deserves to own
land as a key resource for production.
Well, since human beings seem to thrive best
on laws, the issue of women’s land ownership
was clearly captured in Policy Statement
number 66 of the Draft National Land Policy
Statement number 66 of the Draft National
Land Policy, spelling out government’s
commitment to ensure that inequalities
against women over land are stamped out.
However, Ugandans must recall that our
country is often said to be one of those with
very rosy legislations but very little to show in
terms of implementation. Already the
National Land Policy still drags on and has not
been approved one year after the final draft,
and this could already tell of what to expect
long after it has been passed. What Ugandans
need to do at this point in time, is to surpass
the law and implore human conscience over
women’s right to own land-only this way shall
we achieve natural justice.
Perhaps it’s also high time that every
individual family assessed its status over
respect for women’s land rights before we can
demand government for any action. These
women certainly are our wives, our mothers,
our sisters or aunties-what have you done to
ensure security of their right to land in your
household? At least for me, my wife can rest
assured that whatever land we own shall be
hers to own and utilize for the benefit of our
family unit.
By: Tumusiime Kabwende Deo
Uganda Land Alliance
Denying women land is denying women
Lif e-but what a shame!
“I got to learn that some of them at the age of 80, had never had a piece of land to call their own, yet they had ideally produced food to feed hundreds”
After the 2011 general elections, FOWODE
trained 320 councilors from 12 districts in
effective legislative engagement,
advocacy and gender. The trained
councilors most of whom were new to
these positions were encouraged to form
caucuses in order to more effectively
advocate for their special interest groups
within their communities. To date the
women’s caucuses are increasingly
becoming more effective in their advocacy
for gender equality and women’s rights.
For example, a Woman councilor, also a
Gulu caucus member moved a council
motion for a borehole construction which
was passed. In Patiko a councilor moved a
motion to construct a maternity ward with
toilets and bathrooms and, with support
from the PRDP program construction of
the maternity ward is under way.
The Kibuku caucus was able to monitor
health facilities in their district and
presented their findings of understaffing
and poor infrastructure to the sectoral
committee for social services. The Kabale
caucus prioritized issues of women in
detention, girl child education, early
marriage, and justice for child abusers and
to mark the 2012 women’s day they
organized resources and provided items
like soap and clothing to women in
detention.
The caucuses have contributed to giving
women a unified voice and FOWODE plans
to continue strengthening this structure in
order to increase women councilors’
effectiveness while in leadership.
Caucusing for increased
effectiveness in
advocacy
The fowode website www.fowode.org is regularly updated to meet your information needs. There is everything including information about our programs, researches and
assessment reports on gender equality, upcoming events, news etc... Check back often as there is always new information posted.
In August this year, 89.5 SPEAK FM a community radio based in Gulu will be marking one year in operation. To mark this great stride, FOWODE will officially launch the radio in Gulu district. Check out the fowode website
.
Pupils of Rubona Primary School in Kabale
The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) which is a consortium of non government organisations held a pre budget dialogue under the theme “Making the national budget pro-poor, gender sensitive and equitable” on April 19 2012.
During the public dialogue in Kampala, Julius Mukunda the Senior Programme Director for Forum for Women said public expenditure should be skewed in the direction that would meet the needs and interests of the poor. He urged government to focus on the most priority sectors which benefit majority of the public. Mukunda further said unless government puts in place strict measures, it will continue spending lots of money but with little output. He cited the many government expenditures on a number of government institutions which have duplicate duties, yet a lot of money would be saved if some of these institutions were merged.
CSBAG also advocated for the formation of regional governments in place and cutting on the number of parliamentary representatives so as to cut on public expenditures.
Kenneth Mugambe the Commissioner Budgets in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development during the public dialogue said that government has achieved some success bringing services near to people. He says the key strategic issues that the government is working around include maintaining micro-economic stability, increasing agriculture productivity, improving service delivery and managing government contracts.
Carol Namagembe the FOWODE
Communications Officer mentioned that the
purpose of the dialogue was to get views from
the public and integrate them in the civil
society alternative budget proposal that will
be presented to Parliamentary committees
when reviewing the budget framework paper.
Demanding more funding for health,
education.
A Consortium of civil society organizations are pushing for government reforms in the health and education sectors to among others have the percentage of government allocation to the health sector increased to meet the Abuja Declaration target of 15 per cent.
Boosting education
Presenting their position paper before Parliament’s Social Services Committee recently, the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CS BAG) led by Mr. Julius Mukunda of Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) recommended a 20 per cent budget allocation to boost the quality of Universal Primary and Secondary Education. The group that advocates for pro-poor budget policies in the country, also called for the review of teachers’ salaries to Shs400, 000 from the current Shs270, 000.
Health sector
Mr. Mukunda informed the parliamentary committee that, looking at the Budget Framework Paper, government allocated Shs800 billion to the health sector last financial year but this figure had been reduced it to Shs761 billion next financial year. While the government has endeavored to set up health facilities across the country, a 2009/2010 report, the Uganda Local Government Councils Score Card, by Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment, shows that improvements are only in infrastructure, especially in construction of health centers, but the major problems such as shortage of drugs, understaffing, shortage of equipment, absenteeism of health workers, and weak
accountability mechanisms still exit.
Demanding for farmers’ bank
Civil society organizations asked government to open an agricultural bank to facilitate farmers, who are in need of financial services but cannot get them easily and at affordable terms.
The CSOs made the demand during the pre-budget dialogue held in Kampala in April 2012. They said an agricultural bank will focus on farmers’ credit needs, hedge against risks such as crop failures and volatilities in the prices of agro-products.
Mr. Julius Mukunda, the Senior Programme Director at Forum for Women in Democracy, said most farmers fear to get loans because of the harsh treatment defaulters get, but also the repayments period do not coincide with the harvest season.
“A bank that understands the seasons, plight and language of farmers, can be the only solution,” Mr. Mukunda said. Many farmers have fallen prey to loan sharks, who lend them money at high interest rates, which also frustrates most farmers who have no collateral recognized by commercial banks.
Mr. Richard Mugisha, an advocacy officer at Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM), said access to credit to farmers is one of the reasons the agricultural sector has been dwindling for the past years.
Since 2000, the agricultural sector growth has declined from 7.9 per cent to 0.9 per cent.
Published in the Daily Monitor Newspaper and the Independent magazine
CSBAG members:, FOWODE, Action AID, Uganda Debt Network, SEATINI,
PELUM Uganda, VEDCO, Uganda National Union of Women with Disabilities
of Uganda , The Council for Economic Empowerment for Women of Africa-
Uganda Chapter, Development Research and Training, The Eastern and
Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum , The Human Rights Network
Uganda, The Centre for Women in Governance, Uganda Road Sector
Support Initiative, Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment,
Environmental Alert, The Uganda National NGO Forum, African Centre for
Trade and Development, Uganda Women’s Network, Action for
Development
Government urged to focus on a pro-poor and gender sensitive budget
FOWODE is the current chair of the Civil Society
Budget Advocacy Group (CS BAG) a coalition
formed in 2004 to bring together CSOs at
national and district levels to:
� Influence Government decisions on
resource mobilization and utilization for
equitable and sustainable development;
� Advocate for increased transparency and
accountability in national priorities,
financing and public spending at all levels;
� Promote transparency and accountability in
the formulation and implementation of
national policies, policy processes and
programmes;
� Promote national, regional and
international fiscal and monetary policies
that are pro-poor, gender responsive and
livelihoods oriented
“This year, Uganda will mark 50 years and property
ownership for women is one of the most stinging issues whose solution has not yet
been found”.
Women’s Struggle to Own &
Control property
Former MP Susan Nampijja suffered a tragic
experience when her former companion
inflicted deep cuts to her head. Believing she
was dead, the estranged Geoffrey Mukisa
attempted to commit suicide. All because he
could not let Nampijja keep property she had
reportedly acquired when their relationship
blossomed.
Nampijja is a daughter of Rubaga South MP
Ken Lukyamuzi. Together, they can petition
the powerful and when tragedy befell her, her
father gave an impassioned speech in
Parliament. Many came to her defence.
Police was quick to act; a search was
immediately set for the culprit. Though
Mukisa was found unconscious, police stayed
guard at his room at Mulago Hospital lest he
gained strength and tried to escape
prosecution. He died on his hospital bed.
But what if Mukisa had tried to usurp
property from an average Ugandan woman?
Isn’t it instructive that when Dorcus Inzikuru,
she of the Olympic Gold Medal fame, caught
her husband with another woman in her prize
house in Arua, all she could do was to enlist
the support of town youths to unroof the
house? She must have felt she had no power
to drive the man out of her house. Yet if the
man had caught Inzikuru cheating in his home,
the story would have been a different one.
Fortunately for Nampijja, the sole ownership
of the disputed property is now in her hands.
But not many are as fortunate as her.
Dora Byamukama, the East African Legislative
Assembly representative says although the
1995 Uganda Constitution provides for equal
ownership of property for women and men
most societies do not recognise that women
can own property because they are considered
transient citizens. The patriarchal society in
which we live has only worsened matters. The
ineffective mechanisms for the enforcement
of women’s rights have also resulted in the
denial of basic rights for millions of women in
the country. Statistics show that 97 percent of
women have access to land, but only 8
percent of women own land and only 7
percent have property rights.
Byamukama says at the family level girls and
women are not given property because of the
belief that they will leave home and get
married in other families where they will have
access to property but this is not true. Usually
once these women are married off they are
only allocated pieces of land for crop
cultivation strictly.
Carol Namagembe, the Communication officer
of Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE),
says while women own about 40 percent of
private businesses in Uganda, their role in
socio-economic development is still seen to be
peripheral. They still have unequal access to
and control of productive assets like land with
only 20 percent of registered land owned by
women according to the 2010 National
Development Plan yet they contribute 70-75
percent to the total agricultural production
(Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2005). This
affects their ability to access other productive
resources and undermines the potential of
women’s hard work and their ability as
entrepreneurs.
The World Development Report 2012, states
that the lives of girls and women have
changed dramatically over the past quarter
century, the report mentions areas that need
to be worked on to ensure gender equality
and development.
The report points to the need for property
rights for women which constrain their
bargaining power and the need to strengthen
the laws that provide for the right to
ownership of property.
Ann Kampire the Coordinator women’s Land
Rights at Uganda Land Alliance says women’s
property rights are limited by social norms
and customs which make it hard for women to
access property. She says the most affected
group are those who are widowed, separated
or divorced and those who have born only
female children often have little or no access
to ownership of property.
Namagembe says such factors which constrain
women make it hard for them to prosper in
their own right and it dents efforts put in
place to help women enjoy equal rights as
their male counterparts.
In Mukono district only, a survey carried out
by International Justice Mission (IJM) between
2005 and 2007 reveals that out of 115 widows,
41 percent have experienced property
grabbing, and this percentage increases to 51
percent if attempts/threats of property
grabbing are included. Continues on pg.10
“This year, Uganda will mark 50
years and property ownership for
women is one of the most stinging
issues whose solution has no not
yet been found”
Women in Uganda’s villages
INFLUENCE
local budgets and policies
“Now that I am aware of my rights as a
citizen, I feel so empowered”, said Aber
Evalyn a 51 year-old woman from Uum village
in the North of Uganda after participating in
trainings held by the Forum for Women in
Democracy to increase women’s involvement
in the decision-making processes at the
community level.
A grantee of UN Women’s Fund for Gender
Equality, the Forum for Women in Democracy
trained women in 16 communities in Uganda
to form Village Budget Clubs. These clubs are
working to ensure that women are actively
involved in budget allocation and decisions
regarding gender-sensitive policy measures at
the local level. Aber Evalyn is one of the 320
people who benefited from a three-day
training session designed to empower
communities to demand accountability and
the provision of better services from public
authorities.
According to the 2006 Uganda Demographic
and Health survey (UDHS), while 35 per cent
of women make decisions regarding small
daily household expenses on their own at the
household level, a striking 85 per cent have to
consult their husbands about any major
household choices. “After the training
sessions, women are now aware of how our
taxes on soap, cooking oil and many other
things, can eventually bring developmental
activities to our communities”, said Aber
Evalyn “We also know now that it is our right
and responsibility to attend the village budget
meetings so as to determine what services are
to come to us as citizens and especially as
women”.
Evalyn now attends all the meetings and
contributes to debates and discussions to
solve collective issues.
Like Evalyn, many other women in the villages
of Uganda are now taking part in the
dialogues on local budgets.
In Kasaala Parish village, Luwero District,
Nakazi Edisa, a mother of four young children,
also attended the Forum’s trainings. “For the
last two years, my children have not been
receiving adequate de-worming tablets, nor
had they been immunized for measles, polio,
etc. It was very difficult for me to take the
four children to Kasana Health Center over
five kilometers away, and private clinics in my
village are too expensive”, she explained.
Last year after the trainings, Edisa and the
women of the Village Budget Club lobbied the
District Councilor to set up a health facility in
the village, along with petitioning the Chief
Administrative Officer regarding drugs
shortage at the Kasana health unit. The
mobilization was successful and eventually
the local authorities decided to build a health
centre in the village, which provides
immunization and essential medicine for
children, free of cost.
Along with health education and economic
empowerment, the Village Budget Clubs are
bringing dignity and ownership for many
women. As Evalyn, who today serves as the
trainings Chairperson of several community
groups, explains, “Before the Forum for
Women in Democracy’s trainings, I was a
‘nobody’ in my community. I could not speak
in any community meetings or raise any
pertinent questions that affected me and
other women. The leadership role for me has
been possible because of the trainings that
opened up my eyes and showed me that my
views are required in the development of my
community”, she concluded.
Along with the work at the village level,
FOWODE has trained legislators and
government officials in Uganda to ensure that
gender-responsive programming is also
effected at the national level.
Submitted by FOWODE Gender Budget Program
The VBC approach increases community activism,
checks corruption and brings leaders to account
for their actions.
UPCOMING EVENT:
THE UGANDA FEMINIST FORUM
Theme: "Spreading our Wings"
Date: 1st – 4th August 2012
Host Secretariat: FOWODE
here is failing and
falling, the one tiny
raindrop found its way
in. The one drop of
greed, finding its way
through faint hearts,
once innocent minds
falling to the drop of
temptation, of juicy
fat deals, palm
greasing and kickbacks,
causing these patches,
these potholes,
The look on the faces that surround her
pushes her feeling of triumph to the edge
of guilt. A tornado of thoughts engulf
her; what do they think of me? She
ponders. These worried faces; do they
want me to stop? Is it worth it? Am I
being selfish, putting my friends and
family through this? The questions cannot
stop, like an unending loop of a nagging
song they whirl on, through her head. She
does not know where they are coming
from and she cannot stop these
questions.
Her eyes sting with ripples of pain
comparable to none ever hosted in
nerves. In the inevitable instances when
she has to blink, her heart skips a beat as
though to take a bow for the surge of
pain that will follow. She can swear there
are a thousand tiny sharp needles lodged
underneath her eyelids. She has to keep
her eyes open for unnatural paces of
time. The look on her face can pass, with
flying colours, any interview for being an
Askari, yet here she lies in pain, a
mother, possibly poisoned, confined to a
hospital bed.
May be I am an Askari, a Vote Askari? She
contemplates. Her lips part to unfold a
babyish smile, probably a toast to the
weird thoughts in her head. “How can I
smile with all these worried faces around
me?” She seems to ponder as her smile
vanishes almost unnoticed. She stares at
the brownish, ring-like stain patches on
the once white soft-board ceiling above,
her mind wanders and she is soon lost in
yet another whirl of thoughts...
Is it really worth it? Risking my life in the
presence of loved ones... the thoughts go
on.
Echoes from a dust filled, small black
television caged in a rusting metallic box
just below the top corner of the hospital
ward interrupts her thoughts.
Breaking News!- IPC Women Riot against the
Electoral Commission, She sees herself on
TV, being hurled, stumped and slapped, her
dress is torn as she is roughed-up tossed and
battered. She sees a body in uniform
spraying something in her face! She suddenly
collapses, dragged and dumped on a police
truck. Seeing all this breaks her heart, she
can barely hold it, an icy liquid rolls slowly
from her eyes down to her bruised cheek,
she sees the same on the faces around her.
She thinks of the raindrop, and how we
cannot let it in. She wipes her tears and
waits to strike again, another day.
.‘she thinks of how a raindrop falling
aimlessly from the sky, landed on the roof
above meandered along the corrugated roof
till it finds a small unguarded crack in the
iron sheets, through which it descended on
the ceiling below. It is unbelievable! How,
what began as a single raindrop has stained
this ceiling above? It is inconceivable that a
single drop of rain left untouched has caused
this ceiling to moulder. It is a shame that no
one has done anything about this. It is only a
matter of time before the whole ceiling
moulds and falls in. She thinks of the ceiling
and how it will soon render this hospital
inhabitable, how one tiny raindrop can cause
such visible decay.
She thinks of this nation and sees how it is
decaying, just like the ceiling. The dirty
smelly roads scattered with litter, silt and
sewage clogged gutters; the system
SOCIAL POLITICAL
CORNER:
THE RAIN DROP
this damn electoral clique! She thinks of
herself having to wait in a line to vote when
she knows her vote may be corrupted.
By a member of the FOWODE Young Leaders Alumni
Association (FYLAA)
Women; why put your property in a
man’s name? Continued from pg.3
Scott Adams a Media Relations Fellow at IJM Uganda an
organization that helps widows retain their property says
some of the outstanding
widows’ land ownership include the myths about land law
and the belief by most women that they
property. The complicated land administration processes,
weak laws and the laxity exercised in handling property
grabbers make it hard for women to
own property. Most times these women keep silent as
their property is grabbed from
forum to voice their views.
This year, Uganda will mark 50 years and property
ownership for women is one of the most stinging issues
whose solution has not yet been found.
Byamukama says unless women are more enlightened
about their rights, women will continue being denied this
right. She says women who are able to acquire property
on their own should move away from the habit of
registering that property
male relative’s name because this onl
that property can only be owned by the men.
Patricia Munabi Babiiha the Executive Director of FOWODE
says the uneven, gender inequalities which
hinder the advancement of women only prove that women
have to fight harder because
comfortable zone yet.
Legislators are proposing amendments to the
Act to help women own property. The long awaited
Marriage and Divorce bill that
of property is yet to be passed
would help many a number of women.
By Rukiya Mukama, The Independent Magazine
The Young Leaders’ Camp was held for 30 young who underwent
fun packed training on
leadership. The training focused on raising the young leader’s
consciousness of gender equality and social justice.
inculcated in the young leaders the values of equity and equality
between men and women in Uganda in a bid to make them
socially conscious and responsible leaders.
Women; why put your property in a
Continued from pg.3
Scott Adams a Media Relations Fellow at IJM Uganda an
organization that helps widows retain their property says
some of the outstanding challenges to women’s and
widows’ land ownership include the myths about land law
and the belief by most women that they cannot own
property. The complicated land administration processes,
weak laws and the laxity exercised in handling property
grabbers make it hard for women to pursue their right to
own property. Most times these women keep silent as
bed from them because they have no
forum to voice their views.
This year, Uganda will mark 50 years and property
ownership for women is one of the most stinging issues
whose solution has not yet been found.
Byamukama says unless women are more enlightened
about their rights, women will continue being denied this
right. She says women who are able to acquire property
on their own should move away from the habit of
property in either their husband’s or
male relative’s name because this only proves the myth
that property can only be owned by the men.
the Executive Director of FOWODE
says the uneven, gender inequalities which continue to
hinder the advancement of women only prove that women
fight harder because they have not reached their
Legislators are proposing amendments to the Succession
Act to help women own property. The long awaited
bill that recognizes joint ownership
of property is yet to be passed, if affected into law it
would help many a number of women.
Independent Magazine
The Young Leaders’ Camp was held for 30 young who underwent
fun packed training on alternative and transformative
The training focused on raising the young leader’s
consciousness of gender equality and social justice. It further
inculcated in the young leaders the values of equity and equality
between men and women in Uganda in a bid to make them
socially conscious and responsible leaders.
Women; why put your property in a
Scott Adams a Media Relations Fellow at IJM Uganda an
organization that helps widows retain their property says
challenges to women’s and
widows’ land ownership include the myths about land law
cannot own
property. The complicated land administration processes,
weak laws and the laxity exercised in handling property
to
own property. Most times these women keep silent as
because they have no
This year, Uganda will mark 50 years and property
ownership for women is one of the most stinging issues
Byamukama says unless women are more enlightened
about their rights, women will continue being denied this
right. She says women who are able to acquire property
on their own should move away from the habit of
in either their husband’s or
y proves the myth
the Executive Director of FOWODE
continue to
hinder the advancement of women only prove that women
they have not reached their
uccession
Act to help women own property. The long awaited
joint ownership
into law it
Kabale District Technical staff,
parliamentary Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) champions during a monitoring visit in Kabale district.
The parliamentary GRB champions’ visits organized by Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association
FOWODE were conducted in Kabale, Lira and Busia districts to support efforts of increasing visibility on
the importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting and also enhance the oversight function of Members of
Parliament in promoting gender equality in Ugan
Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and UWOPA identified gender responsive budget champions in the 9
Parliament to champion the Gender equality campaign within the parliament.
Richard Sunday, FOWODE field officer in Luwero explaining the village budget club model during the
2nd edition of the National CSO Fair, held in June 2012.
Society1 under the theme “Act Together, Shape the Future, Civi
showcase the important role played and contribution that civil society organizations have made and
continue to make towards development over the past fifty years and into
The Young Leaders’ Camp was held for 30 young who underwent
alternative and transformative
The training focused on raising the young leader’s
It further
inculcated in the young leaders the values of equity and equality
between men and women in Uganda in a bid to make them A district Councilor during a gender budget training in Kitgum in April 2012.
FOWODE in partnership with Diakonia
“Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and
Accountability” is funded
Programme Uganda (DGAP
FOWODE BRIEFS
Kabale District Technical staff, Hon. Katoto, Hon. Lucy Ajok and Hon. Ninsiima, members of the
parliamentary Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) champions during a monitoring visit in Kabale district.
The parliamentary GRB champions’ visits organized by Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association
FOWODE were conducted in Kabale, Lira and Busia districts to support efforts of increasing visibility on
the importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting and also enhance the oversight function of Members of
Parliament in promoting gender equality in Uganda. In 2011, FOWODE together with the Office of the
Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and UWOPA identified gender responsive budget champions in the 9
Parliament to champion the Gender equality campaign within the parliament.
Sunday, FOWODE field officer in Luwero explaining the village budget club model during the
2nd edition of the National CSO Fair, held in June 2012.
under the theme “Act Together, Shape the Future, Civi
showcase the important role played and contribution that civil society organizations have made and
continue to make towards development over the past fifty years and into
A district Councilor during a gender budget training in Kitgum in April 2012.
partnership with Diakonia launched an 18 months program
Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and
ed by the European Union through t
AP) and is implemented in Kitgum, K
FOWODE BRIEFS
Hon. Katoto, Hon. Lucy Ajok and Hon. Ninsiima, members of the
parliamentary Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) champions during a monitoring visit in Kabale district.
The parliamentary GRB champions’ visits organized by Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association
FOWODE were conducted in Kabale, Lira and Busia districts to support efforts of increasing visibility on
the importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting and also enhance the oversight function of Members of
da. In 2011, FOWODE together with the Office of the
Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and UWOPA identified gender responsive budget champions in the 9
Parliament to champion the Gender equality campaign within the parliament.
Sunday, FOWODE field officer in Luwero explaining the village budget club model during the
2nd edition of the National CSO Fair, held in June 2012. The fair gathered over 5000 members of Civil
under the theme “Act Together, Shape the Future, Civil Society in Uganda at 50,” in an effort to
showcase the important role played and contribution that civil society organizations have made and
continue to make towards development over the past fifty years and into the future.
A district Councilor during a gender budget training in Kitgum in April 2012.
launched an 18 months program in April 2012. The project
Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and
h the Democratic Governance and A
, Kotido and Abim districts.
Hon. Katoto, Hon. Lucy Ajok and Hon. Ninsiima, members of the
parliamentary Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) champions during a monitoring visit in Kabale district.
The parliamentary GRB champions’ visits organized by Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association and
FOWODE were conducted in Kabale, Lira and Busia districts to support efforts of increasing visibility on
the importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting and also enhance the oversight function of Members of
da. In 2011, FOWODE together with the Office of the
Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and UWOPA identified gender responsive budget champions in the 9th
Sunday, FOWODE field officer in Luwero explaining the village budget club model during the
The fair gathered over 5000 members of Civil
l Society in Uganda at 50,” in an effort to
showcase the important role played and contribution that civil society organizations have made and
. The project titled
Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and Social
d Accountability
‘‘Women have strengths that amaze me; They bear hardships and they carry
burdens, But, they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream.’
So the question is, if these beings are quite
unique and amazingly special: Why then is
Domestic Violence on rampage? Why is it that
the things we love actually kill us? Globally,
one in three women and girls experience
physical and / or sexual violence. 60% of
women in Uganda and 59% of married women
have experienced physical violence since the
age of fifteen mostly perpetuated by their
husbands or partners according to an Isis-
WICCE Report on Domestic Violence in
Uganda.
Great men, women and several distinguished
people, commonly referred to as ‘Humans’
have one fear, do you know what that is? No, I
bet you don’t! The fear of the unknown! This
is the sole cause of all hell breaking loose in
homes today. No one seems to know what the
future holds which can at times lead to
monotony of life resulting into mental
retardation causing so many men to bit their
women.
There are chilling stories in the media and
Uganda’s entertainment industry detailing
such incidents; for instance, the story; ‘Man
Kills Wife over Love SMS’ which was in ‘New
Vision, Monday 15th December 2008’. Abdul
Karim Ssengendo describes a man who
smashed the head of his wife causing her
death because he had allegedly read a love
SMS on her mobile
(www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/664815).
Hon. Godi Akbar, an ex MP for Arua
Municipality in Northern Uganda was in on
charges of murdering his wife in 2008. He
reportedly shot her twice using his pistol. He
complained of having read a text message on
his wife’s phone from her lover. Can we know
whence this uproar, barbaric and
excommunicated act comes and whence we
are heading?
Poverty, absence of any sound religious
background resulting into continuous mistrust
with alcohol as the catalyst; are all
contributors to life being so futile thus the
Hell in the homes!
How do YOU get rid of this craze of treating
women like football?
Well the easiest remedy I can render is for
both men and women to be respectful to one
another, for them to preserve private time for
their family, learn to control and manage
anger, to keep promises, to make fair
judgment, learn to work with emotional
intelligence, be innovative enough to provide
for the family, pray to God always and
communicate with each other.
"There is no THEM, it is all US. It is just ‘US’ – we are
the world." Michael Jackson
Story by Flavia Kalule
Image by Racheal Tobias, former Intern FOWODE
HELL LET LOOSE!!
A Victor with Purpose
Mary Kemirembe, like many girls in
Nyakishenyi village in Rukungiri district,
dropped out of school at an early age,
while her brothers continued. She was
married off immediately and by the age
of 21 she already had four children. She
was later diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and in
2005 her husband succumbed to the
disease leaving her with four children to
fend for. She inherited debts from her
deceased husband and was compelled to
take refuge in another village because of
the difficult terms for debt payment since
her income status was already very low.
To fend for her family, she regularly
worked on people’s farms to earn a living.
Whilst sharing her life story, Mary says “I
used to feel so stigmatized by the reality
that my days are numbered because of my
HIV/AIDS status. When FOWODE began its
trainings for the vulnerable women, I
realized that I needed to appreciate
myself more and to work hard for a better
future.
I also appreciated the fact that as a
woman, I can also make a difference in
people’s lives by living positively and
relating well with people in whose
midst I live. I feel more loved and
useful to society now. Through the
trainings I attended, I have become
aware of my rights and deserve fair
treatment from all. In fact, I now
counsel others and encourage them to
be happy and focused. I will continue
engaging in income generating
projects like piggery and making local
banana juice (Eshande / mubisi) from
which I earn income.
I am grateful that we now have a
forum as women where we meet and
discuss factors for improving our
livelihoods.
Mary is one the women from Kabale
and Rukungiri districts who at the
beginning of this year were organized
by FOWODE and equipped with skills in
life skills, leadership and
entrepreneurship development. The
women later formed groups through
which they work to improve their
economic status and wellbeing.
Lauriano (centre) making banana juice which she sells for
income
E library is powered by an
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The policy brief on Health analyses the gender
dynamics within the health sector in Uganda. It
highlights key gender issues in the health sector,
attempts to address gender issues within the
health sectors, health care constraints and key
policy recommendations that need to be
addressed to enhance performance as a means
of contributing positively to promoting women’s
health.
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The Agriculture Sector policy brief presents an
analysis of gender issues in the agriculture sector
in Uganda; highlights the efforts so far taken by
the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and
Fisheries (MAAIF) in addressing these issues;
constraints that hinder engendering of the
agriculture sector and makes policy
recommendations for improvement.
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This Policy Brief mainly focuses on primary and
secondary education as they are the foundation
for education. The gender issues being discussed
here are identified using comparable data from
the National Service delivery Survey2004, and
Uganda National House hold survey 2005 /06
and other available literature. The major issues
include access to primary education, dropout
rates in primary and secondary schools;
completion of primary education and performance
both at primary and secondary levels
The FOWODE resource center is a ONE STOP CENTER, where you can access over 1000 information materials relevant to the FOWODE Thematic areas of Gender, Governance, Democracy, and Human rights. You can also access internet, photocopying and printing services. Please visit the FOWODE website, www.fowode.org or the FOWODE resource center at our offices in Ntinda publications below and many more.
VISIT THE FOWODE RESOURCE CENTER
The FOWODE library has an online public access catalogue (OPAC) which is
powered by web 2.0 technology. To view our e-library visit the following link:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/fowoderesourcecentre