Successful: Rachael Mayanja works for the UN’s Annan

By Alice Emasu
A Ugandan woman has been appointed United Nations special advisor to the Secretary General on gender issues and advancement of women.
Rachael Mayanja will assume her new office in New York next month.
The news of her appointment excited Ugandan women activists. Led by Isis-Wicce, an international women’s organisation, the women came together last week to congratulate Mayanja on the achievement.
In a brief speech, Mayanja said she was honoured by Koffi Annan’s gesture.
“I think my appointment is a recognition that African women have contributed tremendously to the work of the United Nations,” she said.
“Beijing platform (UN Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women-CEDAW) is rich in prescriptions but thin in practice. To avoid marginalisation, women should ensure that these prescriptions are put into reality,” Mayanja said amidst cheers and merry-making.
“We’re thrilled that one of our own has made it within a prestigious institution,” said Jessica Nkuuhe, Isis-Wicce associate exchange programme director. She hoped that Mayanja’s appointment would help rekindle the UN to maintain its focus on gender issues.
“There has been competition of concerns such as globalisation that would overshadow the women’s movement,” Nkuuhe said.
Kanyoro Nsimbi, Isis-Wicce president, challenged Mayanja to analyse gender policies, highlighted especially in the UN Millennium Development goals and come up with concrete gender policies that would put an end to marginalisation of women.
Thelma Awori, a retired employee of the UN said the post Mayanja ascended to was a lonely office and would require her to keep in touch with women to be updated about women’s concerns.
Mayanja, a Gayaza old girl, has however, also served on issues of peace in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Her previous appointment was at the UN food and agricultural organisation (FAO) in various ranks in Africa, Europe and Middle East since 1997.
Mayanja, whose tasks among others will entail overseeing the implementation of women’s concerns that were prioritised during the 1995 world conference on women held in Beijing China, says she would focus on the economic empowerment of especially the rural women.
Other areas of priority are peace-building, women health and girls’ education.
She pledged to prepare regular reports for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)to update it on gender issues. The CSW is also a UN initiative created to focus on issues of women.
Mayanja, who replaces Angella King of Namibia, the first woman to spearhead gender issues at the UN, says she foresees major challenges.
“Because my job entails looking at how society relates with women, how to influence it to recognise women’s rights is my biggest worry.”
To her, member states are not doing enough to emancipate particularly, the rural women. Women need to be given employment opportunities. Those in business need support in form of skills and loans.
Born to the late Yuzia Mayanja and Norah Nantongo of Kyanja, Kampala district, Mayanja is the third born in a family of nine. She studied law at Makerere University. She met a UN high commissioner for refugees at the end of her course and he challenged her to work for refugees under the UN system. She did her masters degree at Harvard University. Since then, she has had no regrets.
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