At least 17% of women in Uganda are not paid for their work.

However, according to the Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) report 2022, only nine per cent of men in employment suffer the same fate, which reveals structural inequalities between men and women that continue to persist in Uganda.

Released on March 7, 2024, by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, the study, which surveyed most currently married women and men aged 15-49, also noted variations in capacity by men and women to find work.

It noted that while 76 per cent of women surveyed revealed being employed in the last 12 months before the survey, the numbers among men were higher — 96 per cent among men. 

During the survey, 66 per cent of employed men and 58% of employed women said they are paid cash only.

Control over earnings

According to the report, more than half (52%) of the women in Uganda decide on their own how their earnings will be used, while 39% decide jointly with their husbands. The report says 9% of women said their husband is the main decision maker.

When asked if they earn about the same as their husband, 16 per cent (over one in five) answered in the affirmative, while seven per cent said they earned more than their husbands.

On participation in household decisions, the 2022 UDHS asked married women about their participation in three types of household decisions — their health care, making major household purchases, and visits to family or relatives.

The report noted that more than half (65%) of currently married women aged 15-49 said they participate in all three specific household decisions either alone or jointly with their husbands.

"Women mainly participate in decisions about making visits to their family or relatives (80%) and own health care (78%) than decisions about making major household purchases (74%),” the report said, adding that more than 4 in 10 currently married women (40%) do not participate in any of the three decisions.

It noted, however, that the proportion of currently married women aged 15-49 who participate in all three decisions increased from 29% in 2000-01 to 39% in 2006, was stable at 38% in 2011, then increased to 51% in 2016 and reduced to 40% in 2022.