African pastoralist women network launched in Kampala

KAMPALA - The Vice –President of Uganda, Jessica Apel Alupo, has launched the African Pastoralists Women Network (APWG), a strategic, collaborative platform, which aims at strengthening the voices of African pastoralist women and girls.

APWG will also advance policy influence and continental solidarity with strategic objectives focusing on national and regional policy framework on land governance, pastoralism and women's rights.

Above all, strengthen the women pastoralists coalition on the continent of Africa.
Presiding over the launch during the five-day gathering for African women pastoralists’ ongoing at the Speke Hotel in Munyonyo on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Alupo also proposed the layout of the African rangelands and pastoralist learning centre to be established in Napak district.

She hailed the participating countries, saying that the gathering has attracted over 200 participants from the Northern sub-Saharan Africa, West, Central and Southern regions of Africa.

Dignitaries at the conference included the state minister for ethics Lily Akello. 
Emphasing that Uganda Government is committed to ensuring pastoralism thrives in the country,” Alupo said pastoralist women play a critical role but are often invisible in animal care, food production, and household resilience, including peace building.

“Thus, this gathering creates space for sharing experiences, challenges, success and learning about value addition with livestock products,” she said.

She urged participants at the gathering to come out with deliberations and concrete answers on: pastoral women leadership association, proposals on gender responsive national, regional and global pastoral polices and frameworks. 

She also pushed for answers on: the women's land rights and tenure security measures, climate resilience and ecosystem stewardship, among others.

Vice President Jesca Alupo addressing the over 200 African pastoralist women at Speke resort Munyonyo in Kampala. (Credit: Olandason Wanyama)

On food and nutrition security, Alupo lamented the recorded decline in livestock productivity, limiting milk and meat supplies.

“The absence of an organised system for pasture production, pasture seed banks and veterinary service aggravates livestock losses, limiting mobility,” she stated, adding that the insufficient understanding of pastoral ecological and socio-economic value among policy makers leads to the prescription of often unworkable interventions.

Alupo further said that governance structures were often excluding traditional pastoralist systems, resulting in effective management and resource conflicts. 

She also said the lack of comprehensive long-term data on rangeland conditions, including pastoralist livelihood, hinders evidence–based decision–making.

“So as the government of Uganda, we pledge to continue creating an enabling environment for pastoralism,” Alupo noted.

Applauding partners and funders who have contributed to the success of the African pastoralist gathering in the country.

Alupo advised the women to ensure they eliminate conflict amongst the pastoralists’ community, telling them to be more developmental.

“What is positive, let's promote, anything negative influence we drop, life, female genital mutilation that is very dangerous to the girl child,” she said.  

She said there was a need for the livestock keepers to be proud of their culture.

"Feel free, dress in our traditional wear at all times,” Akello said, adding that as pastoralists’ women, we need to be seen. Do not be ashamed of your cultural identity,” she added.

She asked women to take care of their families, protect the range lands, saying these areas are a source of livelihood among the pastoralists.

Hannah Longole, the Executive Director for Ateker Cultural Centre, Karamoja, said the pastoral women's network will facilitate the cross-regional awareness and storytelling on the African continent.

She added that the centre will also develop the Pan-African Pastoralist women charter for range lands and resilience.

The gathering, the first of its kind in the country, hinges on the theme, “Voices from the range lands: African Pastoralist women rising for land rights, climate justice, equity and peace”.