Catholic women’s global conference set to begin in Uganda

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Over 220 women from across the world have arrived in Uganda for a four-day international conference, which starts Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

The first-ever World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisation (WUCWO) conference in Uganda is being held under the African Regional grouping. It is organised by the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC) in collaboration with WUCWO.

The president general of WUCWO, Mónica Santamarina, is among the international delegates in the country. She arrived on Monday, July 28, at Entebbe International Airport and was welcomed by a reception team that included the African regional president from Tanzania, Melisa Tenga, who arrived earlier.

According to Florence Kwesigabo, the coordinator of family programmes at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat, the conference will officially open on Tuesday with a Eucharistic celebration at the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo, led by the Archbishop of Kampala, Paul Ssemogerere.

The event is held under the theme “Nurturing Parenthood, a Journey to Happiness and Holiness,” with Vice President Jessica Alupo as the chief guest.

This is the first Catholic women’s conference of its kind to be held in Uganda. It will be attended by participants from 14 countries through national and diocesan Catholic Church structures. Women from all 19 Catholic dioceses in Uganda are also expected to attend.

President General of WUCWO Mónica Santamarina holds her flowers after being welcomed by the team in Uganda on her arrival at Entebbe International Airport on Monday morning July 28, 2025. (Photo by Juliet Anna Lukwago)

Delegates have come from Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mali, Guinea, Gabon and Italy.

The conference runs from July 29 to August 1, 2025.

“All participants are already in Uganda for the conference, which will take place at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe after the opening Mass at Namugongo,” Kwesigabo said.

She noted that the Uganda Catholic Secretariat, in collaboration with the Uganda Catholic Women’s Apostolate, is honoured to host the WUCWO meeting in Kampala under the theme “Women as custodians of Mother Earth.”

She described the conference as a vital platform to advance the implementation of WUCWO’s mission. “During the conference in Assisi, Italy (Rome), in May 2023–2027, we came up with six resolutions as adopted in the General Assembly to facilitate dialogue on objectives of the organisation, which is to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic Women in the society and the church.”

“We have six resolutions to be discussed on, including that women also hope to utilise this space to fulfil their mission of evangelisation and to work for global integral human development,” Kwesigabo said.

She added that the conference also aims to assess how Catholic women’s organisations are implementing these resolutions and key focus areas.

“There are other equally important topics to be discussed during the conference, among them include: support to migrants and refugees, networking by international, Africans, and national (WUCWO), spiritual support, launch of Magnificat House, education empowerment, medical and health service, social service, among others,” Kwesigabo added.

She explained that WUCWO, founded in 1910, is now 115 years old. Uganda became a member in 2017.

“Uganda is lucky to host this conference only eight years since it became a member of (WUCWO),” she added.

Mary Assumpta Gidudu, President of the Uganda Catholic Women Council (Apostolate), elaborated that WUCWO's mission is to “promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable them to fulfil their mission of evangelisation and to work for human development.”

She added that the organisation represents nearly 100 Catholic women’s groups worldwide, operating in about 50 countries across all continents and some island states, with over eight million Catholic women from various walks of life.

“WUCWO’s aim is to promote the presence, participation and co-responsibility of Catholic women in society and the Church, in order to enable them to fulfil their mission of evangelization and to work for human development, particularly in increasing educational opportunities, poverty reduction and the advancement of human rights beginning with the fundamental right to life,” she said.