Districts to get sh3m for women’s day celebrations - Gender minister

WOMEN'S | DAY | DISTRICTS

KAMPALA - Each district in Uganda will for the first time get sh3m to fund the international women’s day celebrations.

Betty Amongi, the minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, said the National Women Council and other women's groups had asked for funding to take women’s day celebrations to the grassroots.

This was during the launch of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA)’s five-year strategic plan at Imperial Royale Hotel on Friday, February 3, 2023.

Amongi urged female MPs to see that the activities they are pursuing have to be included in budgets and funded.

Amongi said that in the past the women’s day celebrations in the district received little or zero funding as compared to similar events

The Third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama, wore the shoes of the Vice President Jessica Alupo at the function.

Nakadama mentioned that the strategic plan supports the government's policies of promoting gender equity and equality. 

Nakadama commended many female MPs who were national in character despite the different parties they were elected from.

“Because of the policy of affirmative action, many women have taken up top positions of leadership in Government. For example, 48% of the Cabinet ministers are made up of women and 33% of Parliament is made up of women,” Nakadama said.

Nakadama urged women to ensure that they get their 30% share of the Parish Development Funds and also share in the 70% portion.

While for the funds for youths underfund, female youths are entitled to 5%, boys 5% and female persons with disabilities are entitled to 5%.

Sarah Opendi, the chairperson of UWOPA, said they want to work with regional Parliaments to combat female genital mutilation.

“Women's day celebrations have been held at urban centers and it has no impact on women at the grassroots. We want the celebrations to be held in sub-counties and the district women MPs should be the focal point persons,” Opendi said.

Opendi added that to fight climate change they want all women to get involved in tree-planting activities.

Sima Bahous, the executive director UN Women, said the strategic plan includes critical issues like women’s empowerment, tackling food insecurity, poverty and women’s rights.

“Violence against women is on the increase despite the existence of many laws. Teenage pregnancy has increased. We need to provide support to the many young mothers,” Bahous remarked.

She further said that women caucuses in Parliament play an important role because they can influence the design and implementation of government programmes.

“We will support women MPs so that they can deliver. UN Women is not against men as some people think,” Bahouse noted.

Dorah Byamukama Uganda’s former representative at the East African Legislative Assembly and former Mwenge South MP in a keynote address explained that the strategic plan gives a sense of direction, focus, accountability and transforms words into action.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail. We have many laws but many are not being implemented. We need to ask why,” Byamukama said.

She tipped female MPs to always ask themselves how many questions they have asked in Parliament, and how they have contributed to the debate on bills. She indicated at the end of serving in Parliament, life does not end for MPs.

The strategic plan targets to increase the number and quality of women in politics and key decision-making positions, and increase access to economic opportunities for females in Uganda.

Others are; preventing violence against females, improve access to quality health care and education for females, combating corruption, promote peace and security.