Uganda, as it assumes the Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), will also serve as the coordinating secretariat for all NAM activities.

Under Azerbaijan's leadership, the NAM Youth and Women Forums were established, and Uganda has to take on the responsibility of implementing the forums' objectives.

Betty Amongi, the Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development, stated that the women of Uganda, within the framework of NAM, are actively working towards establishing the NAM Women Forum Secretariat in Uganda.

This initiative, she said aims to effectively coordinate matters concerning women across NAM member states over the next three years, while advocating for economic empowerment and women's leadership.

Betty Amongi Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development addressing participants during the NAM Women meeting at Skyz Hotel on January 17, 2024. Photo by Nancy Nanyonga

Officiating at the sideline NAM women's event held at Skyz Hotel in Naguru Kampala on January 17, 2024, she noted that the coordination of all resolutions pertaining to women from NAM will be overseen and coordinated by the Ugandan secretariat of the NAM women's platform.

The event was held under the theme: “Strengthening Women’s Rights and Empowerment in NAM Countries”.

The meeting was attended by women across the NAM countries. NAM has membership in 126 countries, organized by government, with support from UNAIDS, UN Women, Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), and Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET).

Amongi observed that women continue to be excluded from decision-making positions, thereby suppressing their voices.

“That is why this secretariat will be important to ensure that all member states fulfill their obligations towards women empowerment,” she added.

Despite the numerous global obligations aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women, she noted that gender inequality continues to persist in numerous countries, particularly those in the developing world.

A number of women's rights advocates and women leaders within the NAM emphasized the importance of member states guaranteeing gender equality and progress in order to achieve the necessary social and economic development.

Amongi noted that under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), the target is to close the gender inequality gap.

However, she stressed that the only way to achieve this is by tackling the problem of poverty, specifically by cutting the poverty rates among women by half.

She said the current situation in Uganda, the majority of women fall into the poorest category.

She stressed that in order to bridge this gender gap, the United Nations has calculated that ‘we need an annual investment of approximately $360 billion’ for initiatives such as economic empowerment, education, skill development for women, and providing financial support for women to start and grow their businesses.

“Today, many women cannot plant longtime crops like coffee or cotton because they have no security overland,” she noted.

The responsibility of ensuring the actualization of the women's platform lies with Uganda as the new chair of NAM, according to Patricia Babiiha, the Executive Director of the Forum for Women in Democracy.

She emphasized that the event aimed to highlight the commitment made by NAM countries during the 18th summit in Azerbaijan, where they pledged to promote gender equality and women's rights.

She emphasized the significance of actively participating in the NAM, which consists of 120 nations, as it strives to challenge the existing norms, break down obstacles, and promote inclusive communities.