Oxfam showcases tool that addresses gender inequality

Mar 10, 2015

As Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day, OXFAM in partnership with the Women’s Empowerment Mainstreaming and Networking (WEMAN) members showcased the Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) Methodology to a cross-section of stakeholders under the theme ‘Empow

As Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day, OXFAM in partnership with the Women’s Empowerment Mainstreaming and Networking (WEMAN) members, showcased the Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) Methodology to a cross-section of stakeholders under the theme ‘Empowering Women to optimize resources for the benefit of all Ugandans.’

 
GALS Methodology is a community led methodology that uses visual diagrams to empower women and men imagine the future they want and take action against any barriers that inhibit it including those societal norms that drive gender inequality and injustice. Senninde attended the event on behalf of the Speaker of Parliament.
 
Peter Kamalingin, Country Director OXFAM said, ‘The GALS Methodology, which is a key approach used by OXFAM and its implementing partners aims to involve stakeholders to challenge and address gender inequalities at household and community levels in Uganda using simple drawings.’ He said that the GALS methodology which has had tremendous success over the years also addresses power issues between communities, religious & traditional authorities, private sector and Government actors through the use of a series of tools that enable household members to negotiate their needs and interests to find innovative, gender-equitable solutions in livelihoods planning and value-chain development.

Kamalingin further noted that the GALS showcase is not only in line with this year’s International Women’s Day National theme:

‘Empowerment of Women and Girls is Progress for All: Three Decades of Gains for Ugandan Women and Girls’ but also relates with the African Union‘s summit theme: ‘Women's Empowerment Year and Africa Development for the concretization of Agenda 2063.’ Both themes are focusing on the need for women and girls to get empowered in fully optimizing their potential both in Uganda and beyond for the benefit of all.
 
“From the testimonies and documentary, you will soon confirm that this methodology is a powerful means by which one can empower individuals, families, communities, businesses and leaders to transform relations and lives in ways that are lasting. For those of you who believe in building citizen voices and citizen actions and deepening gender justice – you can’t be looking for a better tool.” Peter Kamalagin said.
 
Speaking on behalf of the WEMAN members who are the implementing partners of the GALS Methodology, Ms. Stella Lutalo Country Coordinator Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) said, ‘We are five organisations participating in the implementation of the GALS Methodology to include PELUM, Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers’ Forum Uganda (ESAFF), Volunteer Efforts for Development Concerns (VEDCO), Community Organisation for Rural Enterprise Activity Management (CREAM) and Community Empowerment For Rural Development (CEFORD).
 
Lutalo elaborated that the GALS methodology was first piloted by Oxfam and the WEMAN members in Western Uganda within the Rwenzori region of Kasese and later rolled out to other regions of Northern Uganda that included West Nile, Acholi and Karamoja.
 
Parliament Commissioner representing the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga as Guest of Honour said, “Oxfam has had visible impact on humanitarian cases and through broad range of programmes designed to empower our people and communities against poverty itself a mirror low level of human dignity which the majority of our people face as a developing nation.”
 
She added that choosing an exhibition event that showcases GALS as a creative and illustrative way of tailored response to gender issues at household/community level, is certainly a remarkable style of celebrating the International Women’s Day, which bears relevance to the catchment community of Oxfam’s operation.
 
She noted that a big number of mothers and sisters possess the potential to change their economic status at domestic level and that of the communities where they live. They only need empowerment programmes to activate that potential. She explained that some of the traditional practices and customs still present some impediments but awareness campaigns supported with appropriate legislation will go a long way in changing the attitudes and practices.
 
Kamalagin concluded by noting that Oxfam will continuously contribute to sustainable pro-poor wealth creation, and value chain upgrading in Uganda through empowerment of women and men from the poorest and most vulnerable households.

 “I call upon key actors from the Government, policy makers, donors, private sector and Civil society organizations to support the uptake of this methodology given that it has been tried and tested and the experiences and stories confirm that it works and can be used in any given situation including engendering national and local budgeting processes.” Peter Kamalagin said.
 

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