EU commends Uganda on gender equality

By Titus Kakembo

THE EU head of delegation H.E Ambassador Kristian Schmidt has hailed Uganda government for the effort it has put in place to enhance gender equality and the empowerment of women.

“The EU is investing $578m for the next six year program with UN Women to support gender empowerment and equality related issues,” revealed Schmidt. 

“How will Karamoja ever develop, unless - as today’s report advocates - we put gender equality and women’s empowerment as a key objective?”

“Progress in observing women’s rights are being made in some poor countries like Uganda,” added H.E Schmidt. “At this point, I congratulate Uganda for receiving the AU award for progress in realizing gender equality and women’s rights in Africa.”

“However, let us honor women’s actions, achievements and recognize the challenges they face in striving for equity and fairness,” stressed Schmidt at Serena Hotel. This was during the launch of the UN Women Publication entitled, Progress of The World’s Women 2015-2016; Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights.

The report connects the local, national and global levels as it shows how women are globally failed by a world economic model which is not conducive to their empowerment.

“Women are employed in poorly paid, insecure occupations or are domestic workers where they occupy more than 83 percent of the jobs,” asserted H.E Schmidt. “The situation is equally as bad for the women in developed countries where the women do poor quality temporary jobs without any security.”  

The report goes ahead to challenge governments to adopt a new economic agenda for women while redressing existing social and economic disadvantages.

Earlier on, the Minister of State for Gender, Local Development Rukia Nakadama said the Uganda government was doing all it can to make the lives of the girls and women better.

“This has been through UPE, improvement of health services, construction of roads and empowering women financially,” stressed Nakadama. “We are nationally targeting to avail the women sufficient access to water, health care, decent sanitation and a home with all the basic amenities. This implies lesser time spent fetching water for domestic use, easy access to health service and better education.”

A point of contention was raised by panel discussant Richard Sewakiryanga of Uganda National NGO Forum who was of the view that a lot is still desired.

“There is need for unemployed benefits, support for single mother’s families and enabling families of kyeyo (odd jobs doers in the Diaspora) cop,” said Sewakiryanga. “Our population is growing so fast and is overwhelming the speed at which health and education services are growing. The government ought to manage or intervene in the population growth.”

He summed up challenging government to plough in more resources to support the elderly and vulnerable groups of people.

“If things are to get better the cost sharing system ought to be abolished for all to access the required services,” summed Sewakiryanga.

Other discussants advocated for fast tracking of the shelved Marriage Bill, enabling women access loans from monetary institutions, inherit and own land.