The International Women's day 2018 in perspective

By Agnes Kabajuni

I should say celebrating women's day is not just a day off work, political - filled celebrations or just a moment of jokes about men taking on the cooking that day. It is a lot more than that.

It is about celebrating women's achievements in the struggle against gender inequality in social economic and political spheres.  It is about reminding our societies that there is more to be done to uplift women status and voices.

This year's theme focuses on recognizing the efforts of rural and urban activists transforming lives of women. It remains me of thousands of unsung grassroots women in slums and in rural areas who are making a difference in women's lives. These are women groups who embrace tailor-made initiatives that directly address women's poverty, inequalities and challenge their own traditional system that deny women equality in many areas.

These heroes enthusiastically mobilise women and resources and seek for external assistance. They become the eyes of their fellow women and struggle very hard to sail above the murky waters of high levels of illiteracy, low income, negative and at times violent practices and lack of sufficient information to develop their confidence to challenge negative practices in their societies. Though very powerful in their own way their voices are least hard. These are the activists that deserve to be recognized this March, 2018. They are the pillars of transformation who demand that government recognizes and support their efforts. It is through them that many lives of the women at the bottom of our society will have meaningful transformation.

I have worked with women activists both in the urban and rural setting and sometimes I am amazed at how these women know a lot of  strategies, are committed and are anxious to team with any one, CSO or government to front their cause. However, I also at times feel as CSOs, government or activists at the national level, we underscore the power of these women if not usurping it all together and take the credit they rightfully deserve.

 To recognize the women activists at the grassroots, we in CSOs and those in government must understand the realities of the women's struggle at the grassroots. We must remind ourselves that domestic violence continues to soar, economic violence that includes denial of land, property rights and finance independence continue unabated. We must note that women at the grassroots continue to be absent from key decisions in their community, at the local government and at the national level. That efforts meant to address inequality happens with little or no consultations from them and thereby do not adequately address their needs. That macro development strategy such as energy access, exploitation of natural resources and focus on large scale agro-investments is done without consideration of how they will be affected. These deficiencies prevent grassroots women from being the conduit of transforming the lives of the women they represent from their localities.

The government of Uganda has a dire responsibility to act on law and policy reforms that will strengthen the efforts of women activists. Lack of reforms in family laws such as marriage, divorce, succession and comprehensive implementation of the progressive statutory laws existing make it difficult for the women to transform their own lives and that of fellow women.

In the spirit of leaving no one behind, we must support women activists at the grassroots as quick means to achieve sustainable development goal number five. We must strengthen grassroots urban and rural activists and their organisations to improve adequate standard of living, a life free of violence and harmful practices for rural women, as well as their access to land and productive assets, food security and nutrition, decent work, education and health, including their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We must together as CSOs and government renew our strategies in helping women activists at the grassroots, we must direct our energy to listening to their voices, and we must mentor them to take on spaces at the high table of activism such as United Nations, the African Commission and here in the country in national debates. Their resilience, determination and strength will inspire transformation in the lives of women.

The writer is a human rights and gender expert