Commemorating International Day of Rural Women

Today Uganda commemorates the International Rural Women's Day (IRWD). This initiative has been spearheaded by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development in partnership with UN Women, LANDnet Uganda and Moroto District Local Government.

The celebrations are being held at Nadunget Sub County in Moroto district under the theme; "Sustainable infrastructure, services and social protection for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls".

With about 76% of the extreme poor women living in rural areas, there is need to ensure that they have access to sustainable infrastructure, services and social protection. This will contribute to the reduction in world hunger and poverty, hence a critical strategy for the success of the new sustainable development agenda. Of Uganda‘s population of 38.8 million, 51% of these are women. It should be noted that 76% of the population in Uganda lives in rural areas; and women constitute a larger proportion of these communities. According to the National Population and Housing Census Analytical Report, 2017, one in every seven of households obtains their livelihood from subsistence farming.

Seventy seven percent (77%) of households in rural areas have access to improved water sources compared to 80% in urban areas.

Research figures place rural women at the centre of everything in regard to livelihood as we know it. Rural women and girls engage in processing and preparing food, collecting firewood and water, caring for family members and maintaining their homes. Rural women in particular contribute to agriculture and rural enterprises that fuel local and national economies. A large proportion of rural women are involved in agricultural work either as unpaid or contributing family workers.

Women however require well developed infrastructure networks and services to be able them to fulfill these roles. This does not only reduces on the burden women face but also accelerates the returns to economic development.

Moreover, women in the rural areas sustain community resilience through informal and traditional social protection mechanisms such as participation in local credit and saving groups, mutual assistance schemes and burial groups among others. These activities are not defined as "economically active employment" in national accounts. However, they are essential for the wellbeing and sustenance of the rural households.

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