Transform the goal for women's economic empowerment

Mar 10, 2017

The international community has made this commitment in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development but this also requires the support of our own government.

By Grace Kobusingye

As this is International Women's Day week this year, and as per the President's promises and Vision 2040 that focus on peace, development, wealth creation, skills development which are some of the core features of the NRM Manifesto, women ought to be considered and there needs should be incorporated therein.

Appreciation is in order for the affirmative action policy that provides for a special seat for women whereby each district is represented and one third in Local Councils, this has increased the percentage of women in leadership positions.

Even as women have a burden of unpaid care and domestic work, they still predominantly occupy jobs that pay less and provide little or no benefits hence realizing women's economic empowerment requires transformative change so that prosperity is equitably shared and no one is left behind.

The international community has made this commitment in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development but this also requires the support of our own government.

Every woman should enjoy her right to decent work. In my view, investing in women would yield better results hence contributing to the economic transformation of this country.

However, the Domestic Violence Act, implementation of this law still remains limited. Some significant pre-existing difficulties preventing access to justice for women victims of violence have not been addressed, such as the costs associated with the complaint process.

As much as discrimination against women, violence and lack of economic empowerment are underlined in the Uganda National Development Plan, there is still insufficient measures that have been taken to address these issues. In particular, women continue to face severe legal and cultural obstacles to ownership of property, including land and inheritance.

However, empowering women economically is a precondition for achieving sustainable development; ideally, this entails basic education for all, girl children and maintaining those already in schools by providing requirements like sanitary pads.

Since, International Women's Day is a time to reflect on progress made,  call for change and  celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities, let the women of Uganda be empowered economically.

The write works with Uganda Debit Network

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