By Jumah Kakomo
This Friday 8th March 2024, Uganda will join the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day under the theme: “Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress”, which is further broken down to the national theme, “Accelerating Gender Equality through Economic Empowerment”.
UPC observes that provision of quality education at all levels; nursery, primary, secondary, vocational and higher learning institutions is very much important in realizing the goals of both the international and national themes as it offers life skills thus opening up opportunities in various professions and employment in the labor market.
Speaking to the Media on Wednesday, the party spokesperson Arach Oyat Sharon noted that, originally, Women and girls used to be vulnerable in several ways right from the local societies that defined their roles, which of course had adverse effects on the labour market and the development of the economies.
”With vigorous campaigns at all levels; nationally, regionally and globally, gender equality has been accepted and being implemented at a fast pace by formulating policies and enacting laws to accelerate the progress of women. This intervention is now focusing on a wider range of issues such as traditional norms which used to undermine women advancement” Sharon said.
Sharon added that now it is an acceptable practice that women and girls can inherit property, access credit/loans and own business ventures.
She said above implies that there is a need to do women empowerment through Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE), skilling initiatives hence Parliament should allocate funds for development and enact laws/policies that promote gender equality in our homes and places of work.
Sharon further highlighted that Women have big challenges in rural areas when it comes to food production as well as those in urban areas especially in the informal sector.
“Soils are getting poorer and less productive, rains are unreliable and unpredictable, transport is still expensive and roads are poor, markets for agricultural produce are exploitative, and yet our capacity to access agricultural and business funding is still a pipe dream as farmers are subjected to loans that carry a very high interest rate.”
She urged the Government to give special attention to the above issues and ensure easy access to financial resources including friendly loans as well as effective support to recognized professional women organizations and encourage them to reach out to disadvantaged urban women in the informal sector as well as rural women in the villages and communities.
“Our health standards are still very low; access to health facilities seems to be easier in urban areas compared to rural areas and maternal deaths are still a great concern. UPC calls upon the Government to make reproductive and other female health issues central to the social and health policy.” Sharon stated
The party head of media and communications Faizo Muzeyi said that UPC celebrates the International Women’s Day with a special call to the government and all stakeholders to come out boldly formulate/adjust policies and create more programmes to accelerate gender equality and economic empowerment. “This means that the new curriculum with both practical and digital skills must be rapidly put in place at all levels of education, accessible and affordable.”
He added that the cooperative unions/movements should be restored and be part and parcel of people’s lives. Health services should be closer to the people in terms of distance and all hospitals and health centers should be well facilitated.
According to Faizo, issues to do with climate change need to be handled with sustainable long-term measures.
“We continue to rely on firewood and charcoal in both rural and urban areas which leads to reckless cutting down of our trees and deforestation as well as degradation of the environment. We need to intensify rural electrification programmes and investment in other sources of power and energy like solar and bio gas as an alternative. This can be a prelude towards accelerating gender equality which can bring up economic empowerment”. Faizo added.
Sharon’s observation ahead of international Women’s day
“As Uganda and the world celebrate the International Women’s Day, it has to be fully appreciated that women’s advancement is a protracted struggle that is waged in phases. Dr. Apolo Milton Obote and the UPC led government duly recognized the role of women in development. In 1984, Uganda formally started celebrating women which increased awareness towards the need for their advancement in terms of opportunities. We want to appreciate the former first lady of the Republic of Uganda Mama Miria Kalule Obote and all those women who have continued to champion this struggle” Sharon said.
