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♀♀♀♀ Making the FY 2012/13 national budget people-centred

♀♀♀♀ Denying women land is denying women life-but what a

shame

♀♀♀♀ Social political corner: the rain drop

♀♀♀♀ Women in Uganda’s villages influence local budgets and

policies

APRIL-JUNE 2012, ISSUE 5

FOWODE E-NEWS, P.O BOX 7176, Kampala Uganda | Plot 15 Vubya Close, Ntinda Nakawa Rd. Email: [email protected] Web: www.fowode.org. Facebook: http://facebook.com/FowodeUganda

Government’s target

• Government resources increased from9, 630bn FY

2011/12 to Shs11, 157 billion FY2012/13.

• 75% of budget will be financed from domestic

resources.

• 25% of the National Budget will be from Grants and

Loans.

• Revenue collections for next financial year are

projected at Shs7, 251 billion.

• Total debt service including interest payments are

projected to amount to Shs1, 101 billion in financial

year 2012/13.

Making the FY 2012/13 national budget people-centred

budget

of 12% and short grace period of 3-6 yet agriculture is long term investment. Key concerns

• The commodity based approach is a welcome venture as it will give small scale farmers an opportunity to benefit from government assistance. The major concern however is that irrigation schemes have appeared in the last three budget speeches but there has been limited action and progress.

• Under MAAIF, only 10% of civil works for the rehabilitation of Doho irrigation scheme have been finalised, while 15% of works for Mobuku irrigation scheme had been undertaken by end of half of the FY 2011/12.

Trade and Private Sectors To simplify requirements, reduce discretionary powers, and eliminate redundant procedures, Government will in FY 2012/13, eliminate about 27 licenses all of which were found to be either obsolete or redundant and establish an electronic licenses registry that will serve as a repository for all approved business licensing in Uganda. Government also plans to establish a One Stop Centre to provide online registration services for the various licenses required to start a business. In addition, a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Business Guide has been developed to provide SMEs with information on available financial, business development services (BDSs), and business licensing information. Key recommendations

• These proposals have been overdue and will contribute to reducing the cost of running business. It is however proposed that these services should be decentralized to allow local companies to benefit from the initiative. We also want government to include agricultural market information and prices in the business guide.

Creating Employment Opportunities In this financial year, government intends to allocate an additional 3bn to the Youth Capital Venture Fund although in FY 2011/12. Additionally government is to establish the Graduate Venture Capital Fund with an allocation Shs. 16 billion to address the needs

In June this year, the Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development released the national budget for the Financial Year (FY) 2012/13 with the theme “Priorities for Renewed Economic Growth and Development.” In this edition, the highlights of this budget and the key recommendations for government’s consideration are shared with you. This time the national budget was released at a time when inflation was high (18%), youth Unemployment was at 32.2%, the central bank lending rates was at 21% and commercial banks lending rates were at an average of 26-27%, there was general decline in purchasing power and a depreciating Uganda shilling.

Inflation and Interest Rates

Inflation was majorly caused by increase of food prices (50.4%). The Bank of Uganda identified inflation as a key macroeconomic problem and placed emphasis on keeping inflation low, raising interest rates limiting aggregate spending which makes credit less affordable to borrowers and brings about negative impact on growth and investment. This implies that the cost of borrowing will continue to be prohibitive especially for the small scale business enterprises largely owned by the poor and women. In 2011/12, growth in industrial production slowed to 1.1% during the year, and the hardest hit industrial sub-sector was formal manufacturing sub sector, where growth contracted by 4.4%. Key recommendation • Bank of Uganda should identify the real

social economic problems and address them rather than the consequences.

• If government is to effectively deal with inflation, an increased investment in agriculture and target food production rather that inflation targeting is highly

Agriculture In FY 2011/12, the agricultural sector recorded an annual growth of 3.0% which is attributed to the increased cash and food crop production following favourable rains in the first planting season of the last year. To further support the sector which employs over 80% of Ugandans, this FY 2012/13, Agriculture is set to receive 5.2% of the national budget i.e. 585bn in the FY 2012/13 an increase from 447bn for the FY 2011/12, to support its priorities of ensuring food security, providing raw materials and enhancing export revenue.

Government is credited for adopting the commodity based approach to complement Government’s Agricultural Zoning Strategy. The approach will concentrate on eleven (11) selected agriculture commodities and to implement this successfully, government will focus on the provision of improved seed and farm inputs and implements, supporting seed industry and provision of improved breeding stock for the selected commodities; and completing the ongoing rehabilitation of irrigation schemes and embarking on establishing of new ones. It is anticipated that this approach will help Uganda produce sufficient quantities that will support domestic and regional trade, as well as agro industrialization to add value and create non-farm jobs required for the youth. In addition concentrating in a specific zone will allow the efficient provision of relevant services such as extension services, roads, electricity and financial services.

Furthermore, Government maintained the Agricultural Credit Facility to finance post-harvest activity and the purchase of equipment. However, the facility faces some key constraints in that although over 37.5 billion had been disbursed by Bank of Uganda to commercial banks, only 5.5 billion UGX (15%) has been borrowed by the farmers in FY

2011/12. Secondly, was the high interest rates

of graduates who have bankable project proposals but lack the requisite funding. The major concern is the current performance of the Youth Capital Venture fund, which is very low. Out of 25 billion UGX, only 8bn has so far been accessed by only 3000 youth (youth constitute 65% of the Uganda Population). Key recommendations

◦ Government should develop operational modalities and clear guidelines on how the youth should access the fund. And this should not be left to the private sector. Such ventures should be proposed based on clear policy frameworks.

◦ Government should broaden the job creation schemes and ventures to employment programs.

Health Sector

Despite increases over time, a decade after the Abuja Health financing commitment, the average percentage share of government allocation to health is still below 15%. In FY 2011/12, the health sector was reported to have achieved progress by increasing availability of basic medicines, achieving immunization rates of children against major killer diseases of 90% and reducing infant and maternal mortality rates from 62.47/1000 to 54 per thousand persons and 352 per hundred thousand persons, respectively. The sector however is still faced with key challenges of low access to quality basic health care for all, maternal and child mortality, the sector’s failure to deal with emerging diseases such as the nodding disease and its poor staffing capacity currently at 50% Key recommendations � The health budget has gone down from Shs

804bn to Shs 752.5bn. This allocation (8.2%) is still below the NDP target of 11.3% and with the NMS budget remaining constant, the challenges of drug stock out will be difficult to achieve. Government needs to significantly increase the percentage allocation to health if it’s to

meet the Abuja target of 15%.

� Government should establish a maternal health fund to deal with maternal and infant mortality concerns.

Water and environment

Government’s focus under this sector is to provide water for production and CSBAG applauds government efforts of increasing the water sector budget from Shs. 271 billion in the last FY to Shs. 355 billion FY 2012/13 a factor that resulted from transferring the water for production budget from Ministry of Agriculture to water and sector. To date the rural population has 65% access to clean water and 72% have access to adequate sanitation, however the rural sanitation coverage has wide disparities with some districts like Amudat District (2.0%), Kotido District(11.5%), Moroto District (6.6%), and Nakapiripirit (2%) recording coverage that is far below the national target. According to the Water and sanitation sector performance report 2011, Uganda’s target 50% hand washing by 2015 but the current coverage is at 23% Key Concerns

• Government’s proposal to reinstate VAT on water at 18%, although estimated to generate Shs.21.7bn might hamper its efforts and reduce access to clean and safe water. In most cases water points have been privatized and in a situation where a 20-litre jerry can of water was costing between Shs 150 and Shs 200, the user fees might double or go higher. It is feared with this increase, water prices will rise and institutions like schools, manufacturing industries might end up transferring the burden to the final consumer by increasing commodity prices and this might push the poor to use unsafe and contaminated water.

• Limited resource allocation to the sector as shown in the figure below remains a challenge to service delivery. The sector has a long way to go in supporting primary growth across other development sectors as hoped in the Uganda’s National Development Plan.

Education sector

In its efforts to continue enhancing the quality and relevance of education at all levels, the education sector budget has increased to 1.6bn. Government is commended for its pronouncement to improve the quality of education by: training inspectors of schools (2bn), monitoring UPE (1.1bn) monitoring USE (1.3bn). Key recommendations • The completion rate for school going children is at a low of 25%, the classroom pupil ratio is at 85:1 against the recommended national standard of 55:1. 92% of P3 pupils tested could not correctly read a P2 level English story, 78% of P3 pupils could not solve numericals of P2 level, and according to the Budget Monitoring Report 2011, the ministry wastes 25bn UGX a year in ghost schools, ghost pupils and ghost teachers. Civil society calls for the finalization of the probe into the misuse of universal primary and secondary education funds by the Judicial Commission of inquiry and implementation of its recommendations.

• Government should increase allocations for school inspection to enable School Inspectors effectively inspect and monitor school progress. The sector is registering high levels of absenteeism among the teachers and pupils, conflicts in schools, teachers' under performance and low syllabus coverage hence poor performance due to poor inspection.

• Girl child education needs to be made a priority and the Gender in education policy needs to implemented.

Improving Government Effectiveness

This is an area that needs government’s adequate attention, there is too much wastage of government resources and service delivery continues to suffer. The cost of running government business is increasing, in FY 2012/13, for example close to 2 trillion Uganda Shillings will be spent on running government Accountability (590.76bn), Public Administration (234.88bn), Public sector management (1,020bn) and the Legislature

A doctor examining a child in a local health center

Improving service deliveryImproving service delivery such it has featured in the previous five budget themes. The concern however is that although allocations are highly focusing on social and productive sectors, most of the funds are concentrated at the centre with government ministries and agencies, rather than at front line service delivery points (whichlevels). In addition, service delivery has been affected by the unprecedented district creation in Ugandaallowed districts that are unviable to operate.

The other challenge is that affected by the declining nonUnfortunately, the problem seems unlikely to be addressed in the coming FY 2012/13, as government intends to maintain the current level of allocations.

There are too many government agencies that are duplicating services and this has rendered the ministrecommendation is the institutions. We also call for the review of new sub counties and districts.

Supplementary budgets

The credibility of the budgetincreasing supplementary budget appropriations, which reacheda record high of 38% in FY 2011spending is unavoidable, these appropriations continue

Justice Law &

Order

14%

Trade and

Industry

3%

Education

9%

Distribution of the Supplementary Schedule 1 FY 2011/12

benefit public administration and security sectors depriving spending on social and productive sectors. It has also become a culture of the executive to use supplementary budgets as to divert budget expenditure priorities. Recommendation

• The legislature (Parliament) should amend the law on supplementary budget to strengthen the oversight function of parliament and remove the provision for retrospective approvashould only be for critical and emergency cases sucepidemics, security and natural calamities.

JLOS &Accountability Uganda is experiencing high levels of corruption and despite this trend there are minimum efforts in allocating resources to fight corruption. The small dedicated to human rights observers yet JLOS institutions are among the top human rights violators in Uganda. It is recommended that government should the inspectorate system of government corruption in Uganda.

Improving service delivery Improving service delivery is one of the key focus areas and as

has featured in the previous five budget themes. The concern however is that although the nationalallocations are highly focusing on social and productive sectors,

are concentrated at the centre with government ministries and agencies, rather than at front line

(which are mainly at local governmentervice delivery has been affected by the

unprecedented district creation in Uganda a factor which allowed districts that are unviable to operate.

The other challenge is that Service delivery is greatly being clining non-wage recurrent budget.

Unfortunately, the problem seems unlikely to be addressed in the coming FY 2012/13, as government intends to maintain the current level of allocations.

There are too many government agencies that are duplicating es and this has rendered the ministries redundant

recommendation is the proper coordination of these s. We also call for the review of multiplication of

new sub counties and districts.

Supplementary budgets The credibility of the budget has continued to be eroded by increasing supplementary budget appropriations, which reacheda record high of 38% in FY 2011/12. Although supplementary spending is unavoidable, these appropriations continue

Administration

Security

9%

Local Governments

1%

Distribution of the Supplementary Schedule 1 FY 2011/12

benefit public administration and security sectors depriving spending on social and productive sectors. It has also become a culture of the executive to use supplementary budgets as to divert budget expenditure priorities.

legislature (Parliament) should amend the law on supplementary budget to strengthen the oversight function of parliament and remove the provision for retrospective approval of supplementary spending which should only be for critical and emergency cases sucepidemics, security and natural calamities.

Uganda is experiencing high levels of corruption and despite this trend there are minimum efforts in allocating resources to

small budget line in the JLOS Sectodedicated to human rights observers yet JLOS institutions are

uman rights violators in Uganda. It is recommended that government should focus on strengthening

inspectorate system of government as a means of curbing

is one of the key focus areas and as has featured in the previous five budget themes.

the national budget allocations are highly focusing on social and productive sectors,

are concentrated at the centre with government ministries and agencies, rather than at front line

ocal government ervice delivery has been affected by the

a factor which has

Service delivery is greatly being rent budget.

Unfortunately, the problem seems unlikely to be addressed in the coming FY 2012/13, as government intends to maintain the

There are too many government agencies that are duplicating ries redundant and our

proper coordination of these multiplication of

has continued to be eroded by increasing supplementary budget appropriations, which reached

. Although supplementary spending is unavoidable, these appropriations continue to

Revenue Generation Domestic revenueshortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation pressures. By declined by 7% compared to the previous half of FY 2010/11. The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated between 12%system that is not responsive to GDP growth. Rstagnation of the revenue effvoluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is not taxed, and tax incentives to promote investment Key recommendations

• The increase in PAYE threshold is resource redistribution and the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle should be applied to other sectors such as trade and i

• The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing simultaneous taxes on the same taxable peopleexpand our tax base to include the informal sector which is engaging in import and export business.

• Government should rpolicies and practices if it’s to increase revenue generation.

Tax compliance and administration

The porous borders and very small business which have failed to register have failed URA in enforcing tax compliance. Smuggoods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of corruption in the tax system e.g. speci ConclusionGovernment improving economic growthbudget, government maintain sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary items or non priority secWith regard to service delivery at the local government level, given the budget constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government Ministries and Departlocal governments in respecdelivered to the population. For effective budget implementation, gCSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to avoid wastage, laxity and corruptionthat mainstreamingshould become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets in the next

Public

Administration

64%

benefit public administration and security sectors depriving spending on social and productive sectors. It has also become a culture of the executive to use supplementary budgets as a tool

legislature (Parliament) should amend the law on supplementary budget to strengthen the oversight function of parliament and remove the provision for

l of supplementary spending which should only be for critical and emergency cases such as

Uganda is experiencing high levels of corruption and despite this trend there are minimum efforts in allocating resources to

JLOS Sector is dedicated to human rights observers yet JLOS institutions are

uman rights violators in Uganda. It is focus on strengthening as a means of curbing

Revenue Generation Domestic revenue for FY 2011/12 is expected to experience shortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation pressures. By the middle of FY 2011/12, revenue in real terms had declined by 7% compared to the previous half of FY 2010/11.

The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated between 12%system that is not responsive to GDP growth. Rstagnation of the revenue effort include the following; low voluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is not taxed, and tax incentives to promote investment

recommendations

ncrease in PAYE threshold is welcomeresource redistribution and addressesand the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle should be applied to other sectors such as trade and i

The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing simultaneous taxes on the same taxable peopleexpand our tax base to include the informal sector which is engaging in import and export business.

Government should review and streamline tax exemption policies and practices if it’s to increase revenue generation.

Tax compliance and administration The porous borders and very small business which have failed to register have failed URA in enforcing tax compliance. Smuggoods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of corruption in the tax system e.g. specifically under the Oil business.

Conclusion overnment is commended for its budget

ing economic growth. However inbudget, government needs to avoid supplementary requests and

sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary items or non priority sectors, not to disrupt budget implementationWith regard to service delivery at the local government level, given

get constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government Ministries and Departments should provide the required backup to local governments in respective sectors to ensure services are delivered to the population.

For effective budget implementation, gCSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to avoid wastage, laxity and corruption.

mainstreaming of gender and equity issues in sector budgets should become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets

xt FY 2012/13 budget.

Comparisons between the Public Administration Budget with other sectors (FY 2012/13

for FY 2011/12 is expected to experience shortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation

f FY 2011/12, revenue in real terms had declined by 7% compared to the previous half of FY 2010/11.

The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated between 12%-13% due to a tax system that is not responsive to GDP growth. Reasons for the

ort include the following; low voluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is not taxed, and tax incentives to promote investment

welcome if it’s to contribute to and addresses the gap between the poor

and the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle should be applied to other sectors such as trade and investment.

The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing simultaneous taxes on the same taxable people. There is need to expand our tax base to include the informal sector which is engaging in import and export business.

eview and streamline tax exemption policies and practices if it’s to increase revenue generation.

Tax compliance and administration The porous borders and very small business which have failed to register have failed URA in enforcing tax compliance. Smuggling goods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of

fically under the Oil business.

budget proposals that aimed at owever in the implementation of thisavoid supplementary requests and

sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary o disrupt budget implementation

With regard to service delivery at the local government level, given get constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government

ments should provide the required backup to ive sectors to ensure services are

For effective budget implementation, government institutions and CSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to

. It is further recommendedand equity issues in sector budgets

should become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets

Comparisons between the Public ation Budget with other

for FY 2011/12 is expected to experience shortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation

f FY 2011/12, revenue in real terms had

13% due to a tax easons for the

ort include the following; low voluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is

to contribute to the gap between the poor

and the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be limited to only the employment sector. The same principle

nvestment.

The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing here is need to

expand our tax base to include the informal sector which is

eview and streamline tax exemption

The porous borders and very small business which have failed to gling

goods across the borders cause unequal competition among business and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of

fically under the Oil business.

aimed at the implementation of this

avoid supplementary requests and sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary

o disrupt budget implementation. With regard to service delivery at the local government level, given

get constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government ments should provide the required backup to

ive sectors to ensure services are

overnment institutions and CSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to

ed and equity issues in sector budgets

should become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets

Winnie Byanyima: No ordinary woman

At a time when even colleagues in her political party regarded the idea of a woman running for office as political suicide, she did not only run but won a parliamentary seat. It was only one

of her daring acts that proved to women and Ugandans at large that all

was possible, writes Brian Magoba.

Instead, she lived the very opposite of such type-cast roles; magnetised to politics by her father’s example, studying engineering at university mainly to defy society’s expectations of girls and excelling at it and winning a scholarship. She refused the token seat and beat men in hotly-contested Women member of Parliamentary elections, spearheading censure of the corrupt, actively contributing to a guerrilla war effort when she was aged 22, being vice chairman to a group in opposition to the government she once worked for and founding, and directing, organisations devoted to bettering the circumstances of women.

Leading by example The impact on Ugandan society and women in particular is as wide-ranging as the various facets of her personality. Where her father was once National Chairman of the Democratic Party, she ended up being the third Vice-Chair of the Reform Agenda, before it evolved into the FDC. She aided its transformation from an Elect Kizza Besigye Task Force into a party formed on July 12, 2002, aimed at achieving political reforms for good governance, sustainable national unity, democracy and national development.

Her election in 1994 to the parliamentary seat for Mbarara Municipality was one small step for her, but one giant leap for Ugandan women. At the time, she was one of the few women who stood for direct election when others were content with the seats available to them on government’s affirmative action.

“The day I was first elected, women ran out on the streets, sat in the middle of the road, they climbed on top of the cars, ululating and even taking off their tops”, she recounted in a 2004 interview with the magazine Feminist Africa.

Partly, the euphoria was because she was on the road to fulfilling her pledge to campaign for equal value in government policies for women and children. Partly, it was because she had dared Ngoma Ngime, an incumbent Constituent Assembly delegate, on President Museveni’s own home turf.

But more than dare, she actually had beaten a sitting National Political Commissar who had the resources of the NRM’s machinery at his disposal while her strongly feminist platform seemed like political suicide and won her no favours from her party, despite her longer track record and achievements.

Leveling the political ground for women In Parliament, she formed the Women’s Caucus, which was instrumental in creating a constitutional basis for a Uganda where the genders were equal. The women’s caucus helped shape the writing of the 1995 Constitution in gender-sensitive language.

It sponsored the inclusion of an explicit statement of equality before the law, which invalidates all other laws, cultures, traditions or customs that undermine the dignity and well-being of women,

and provides affirmative action for women to

redress historic imbalances. In 1995, she became a founding member and first chair of the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), which grew out of the caucus. FOWODE extended the caucus’ scope by promoting gender equality in all decision-making through advocacy, training research and publishing.

After two terms as Mbarara Municipality’s representative in Parliament, she voluntarily stepped down in 2004. Hers is an example very immediate as Uganda currently debates the presidential term limits.

Ironically, she has expressed interest in standing for President, come 2016. If she does, she will be the third woman, after Miria Kalule Obote in 2006 and Betty Kamya in 2011, to stand for president.

Popular opinion maintains she might be the first one with a serious chance of succeeding where even her husband has yet to.

Published by the Daily Monitor

Education: Mt St Mary’s College, Namagunga. Has a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, the first female Ugandan to become an Aeronautical Engineer.

Profession Background: Aeronautical engineer, politician and diplomat. Byanyima worked as a flight engineer for the now defunct Uganda Airlines. She has served as the Director of the Gender Team in the Bureau for Development Policy at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 2006.

Political Background: Byanyima is a

member of the FDC party, although she has significantly reduced her participation in partisan Ugandan politics since she became a Ugandan diplomat in 2006. Political jobs she has held over the years:

• She was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Ugandan 1995 Constitution

• She served two consecutive terms as a Member of Parliament, representing Mbarara Municipality, from 1994 until 2004.

• Appointed Director of the Directorate of Women, Gender and Development at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2004. She left this for appointment at UNDP.

[email protected]

Imagine a picture captioned with “Mrs. Winifred Besigye, aeronautical engineer for the Uganda Space Programme, conducting orientation for entrants to the Flight Engineers Training Workshop”. Feels strange on the tongue and mind if you are Ugandan, doesn’t it?

It gives the impression that someone other than Winnie Byanyima, Ugandan politician and women-rights activist, is the subject. Perhaps this is as it should be, because for a long time, Byanyima has been phenomenal in proving that it is only challenging, not impossible, for a woman to score successes while working with or against patriarchal structures.

Besides rather than behind In hindsight, it seems like a deliberate branding strategy on her part for never overtly using her husband’s name to get ahead, since her 1999 marriage to retired Colonel Kizza Besigye, leader of the opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Her example proves that women can be besides successful men, instead of behind them as the popular adage maintains.

She could have scripted her bucket list like most girls: understudy other women for the role of wife and mother; study “soft” courses if the family was either willing or able to send her to school and have many babies really quickly. She could have settled for talking about and leaving women’s issues at the village well, never dabbling in politics beyond voting passively, and generally being satisfied with whichever dream, life or her husband, allowed her to chase.

In 2011, I had the opportunity to visit

different districts in Uganda to assess the

situation of women and their rights to land.

From Pader to Apac, Gulu to Kyenjojo, Hoima

to Kabarole and Jinja, the message written on

the women’s faces was simple and clear, “We

are tired of being marginalized”.

Almost wherever I travelled, I could see

mostly women tilling the land. As I visited

different homes, I saw women arriving from

the fields with food stuffs on their heads and

children on their backs. Little wonder it’s said

that over 80% of all the food consumed in

Uganda is produced by women. This

notwithstanding, as I discussed with the

women, I got to learn that some of them at

the age of 80, had never had a piece of land

to call their own, yet they had ideally

produced food to feed hundreds across

generations and lineages.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

(UDHR) and other international and national

human rights legislations including the Uganda

Constitution spell out clearly that all human

beings are equal in everything including

property ownership. As such, denying women

a chance to own land on mere accord of being

women, is inhuman and must not be allowed

to happen in the 21st Century. It’s a question

of simple logic that does not even necessarily

need legislation for anyone to observe that

she who feeds the country deserves to own

land as a key resource for production.

Well, since human beings seem to thrive best

on laws, the issue of women’s land ownership

was clearly captured in Policy Statement

number 66 of the Draft National Land Policy

Statement number 66 of the Draft National

Land Policy, spelling out government’s

commitment to ensure that inequalities

against women over land are stamped out.

However, Ugandans must recall that our

country is often said to be one of those with

very rosy legislations but very little to show in

terms of implementation. Already the

National Land Policy still drags on and has not

been approved one year after the final draft,

and this could already tell of what to expect

long after it has been passed. What Ugandans

need to do at this point in time, is to surpass

the law and implore human conscience over

women’s right to own land-only this way shall

we achieve natural justice.

Perhaps it’s also high time that every

individual family assessed its status over

respect for women’s land rights before we can

demand government for any action. These

women certainly are our wives, our mothers,

our sisters or aunties-what have you done to

ensure security of their right to land in your

household? At least for me, my wife can rest

assured that whatever land we own shall be

hers to own and utilize for the benefit of our

family unit.

By: Tumusiime Kabwende Deo

Uganda Land Alliance

[email protected]

Denying women land is denying women

Lif e-but what a shame!

“I got to learn that some of them at the age of 80, had never had a piece of land to call their own, yet they had ideally produced food to feed hundreds”

After the 2011 general elections, FOWODE

trained 320 councilors from 12 districts in

effective legislative engagement,

advocacy and gender. The trained

councilors most of whom were new to

these positions were encouraged to form

caucuses in order to more effectively

advocate for their special interest groups

within their communities. To date the

women’s caucuses are increasingly

becoming more effective in their advocacy

for gender equality and women’s rights.

For example, a Woman councilor, also a

Gulu caucus member moved a council

motion for a borehole construction which

was passed. In Patiko a councilor moved a

motion to construct a maternity ward with

toilets and bathrooms and, with support

from the PRDP program construction of

the maternity ward is under way.

The Kibuku caucus was able to monitor

health facilities in their district and

presented their findings of understaffing

and poor infrastructure to the sectoral

committee for social services. The Kabale

caucus prioritized issues of women in

detention, girl child education, early

marriage, and justice for child abusers and

to mark the 2012 women’s day they

organized resources and provided items

like soap and clothing to women in

detention.

The caucuses have contributed to giving

women a unified voice and FOWODE plans

to continue strengthening this structure in

order to increase women councilors’

effectiveness while in leadership.

Caucusing for increased

effectiveness in

advocacy

The fowode website www.fowode.org is regularly updated to meet your information needs. There is everything including information about our programs, researches and

assessment reports on gender equality, upcoming events, news etc... Check back often as there is always new information posted.

In August this year, 89.5 SPEAK FM a community radio based in Gulu will be marking one year in operation. To mark this great stride, FOWODE will officially launch the radio in Gulu district. Check out the fowode website

.

Pupils of Rubona Primary School in Kabale

The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) which is a consortium of non government organisations held a pre budget dialogue under the theme “Making the national budget pro-poor, gender sensitive and equitable” on April 19 2012.

During the public dialogue in Kampala, Julius Mukunda the Senior Programme Director for Forum for Women said public expenditure should be skewed in the direction that would meet the needs and interests of the poor. He urged government to focus on the most priority sectors which benefit majority of the public. Mukunda further said unless government puts in place strict measures, it will continue spending lots of money but with little output. He cited the many government expenditures on a number of government institutions which have duplicate duties, yet a lot of money would be saved if some of these institutions were merged.

CSBAG also advocated for the formation of regional governments in place and cutting on the number of parliamentary representatives so as to cut on public expenditures.

Kenneth Mugambe the Commissioner Budgets in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development during the public dialogue said that government has achieved some success bringing services near to people. He says the key strategic issues that the government is working around include maintaining micro-economic stability, increasing agriculture productivity, improving service delivery and managing government contracts.

Carol Namagembe the FOWODE

Communications Officer mentioned that the

purpose of the dialogue was to get views from

the public and integrate them in the civil

society alternative budget proposal that will

be presented to Parliamentary committees

when reviewing the budget framework paper.

Demanding more funding for health,

education.

A Consortium of civil society organizations are pushing for government reforms in the health and education sectors to among others have the percentage of government allocation to the health sector increased to meet the Abuja Declaration target of 15 per cent.

Boosting education

Presenting their position paper before Parliament’s Social Services Committee recently, the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CS BAG) led by Mr. Julius Mukunda of Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) recommended a 20 per cent budget allocation to boost the quality of Universal Primary and Secondary Education. The group that advocates for pro-poor budget policies in the country, also called for the review of teachers’ salaries to Shs400, 000 from the current Shs270, 000.

Health sector

Mr. Mukunda informed the parliamentary committee that, looking at the Budget Framework Paper, government allocated Shs800 billion to the health sector last financial year but this figure had been reduced it to Shs761 billion next financial year. While the government has endeavored to set up health facilities across the country, a 2009/2010 report, the Uganda Local Government Councils Score Card, by Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment, shows that improvements are only in infrastructure, especially in construction of health centers, but the major problems such as shortage of drugs, understaffing, shortage of equipment, absenteeism of health workers, and weak

accountability mechanisms still exit.

Demanding for farmers’ bank

Civil society organizations asked government to open an agricultural bank to facilitate farmers, who are in need of financial services but cannot get them easily and at affordable terms.

The CSOs made the demand during the pre-budget dialogue held in Kampala in April 2012. They said an agricultural bank will focus on farmers’ credit needs, hedge against risks such as crop failures and volatilities in the prices of agro-products.

Mr. Julius Mukunda, the Senior Programme Director at Forum for Women in Democracy, said most farmers fear to get loans because of the harsh treatment defaulters get, but also the repayments period do not coincide with the harvest season.

“A bank that understands the seasons, plight and language of farmers, can be the only solution,” Mr. Mukunda said. Many farmers have fallen prey to loan sharks, who lend them money at high interest rates, which also frustrates most farmers who have no collateral recognized by commercial banks.

Mr. Richard Mugisha, an advocacy officer at Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM), said access to credit to farmers is one of the reasons the agricultural sector has been dwindling for the past years.

Since 2000, the agricultural sector growth has declined from 7.9 per cent to 0.9 per cent.

Published in the Daily Monitor Newspaper and the Independent magazine

CSBAG members:, FOWODE, Action AID, Uganda Debt Network, SEATINI,

PELUM Uganda, VEDCO, Uganda National Union of Women with Disabilities

of Uganda , The Council for Economic Empowerment for Women of Africa-

Uganda Chapter, Development Research and Training, The Eastern and

Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum , The Human Rights Network

Uganda, The Centre for Women in Governance, Uganda Road Sector

Support Initiative, Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment,

Environmental Alert, The Uganda National NGO Forum, African Centre for

Trade and Development, Uganda Women’s Network, Action for

Development

Government urged to focus on a pro-poor and gender sensitive budget

FOWODE is the current chair of the Civil Society

Budget Advocacy Group (CS BAG) a coalition

formed in 2004 to bring together CSOs at

national and district levels to:

� Influence Government decisions on

resource mobilization and utilization for

equitable and sustainable development;

� Advocate for increased transparency and

accountability in national priorities,

financing and public spending at all levels;

� Promote transparency and accountability in

the formulation and implementation of

national policies, policy processes and

programmes;

� Promote national, regional and

international fiscal and monetary policies

that are pro-poor, gender responsive and

livelihoods oriented

“This year, Uganda will mark 50 years and property

ownership for women is one of the most stinging issues whose solution has not yet

been found”.

Women’s Struggle to Own &

Control property

Former MP Susan Nampijja suffered a tragic

experience when her former companion

inflicted deep cuts to her head. Believing she

was dead, the estranged Geoffrey Mukisa

attempted to commit suicide. All because he

could not let Nampijja keep property she had

reportedly acquired when their relationship

blossomed.

Nampijja is a daughter of Rubaga South MP

Ken Lukyamuzi. Together, they can petition

the powerful and when tragedy befell her, her

father gave an impassioned speech in

Parliament. Many came to her defence.

Police was quick to act; a search was

immediately set for the culprit. Though

Mukisa was found unconscious, police stayed

guard at his room at Mulago Hospital lest he

gained strength and tried to escape

prosecution. He died on his hospital bed.

But what if Mukisa had tried to usurp

property from an average Ugandan woman?

Isn’t it instructive that when Dorcus Inzikuru,

she of the Olympic Gold Medal fame, caught

her husband with another woman in her prize

house in Arua, all she could do was to enlist

the support of town youths to unroof the

house? She must have felt she had no power

to drive the man out of her house. Yet if the

man had caught Inzikuru cheating in his home,

the story would have been a different one.

Fortunately for Nampijja, the sole ownership

of the disputed property is now in her hands.

But not many are as fortunate as her.

Dora Byamukama, the East African Legislative

Assembly representative says although the

1995 Uganda Constitution provides for equal

ownership of property for women and men

most societies do not recognise that women

can own property because they are considered

transient citizens. The patriarchal society in

which we live has only worsened matters. The

ineffective mechanisms for the enforcement

of women’s rights have also resulted in the

denial of basic rights for millions of women in

the country. Statistics show that 97 percent of

women have access to land, but only 8

percent of women own land and only 7

percent have property rights.

Byamukama says at the family level girls and

women are not given property because of the

belief that they will leave home and get

married in other families where they will have

access to property but this is not true. Usually

once these women are married off they are

only allocated pieces of land for crop

cultivation strictly.

Carol Namagembe, the Communication officer

of Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE),

says while women own about 40 percent of

private businesses in Uganda, their role in

socio-economic development is still seen to be

peripheral. They still have unequal access to

and control of productive assets like land with

only 20 percent of registered land owned by

women according to the 2010 National

Development Plan yet they contribute 70-75

percent to the total agricultural production

(Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2005). This

affects their ability to access other productive

resources and undermines the potential of

women’s hard work and their ability as

entrepreneurs.

The World Development Report 2012, states

that the lives of girls and women have

changed dramatically over the past quarter

century, the report mentions areas that need

to be worked on to ensure gender equality

and development.

The report points to the need for property

rights for women which constrain their

bargaining power and the need to strengthen

the laws that provide for the right to

ownership of property.

Ann Kampire the Coordinator women’s Land

Rights at Uganda Land Alliance says women’s

property rights are limited by social norms

and customs which make it hard for women to

access property. She says the most affected

group are those who are widowed, separated

or divorced and those who have born only

female children often have little or no access

to ownership of property.

Namagembe says such factors which constrain

women make it hard for them to prosper in

their own right and it dents efforts put in

place to help women enjoy equal rights as

their male counterparts.

In Mukono district only, a survey carried out

by International Justice Mission (IJM) between

2005 and 2007 reveals that out of 115 widows,

41 percent have experienced property

grabbing, and this percentage increases to 51

percent if attempts/threats of property

grabbing are included. Continues on pg.10

“This year, Uganda will mark 50

years and property ownership for

women is one of the most stinging

issues whose solution has no not

yet been found”

Women in Uganda’s villages

INFLUENCE

local budgets and policies

“Now that I am aware of my rights as a

citizen, I feel so empowered”, said Aber

Evalyn a 51 year-old woman from Uum village

in the North of Uganda after participating in

trainings held by the Forum for Women in

Democracy to increase women’s involvement

in the decision-making processes at the

community level.

A grantee of UN Women’s Fund for Gender

Equality, the Forum for Women in Democracy

trained women in 16 communities in Uganda

to form Village Budget Clubs. These clubs are

working to ensure that women are actively

involved in budget allocation and decisions

regarding gender-sensitive policy measures at

the local level. Aber Evalyn is one of the 320

people who benefited from a three-day

training session designed to empower

communities to demand accountability and

the provision of better services from public

authorities.

According to the 2006 Uganda Demographic

and Health survey (UDHS), while 35 per cent

of women make decisions regarding small

daily household expenses on their own at the

household level, a striking 85 per cent have to

consult their husbands about any major

household choices. “After the training

sessions, women are now aware of how our

taxes on soap, cooking oil and many other

things, can eventually bring developmental

activities to our communities”, said Aber

Evalyn “We also know now that it is our right

and responsibility to attend the village budget

meetings so as to determine what services are

to come to us as citizens and especially as

women”.

Evalyn now attends all the meetings and

contributes to debates and discussions to

solve collective issues.

Like Evalyn, many other women in the villages

of Uganda are now taking part in the

dialogues on local budgets.

In Kasaala Parish village, Luwero District,

Nakazi Edisa, a mother of four young children,

also attended the Forum’s trainings. “For the

last two years, my children have not been

receiving adequate de-worming tablets, nor

had they been immunized for measles, polio,

etc. It was very difficult for me to take the

four children to Kasana Health Center over

five kilometers away, and private clinics in my

village are too expensive”, she explained.

Last year after the trainings, Edisa and the

women of the Village Budget Club lobbied the

District Councilor to set up a health facility in

the village, along with petitioning the Chief

Administrative Officer regarding drugs

shortage at the Kasana health unit. The

mobilization was successful and eventually

the local authorities decided to build a health

centre in the village, which provides

immunization and essential medicine for

children, free of cost.

Along with health education and economic

empowerment, the Village Budget Clubs are

bringing dignity and ownership for many

women. As Evalyn, who today serves as the

trainings Chairperson of several community

groups, explains, “Before the Forum for

Women in Democracy’s trainings, I was a

‘nobody’ in my community. I could not speak

in any community meetings or raise any

pertinent questions that affected me and

other women. The leadership role for me has

been possible because of the trainings that

opened up my eyes and showed me that my

views are required in the development of my

community”, she concluded.

Along with the work at the village level,

FOWODE has trained legislators and

government officials in Uganda to ensure that

gender-responsive programming is also

effected at the national level.

Submitted by FOWODE Gender Budget Program

The VBC approach increases community activism,

checks corruption and brings leaders to account

for their actions.

UPCOMING EVENT:

THE UGANDA FEMINIST FORUM

Theme: "Spreading our Wings"

Date: 1st – 4th August 2012

Host Secretariat: FOWODE

here is failing and

falling, the one tiny

raindrop found its way

in. The one drop of

greed, finding its way

through faint hearts,

once innocent minds

falling to the drop of

temptation, of juicy

fat deals, palm

greasing and kickbacks,

causing these patches,

these potholes,

The look on the faces that surround her

pushes her feeling of triumph to the edge

of guilt. A tornado of thoughts engulf

her; what do they think of me? She

ponders. These worried faces; do they

want me to stop? Is it worth it? Am I

being selfish, putting my friends and

family through this? The questions cannot

stop, like an unending loop of a nagging

song they whirl on, through her head. She

does not know where they are coming

from and she cannot stop these

questions.

Her eyes sting with ripples of pain

comparable to none ever hosted in

nerves. In the inevitable instances when

she has to blink, her heart skips a beat as

though to take a bow for the surge of

pain that will follow. She can swear there

are a thousand tiny sharp needles lodged

underneath her eyelids. She has to keep

her eyes open for unnatural paces of

time. The look on her face can pass, with

flying colours, any interview for being an

Askari, yet here she lies in pain, a

mother, possibly poisoned, confined to a

hospital bed.

May be I am an Askari, a Vote Askari? She

contemplates. Her lips part to unfold a

babyish smile, probably a toast to the

weird thoughts in her head. “How can I

smile with all these worried faces around

me?” She seems to ponder as her smile

vanishes almost unnoticed. She stares at

the brownish, ring-like stain patches on

the once white soft-board ceiling above,

her mind wanders and she is soon lost in

yet another whirl of thoughts...

Is it really worth it? Risking my life in the

presence of loved ones... the thoughts go

on.

Echoes from a dust filled, small black

television caged in a rusting metallic box

just below the top corner of the hospital

ward interrupts her thoughts.

Breaking News!- IPC Women Riot against the

Electoral Commission, She sees herself on

TV, being hurled, stumped and slapped, her

dress is torn as she is roughed-up tossed and

battered. She sees a body in uniform

spraying something in her face! She suddenly

collapses, dragged and dumped on a police

truck. Seeing all this breaks her heart, she

can barely hold it, an icy liquid rolls slowly

from her eyes down to her bruised cheek,

she sees the same on the faces around her.

She thinks of the raindrop, and how we

cannot let it in. She wipes her tears and

waits to strike again, another day.

.‘she thinks of how a raindrop falling

aimlessly from the sky, landed on the roof

above meandered along the corrugated roof

till it finds a small unguarded crack in the

iron sheets, through which it descended on

the ceiling below. It is unbelievable! How,

what began as a single raindrop has stained

this ceiling above? It is inconceivable that a

single drop of rain left untouched has caused

this ceiling to moulder. It is a shame that no

one has done anything about this. It is only a

matter of time before the whole ceiling

moulds and falls in. She thinks of the ceiling

and how it will soon render this hospital

inhabitable, how one tiny raindrop can cause

such visible decay.

She thinks of this nation and sees how it is

decaying, just like the ceiling. The dirty

smelly roads scattered with litter, silt and

sewage clogged gutters; the system

SOCIAL POLITICAL

CORNER:

THE RAIN DROP

this damn electoral clique! She thinks of

herself having to wait in a line to vote when

she knows her vote may be corrupted.

By a member of the FOWODE Young Leaders Alumni

Association (FYLAA)

Women; why put your property in a

man’s name? Continued from pg.3

Scott Adams a Media Relations Fellow at IJM Uganda an

organization that helps widows retain their property says

some of the outstanding

widows’ land ownership include the myths about land law

and the belief by most women that they

property. The complicated land administration processes,

weak laws and the laxity exercised in handling property

grabbers make it hard for women to

own property. Most times these women keep silent as

their property is grabbed from

forum to voice their views.

This year, Uganda will mark 50 years and property

ownership for women is one of the most stinging issues

whose solution has not yet been found.

Byamukama says unless women are more enlightened

about their rights, women will continue being denied this

right. She says women who are able to acquire property

on their own should move away from the habit of

registering that property

male relative’s name because this onl

that property can only be owned by the men.

Patricia Munabi Babiiha the Executive Director of FOWODE

says the uneven, gender inequalities which

hinder the advancement of women only prove that women

have to fight harder because

comfortable zone yet.

Legislators are proposing amendments to the

Act to help women own property. The long awaited

Marriage and Divorce bill that

of property is yet to be passed

would help many a number of women.

By Rukiya Mukama, The Independent Magazine

The Young Leaders’ Camp was held for 30 young who underwent

fun packed training on

leadership. The training focused on raising the young leader’s

consciousness of gender equality and social justice.

inculcated in the young leaders the values of equity and equality

between men and women in Uganda in a bid to make them

socially conscious and responsible leaders.


Continued from pg.3



some of the outstanding challenges to women’s and


and the belief by most women that they cannot own



grabbers make it hard for women to pursue their right to


bed from them because they have no

forum to voice their views.



whose solution has not yet been found.





property in either their husband’s or

male relative’s name because this only proves the myth

that property can only be owned by the men.

the Executive Director of FOWODE

says the uneven, gender inequalities which continue to


fight harder because they have not reached their

Legislators are proposing amendments to the Succession


bill that recognizes joint ownership

of property is yet to be passed, if affected into law it

would help many a number of women.

Independent Magazine


fun packed training on alternative and transformative

The training focused on raising the young leader’s

consciousness of gender equality and social justice. It further


between men and women in Uganda in a bid to make them

socially conscious and responsible leaders.




challenges to women’s and


cannot own



to


because they have no







in either their husband’s or

y proves the myth

the Executive Director of FOWODE

continue to


they have not reached their

uccession


joint ownership

into law it

Kabale District Technical staff,

parliamentary Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) champions during a monitoring visit in Kabale district.

The parliamentary GRB champions’ visits organized by Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association

FOWODE were conducted in Kabale, Lira and Busia districts to support efforts of increasing visibility on

the importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting and also enhance the oversight function of Members of

Parliament in promoting gender equality in Ugan

Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and UWOPA identified gender responsive budget champions in the 9

Parliament to champion the Gender equality campaign within the parliament.

Richard Sunday, FOWODE field officer in Luwero explaining the village budget club model during the

2nd edition of the National CSO Fair, held in June 2012.

Society1 under the theme “Act Together, Shape the Future, Civi

showcase the important role played and contribution that civil society organizations have made and

continue to make towards development over the past fifty years and into


alternative and transformative

The training focused on raising the young leader’s

It further


between men and women in Uganda in a bid to make them A district Councilor during a gender budget training in Kitgum in April 2012.

FOWODE in partnership with Diakonia

“Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and

Accountability” is funded

Programme Uganda (DGAP

FOWODE BRIEFS

Kabale District Technical staff, Hon. Katoto, Hon. Lucy Ajok and Hon. Ninsiima, members of the





Parliament in promoting gender equality in Uganda. In 2011, FOWODE together with the Office of the



Sunday, FOWODE field officer in Luwero explaining the village budget club model during the

2nd edition of the National CSO Fair, held in June 2012.

under the theme “Act Together, Shape the Future, Civi


continue to make towards development over the past fifty years and into

A district Councilor during a gender budget training in Kitgum in April 2012.

partnership with Diakonia launched an 18 months program

Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and

ed by the European Union through t

AP) and is implemented in Kitgum, K

FOWODE BRIEFS

Hon. Katoto, Hon. Lucy Ajok and Hon. Ninsiima, members of the





da. In 2011, FOWODE together with the Office of the




2nd edition of the National CSO Fair, held in June 2012. The fair gathered over 5000 members of Civil

under the theme “Act Together, Shape the Future, Civil Society in Uganda at 50,” in an effort to


continue to make towards development over the past fifty years and into the future.

A district Councilor during a gender budget training in Kitgum in April 2012.

launched an 18 months program in April 2012. The project

Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and

h the Democratic Governance and A

, Kotido and Abim districts.

Hon. Katoto, Hon. Lucy Ajok and Hon. Ninsiima, members of the


The parliamentary GRB champions’ visits organized by Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association and



da. In 2011, FOWODE together with the Office of the

Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and UWOPA identified gender responsive budget champions in the 9th


The fair gathered over 5000 members of Civil

l Society in Uganda at 50,” in an effort to


. The project titled

Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and Social

d Accountability

‘‘Women have strengths that amaze me; They bear hardships and they carry

burdens, But, they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream.’

So the question is, if these beings are quite

unique and amazingly special: Why then is

Domestic Violence on rampage? Why is it that

the things we love actually kill us? Globally,

one in three women and girls experience

physical and / or sexual violence. 60% of

women in Uganda and 59% of married women

have experienced physical violence since the

age of fifteen mostly perpetuated by their

husbands or partners according to an Isis-

WICCE Report on Domestic Violence in

Uganda.

Great men, women and several distinguished

people, commonly referred to as ‘Humans’

have one fear, do you know what that is? No, I

bet you don’t! The fear of the unknown! This

is the sole cause of all hell breaking loose in

homes today. No one seems to know what the

future holds which can at times lead to

monotony of life resulting into mental

retardation causing so many men to bit their

women.

There are chilling stories in the media and

Uganda’s entertainment industry detailing

such incidents; for instance, the story; ‘Man

Kills Wife over Love SMS’ which was in ‘New

Vision, Monday 15th December 2008’. Abdul

Karim Ssengendo describes a man who

smashed the head of his wife causing her

death because he had allegedly read a love

SMS on her mobile

(www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/664815).

Hon. Godi Akbar, an ex MP for Arua

Municipality in Northern Uganda was in on

charges of murdering his wife in 2008. He

reportedly shot her twice using his pistol. He

complained of having read a text message on

his wife’s phone from her lover. Can we know

whence this uproar, barbaric and

excommunicated act comes and whence we

are heading?

Poverty, absence of any sound religious

background resulting into continuous mistrust

with alcohol as the catalyst; are all

contributors to life being so futile thus the

Hell in the homes!

How do YOU get rid of this craze of treating

women like football?

Well the easiest remedy I can render is for

both men and women to be respectful to one

another, for them to preserve private time for

their family, learn to control and manage

anger, to keep promises, to make fair

judgment, learn to work with emotional

intelligence, be innovative enough to provide

for the family, pray to God always and

communicate with each other.

"There is no THEM, it is all US. It is just ‘US’ – we are

the world." Michael Jackson

Story by Flavia Kalule

Image by Racheal Tobias, former Intern FOWODE

HELL LET LOOSE!!

A Victor with Purpose

Mary Kemirembe, like many girls in

Nyakishenyi village in Rukungiri district,

dropped out of school at an early age,

while her brothers continued. She was

married off immediately and by the age

of 21 she already had four children. She

was later diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and in

2005 her husband succumbed to the

disease leaving her with four children to

fend for. She inherited debts from her

deceased husband and was compelled to

take refuge in another village because of

the difficult terms for debt payment since

her income status was already very low.

To fend for her family, she regularly

worked on people’s farms to earn a living.

Whilst sharing her life story, Mary says “I

used to feel so stigmatized by the reality

that my days are numbered because of my

HIV/AIDS status. When FOWODE began its

trainings for the vulnerable women, I

realized that I needed to appreciate

myself more and to work hard for a better

future.

I also appreciated the fact that as a

woman, I can also make a difference in

people’s lives by living positively and

relating well with people in whose

midst I live. I feel more loved and

useful to society now. Through the

trainings I attended, I have become

aware of my rights and deserve fair

treatment from all. In fact, I now

counsel others and encourage them to

be happy and focused. I will continue

engaging in income generating

projects like piggery and making local

banana juice (Eshande / mubisi) from

which I earn income.

I am grateful that we now have a

forum as women where we meet and

discuss factors for improving our

livelihoods.

Mary is one the women from Kabale

and Rukungiri districts who at the

beginning of this year were organized

by FOWODE and equipped with skills in

life skills, leadership and

entrepreneurship development. The

women later formed groups through

which they work to improve their

economic status and wellbeing.

Lauriano (centre) making banana juice which she sells for

income

E library is powered by an

___________________

The policy brief on Health analyses the gender

dynamics within the health sector in Uganda. It

highlights key gender issues in the health sector,

attempts to address gender issues within the

health sectors, health care constraints and key

policy recommendations that need to be

addressed to enhance performance as a means

of contributing positively to promoting women’s

health.

___________________

___________________

The Agriculture Sector policy brief presents an

analysis of gender issues in the agriculture sector

in Uganda; highlights the efforts so far taken by

the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and

Fisheries (MAAIF) in addressing these issues;

constraints that hinder engendering of the

agriculture sector and makes policy

recommendations for improvement.

___________________________

____________________

This Policy Brief mainly focuses on primary and

secondary education as they are the foundation

for education. The gender issues being discussed

here are identified using comparable data from

the National Service delivery Survey2004, and

Uganda National House hold survey 2005 /06

and other available literature. The major issues

include access to primary education, dropout

rates in primary and secondary schools;

completion of primary education and performance

both at primary and secondary levels

The FOWODE resource center is a ONE STOP CENTER, where you can access over 1000 information materials relevant to the FOWODE Thematic areas of Gender, Governance, Democracy, and Human rights. You can also access internet, photocopying and printing services. Please visit the FOWODE website, www.fowode.org or the FOWODE resource center at our offices in Ntinda publications below and many more.

VISIT THE FOWODE RESOURCE CENTER

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