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Challenge of celebrating Women’s Day in Uganda
What you need to know:
- Appeal. I urge all men of goodwill to join the women of Uganda and wage the just and legitimate struggle for gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s rights which are essential ingredients of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Today, Ugandans from all walks of life and millions of people across the world will either celebrate achievements of women or, as in many African countries, simply mark International Women’s Day. The national theme of this year’s Women’s Day events taking place in Mbale is: “Celebrating 25 years of the 1995 Constitution: Milestones on promoting gender equality and Women’s empowerment in Uganda.”
The United Nations declared 1975 as International Women’s Year. As part of activities of the year, the UN organised and held the first World Conference on Women in Mexico City.
That conference adopted a declaration on equality of women and a plan of action which led to the adoption of the UN Decade for Women (1976-1986). During the decade, the 34th regular session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted, in 1979, a landmark convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against Women. Tanzania’s UN ambassador, Salim Ahmed Salim, was president of the 34th UNGA and he did Africa proud.
In 1977, the 32th regular session of UNGA adopted a resolution which called upon all member states to celebrate appropriately and annually International Women’s Day on March 8. I was a Ugandan delegate to the 1977 UNGA and witnessed the adoption of that resolution, by consensus.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Women comprise 52 per cent of Uganda’s population. Although women are the majority of our population, they are too often treated by government as if they are a minority. No wonder women’s issues are dealt with by a mere directorate in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
In my opinion, women deserve a separate core ministry to deal effectively and efficiently with multifarious challenges and issues which are of concern to them and to men of goodwill, like yours truly, who support unconditionally women’s just and legitimate struggle for gender equality and parity.
In this connection, when the 1995 Constitution was promulgated, Ugandans welcomed the positive provisions and measures which were included in the basic law of our country, in particular, Articles 31, 32 and 33 thereof.
Whereas Article 31 deals with the rights of the family, Article 32 provides for affirmative action to uplift women and other minorities who are victims of discrimination based, inter alia, on gender, age, disability, tradition and negative cultural practices. The objective is to redress imbalances which have existed from time immemorial and regrettably continue to exist in Ugandan society today.
Article 33, which deals with the rights of women, is perhaps the most important of the constitutional provisions.
It stipulates categorically: “Women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men,” and adds: “Laws, cultures, customs or traditions which are against the dignity, welfare or interest of women or which undermine their status, are prohibited by this Constitution.”
A typical example of this indignity and outrage is the primitive practice, politely called female genital mutilation (FGM) which is, in my opinion, a crime against humanity.
It is, therefore, disappointing and a matter of deep regret that 25 years down the road, Parliament has not yet enacted appropriate laws to translate into concrete action and reality the above Articles which would significantly improve the lives and well-being of the women of Uganda. The reasons are not hard to find.
The corrupt and decadent regime, which has by hook and crook clung to power tenaciously for 34 years, lacks the commitment to advance and promote the just cause of women.
The regime has, true to its devious nature, taken Uganda’s women for a ride and used them for many years to advance personal and partisan agenda of a shameless minority. The sooner the women of Uganda wake up to this realisation, the better for them and for the wananchi of Uganda.
I urge all men of goodwill to join the women of Uganda and wage the just and legitimate struggle for gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s rights which are essential ingredients of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
After 34 years of misrule, the corrupt and self-condemned ruling clique believes that it can fool all Ugandans all the time. Gen Omar Bashir of Sudan thought likewise. As the Scripture teaches, there is a time for everything under the sun. I tell you, the writing is on the wall for all decadent regimes in Africa.
Despite lack of progress in achieving cherished goals, I wish the gallant women of Uganda a Happy International Women’s Day.
Mr Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.
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