Beijing meet: How has Uganda fared?

On March 8, the world comes together to celebrate the determination of women to chart a way forward in the fight against gender inequality. On the 50th anniversary of the UN in September 1995, a ground-breaking Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing, China, attracting activists and representatives from around the world.
There, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted, paving way for a world where women could exercise freedom of choice and live within their rights.

What was the problem?
In her statement, former Vice President Dr Specioza Wandira Kazibwe, who led the Ugandan delegation, urged women to stop kidding themselves that power is given on a silver platter. “We must not underestimate the political power of women – it lies in our vote,” she said. “The strategy to end our woes is to vote for capable gender sensitive women and men.
It is then that we will stop begging.”
Five years after Beijing, Dr Kazibwe was still talking tough. In 2000, at a UN General Assembly Special Session on Gender Equality she said, “We are doing a lot of talking… In Africa, which I know very well, the political commitment (for equality) is not there.” She added that foreign assistance to Africa now came in the form of helping women to build latrines and teaching them how to bathe their babies; “We instead need infrastructure, electricity and telecommunications.”

Achievements so far
Over the years, government and civil society have translated the Platform for Action into concrete changes. In 1996, the introduction of Universal Primary Education was a ground-breaking achievement for the girl-child. UPE and later USE meant that girls could be kept in school longer, reducing on the effects of teenage marriages and pregnancies.

In 1997, the first National Gender Policy was approved, providing a reference point for addressing gender inequalities at all levels. As a result, awareness of gender as a development concern increased.

Jacqueline Asiimwe-Mwesige, a lawyer and feminist, says; “in terms of uplifting women, Beijing was good because The Platform for Action gave us the basis to tell government what it has to do to empower women.” Uganda has seen a new political culture where women are accepted as political leaders in their own right. There is a one third reservation of parliamentary seats for women (Woman MP Seats).

Thirty four per cent of the 9th Parliament is comprised of women, placing it 17th among countries with a high proportion of female legislative representation in the world.

Agnes Igoye, deputy chairperson of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce in the Department of Immigration, says; “more women representation has resulted in new laws seeking to protect women rights in the areas of gender-based violence, prevention of trafficking in persons and land rights”.

She adds, “These days, we don’t have to prove that women can do a good job, given the chance. The few women who have got the opportunity are testimonies to that, even though we still have a lot to do.”

All these are evidence of efforts and strides towards achieving gender equality.

The gaps
During the Juba peace negotiations in 2008, the few women on the negotiating team raised concern because women and girls had suffered the brunt of the war.

“In a country where women empowerment is touted, women had to demonstrate to be included in the peace process,” says Mwesige.

Margaret Akullo Elem, a member of the Women’s Peace and Security Project for the Greater Horn of Africa led the women delegation and obtained two slots for women observers. However, Igoye says, “Women participating in peace processes may be few, but it shows progress and sends a message that we have a stake in peace building.”
In 2009, the government began implementing The Peace, Recovery and Development Plan for northern Uganda (PRDP) aimed at laying the foundation for development and alleviating poverty among the population.

However, women activists still criticise the programme. “You cannot advocate reconciliation by building prisons and neglecting the issues that affect the women,” says Mwesige.

“In fact, it was ISIS-WICCE that raised the funds to establish health camps to cater for rape victims and sufferers of cervical cancer.” In the sports sector, female athletes are bitter that they have been left out by the government.
Phiona Katiti, a footballer, says; “We are talented but when it comes to support, government focuses on the men. They should also encourage us to excel instead of waiting for FUFA to do everything.”

The challenges
Mwesige concedes strides have been made though most of the policies remain on paper. “The changes are cosmetic. Women are now tools of political patronage in one person’s quest to remain in power,” she explains. The Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development is among the least funded in the National Budget, with only 0.03 per cent allocated to it.

“Yes, one will say there are more women in politics now, but they run for district positions, not constituencies,” says Mwesige. “Everyone knows that running for a district position requires more resources and yet women are less resourced than their male counterparts.”

Igoye also adds that although it has been argued that quota systems have increased the number of women in elected positions, this has not always translated into better policies for women. “If party policy is still dominated by men and society is still hostile towards powerful women, then increasing the number of women in parliament will not necessarily improve women’s interests.”

Although Uganda has a policy framework on maternal and child health, healthcare provision and infrastructure is chronically underfunded. This, in an environment of poor access to quality maternal and neonatal care, continues to expose mothers to high risk of death. However, real change will come from a complete change of attitude among policy makers.

Fixing it
Educating women is key in ensuring that they earn the right to sit at the decision-making table. “Men have also contributed to the progress of women.

Some, such as my father, refused to accept bride price because of the challenges associated with the abuse of that culture,” says Igoye.

The Domestic Relations Bill has been re-tabled and Mwesige says, “It remains to be seen if the MPs will risk their positions in an electoral year to pass the Bill.”

in my opinion...

“There is an enabling environment for our views to be heard now. We can also get involved in politics, and advocate gender sensitive issues.
Maternal mortality rates and infant mortality rates have gone down. There are still challenges such as gender-based violence. We had thought that with women empowerment, women rights would be respected but that is not the case.

We have a long way to go to harmonise families beyond the legislative laws put in place. I believe that this is now a moral issue and we should partner with churches to impart moral behaviour in families,”
Barbara Nekesa Oundo, Minister of State for Karamoja.

“Much has been achieved since Beijing 1995. Government making women leadership a constitutional matter, the affirmacy action which saw more women to university, and the freedome for women activists.

However, government at times thinks they are doing us a favour including us in the policy making process. Some men still believe that we should be treated as second class citizens.
There is need to work on those stereotypes, especially the traditions and cultures that still bar women from participating in leadership. Men sometimes think that we are on the road to making them second class citizens and yet that is not what we are doing. We are advocating equal partnership in the development of this country,”
Winnie Kiiza, District Woman Representative, Kasese District.