Uganda seeks to host NAM women secretariat
Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
During her tenure, Azerbaijan established the NAM youth and women’s forum which Amongi says Uganda is ready to harmonise.
Uganda has hinted on aspirations to host the Non- Allied Movement (NAM) women secretariat even as the establishment’s summit continues in Kampala since Monday.
Uganda is taking over NAM’s 3-year leadership from Azabaijan which has been heading since 2019.
“The secretariat will coordinate issues around women within the NAM member states within the three years and beyond by advocating for economic empowerment for women and resolutions coming from NAM which affects women,” Uganda’s gender minister Betty Amongi said.
Speaking to the media during the NAM Women’s conference in Kampala, she added that: “We women of Uganda are saying we seek to establish the NAM women’s forum secretariat in Uganda.”
During her tenure, Azerbaijan established the NAM youth and women’s forum which Amongi says Uganda is ready to harmonise.
“Women are in the poorest bracket and if we are to close this gender gap, the United Nations has estimated that we require Shs360b every,” she noted.
According to her, the secretariat intervention will position Uganda and NAM to tackle issues affecting women.
“The goals include reducing poverty, ensuring education for women, provision of cheap capital for women and providing skills ,”she emphasized.
Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) executive director Patricia Manaabi, who represented women in Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), called for commitment to have the secretariat permanently in Uganda.
“We all know it’s rotational in terms of heads of states but we want ensure that we establish the secretariat because we have the structure and mechanisms through which its works,” she added.
She also encouraged NAM countries to enforce outcomes of the 18th summit.
Speaking to Monitor on Wednesday, Tororo District lawmaker Sarah Opendi said: “Even among the executive while constituting boards and commissions you still find that women are given one third with men as majority decision makers.”
“Uganda being the chair of NAM is a great opportunity to work with other developing countries to pick best practises and see how we can bring global leaders to support women,” she noted.
