UGANDA FEMALE MPS ASK GOVT TO INCREASE FUNDING TOWARDS WOMEN PROGRAMS

By Rose Kasigwa

KAMPALA. Uganda Women members of parliament have asked government to increase funding towards women empowerment in the country.

The women law makers under their umbrella organization- Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) say that placing women in high leadership positions without increasing the budget to implement programs  meant to  better their lives will not help them to improve their status.

The vice chairperson of UWOPA, Brenda Nabukenya who is also Luwero district member of Parliament, says that currently Uganda has 147 members of parliament however, injustices against women which includes domestic violence, rape, poverty and high drop of level of girls from school continues in all districts. She attributed the vices against women to lack of sufficient funds to implement programs geared at addressing their problems.

“Women are occupying high places however, they have no say on the budget and it’s the ministry of Finance that determines where money should go, a woman being on top does not mean that enough money will for example go to education to address the issue of girl child education, there is a lot of gaps that need to be closed,” said Nabukenya.

Nabukenya also emphasized the need for women in top leadership positions to ensure that they use their platforms to advocate for the women agenda, especially to have a budget that is engendered. 

“In many government programs that have been put in place you find it the same group of elite women that are involved and benefiting living out the local women which is increasing the poverty levels in the country,” she noted.

Mubende district woman mp, Hope Grania Nakazibwe emphasized the importance of protecting rights of women and girls in digital spaces. Nakazibwe also says that addressing online and ICT facilitated programs against gender based violence and amplifying the voices of the marginalized groups will result into creative solutions that enhance greater potential for innovations that meet women’s needs and promote gender equality.

“Government needs to increase investment for advancement of gender equality in innovations, technological change and education in the digital age through budget allocation to enhance teaching of sciences through equipping laboratories, enrolling more qualified science teachers,” said Nakazibwe.

Bukwo woman mp Evelyn Chemutai, called for government to enhance salary remuneration for science teachers to make such careers attractive for girls. She also proposed to government to run programs for mindset change in schools through career guidance and the importance of having more women and girls involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The International Centre for Research(ICRW) on Women reports that in Westnile region, a sub region that has been ravaged by conflict in the past several decades, the problem is severe, where women’s rates of schooling fall below the national average. The organization further reports that only six girls are enrolled in secondary school for every ten boys enrolled.

ICRW recommends to government to put in place a comprehensive  sexual and reproductive health education, improved outreach efforts to re enroll girls in school if they have dropped out and a focus on programs that can help shift gender norms among women , men, girls and boys.