Uganda’s Women emancipation is progressing- President Museveni

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has  said  that government of Uganda has progressively attained women empowerment objectives through strategic interventions.

In a speech read for him today by the Vice President Major Jessica Alupo Epel, the interventions range from universal education, affirmative action in leadership, enactment of stringent legal framework to combat sexual offences against women, fighting Female Genital Mutilation and poverty alleviation initiatives through women empowerment schemes  

The President remarks were read at today’s International Women’s Day celebrations at Kololo Independence Grounds where Museveni noted that the NRM government found a worrying state of women affairs in the country coupled with high illiteracy, discrimination, poverty and denial of women for their economic rights all of which have been deliberately addressed.

During the function which was commemorated under the theme “scaling up to Accelerate access to justice for all women and girls in Uganda”, President Museveni affirmed the significance of aiding potential of all people to thrive as key for national development 

On behalf of President Museveni, Vice President Alupo signed three Action Plans aligned to women empowerment in Uganda which National Action Plan to Elimination of Gender Based Violence in Uganda 2026 – 2031, the National Strategy to End Female Genital Mutilation in Uganda 2025/26 – 2029/30 and the Uganda Gender and Equity Strategy for Climate Action 2026 – 2031.

The President asked women to avoid being spectators in development and wealth creation as the government strides to empower them and the girl child to have visible results upon which women should based to advance wealth creation for their households.

The Minister of State for Gender and Culture Hon Peace Mutuuzo has challenges men to support women in pursuit of equality and justice and calls for an end to Gender Based Violence to which she reports 52% of women to be victims physically, economically and emotionally.

While speaking at the International Women’s Day, Minister Mutuuzo applauded women for massively voting for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the recently concluded General elections and assured them of consistent government support through the vast government affirmative action initiatives 

While speaking at the same event, the Chairperson of the National Women’s Council Hajjati Faridah Kibowa stated that Uganda has progressively attained great scores through women affirmative actions as seen through representation in political leadership, socialeconomic empowerment among other aspects.

Hajjati Kibowa noted that women are no longer spectators but rather active participants in nation building and the beacon of peace in society and has urged them to protect the affirmative action gains initiated by President Museveni’s government and commended them for his re-election as President in the recent elections.

Hajjati Kibowa commendend government for inclusive governance exhibited by the NRM government through the elevation of capable women to worthy positions of leadership and support socialeconomic empowerment initiatives.

She disclosed that the National Women Council wants change of voting procedures for women leaders in the country from lining up to secret ballot saying that the practice of lining up in women elections risks conflicts and hatred and has called government to review the approach as she lists other pending challenges to Uganda’s women empowerment strides that they Council seeks government urgently redress including high rate of teenage pregnancies among others.

Hajjati Kibowa explained the impact of women Councils in addressing community family conflicts at village levels to upstream.

The French Ambassador to Uganda on behalf of the development partners Ambassador Virginie Leroy called for practical actions that demonstrate full resolve of women empowerment and their participation in national development.

Ambassador Leroy commended the government of uganda for strides made so far in women empowerment and revealed strategies needed to concretize feminist democracy as a joint pact to easily attain real women empowerment and guided that women empowerment efforts should involve men and boys among other several recommendations.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uganda Leonard Zulu stated several recommendations needed to complement the already existing frameworks to protect and safeguard women and the girl child .

The Minister for Gender Labor and Social Development Hon Betty Amongi noted that Uganda’s journey towards women empowerment has paid off with evidence viewed through the elevation of women into key positions of leadership and government agencies, block allocations to women in all wealth creation initiatives and she has rallied more women own up all government initiatives intended to their benefit.

Minister Amongi singled out the Succession Act as a major successful legislation for women as it discarded their discrimination to inherit property and affirmed their stake in their families and further highlighted judicial interventions initiated by government that have eased access to justice for women and girls in the country and the non discriminatory government programs that have fostered women inclusion accross board.

Minister Amongi also highlights pending challenges to affirmation of women empowerment which include High Court case denial and dismissal for especially sexually sexual offences due to lack of evidence, poor case management for women reported cases, the immense discriminatory social norms that aid child marriages among others.

Minister Amongi called Parliament to fast track the enactment of several amendments for laws including the sexual offences bill and marriage bill.

The event was spiced up by an all women military parade by the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service and Uganda Wildlife Authority which was commanded by Lt Col Evelyn Asiimwe.