KAMPALA– Girls Flourish in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and UNWOMEN have on July 5 launched the Girls Flourish Annual Awards aimed at celebrating great men and women transforming lives of girls at UNWOMEN offices.
The awards will be taking place on October 11, the International day for the girl child at Kampala Serena Hotel.
According to Girls Flourish, the awards are aimed to Identify, recognize and celebrate communities, organizations, brands and individuals that transform today’s girl child to become tomorrow’s woman of influence.
Ms. Catherine Opondo the Director Programs Girls Flourish said girls are still facing challenges like sexual harassment, school drop-outs among others even when the government and civil society have put up many efforts to improve the status of girls.
“In addition to recognizing policies, programs and individuals that have and are still doing a lot to better the status of girls, the awards will shade light to issues and challenges that girls are still facing,” Opondo remarked while speaking at the launch.
The Chairperson FIDA Uganda Ms. Lydia Namuli who will be the lead judge at the event said that the awards will focus on ten categories namely; innovation, governance, activism, sports, entertainment, media, literature, banking and finance, education, business and entrepreneurship.
She further assured the public that there will be transparency in the selection process of the nominees and winners.
According to the Senior Officer for Women in Development at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ms. Namuddu Hadijah, the ministry is trying as much as it can to solve challenges faced by women and girls.
“We recognize that as a Ministry, we can do as much as we can but we believe the civil society and developments can help the government in fulfilling its agenda for girls and women. We are proud to be partners in these awards and pledge to continue supporting any programs that uplift the well-being of girls and women in Uganda,” she said.
She added that there is still need for combined efforts to ensure that the struggle to improve the rights and freedoms of girls is sustained and impacts more girls in rural areas.
The awards will be conducted by a group of Judges including Lydia Namuli from FIDA Uganda, Eliot Orizaarwa from Women and Girl Child Development Association, Moses Kyateka, Founder Joy for Children, and Namuddu Hadijah from Ministry of Gender.
