Ms Evelyn Chebet Kubarika, the LCV chairman for Kapchorwa district said women should stop backing male politicians and fully support women contestants for leadership positions.
Ms Chebet was speaking at the occasion to mark the belated international women’s day celebrations at Boma grounds in Kapchorwa district on 17 March urged women to strategise and ensure they sail into leadership positions at all levels by competing with men.
“Why have we failed to champion for our own political journey? Why are we backing men in all positions? We must wake up because the positions are no longer ring faced for men, we can also get them, we must change and start uplifting fellow women and ourselves,” said Ms Chebet.
The international women’s day celebrations were held at Kololo ceremonial grounds in Kampala on 8 March under the theme; Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.
As the melody from a song by Kapchorwa SS students, “Without a woman, I would not be, I know who I am because of a woman rings out across Boma grounds in Kapchorwa, the women leap from their seats led by Ms Chebet as they dance looking forward to full emancipation becoming a reality in Uganda.
Ms Chebet explained that the government of Uganda under President Yoweri Museveni ahs empowered women to the level that many of them are holding key positions in government urging that they must utilise the prevailing atmosphere to liberate themselves further.
“We must change and work as a team in order to achieve our leadership goals and it is now, it is in this century when we must work together for a sustainable tomorrow like the theme says,” added Ms Chebet.
Statistics from UBOS indicate that in Uganda, women suffer from many rights issues, such as domestic violence and sexual abuse and that approximately half of all women have experienced some form of domestic violence from their husbands or partner.
It is also true that many women live in poverty and have limited opportunities to get an education. And although some government efforts have been made to improve the status of women in Uganda, these efforts are yet to make a significant impact especially in rural areas.
Ms Chebet urged Kapchorwa women to work with women activists to enhance civic education at grassroots level to ensure women are equipped with relevant information as they pursue their leadership goals “change your perception on politics and leadership and support women,” she added.
She revealed that under the able leadership of President Museveni, women have shown that they are capable of changing the country’s economy, democracy and ensure gender and societal issues are practiced in the country.
She urged women to get to the banks to get loans, to promote local savings in the villages, to get money and support from UWEPI, YES and other none government organisations that fund women activities for economic emancipation.
“When women have control over family income, they invest almost 90% in the household including family diet, medical and educational expenses and therefore I encourage you to do businesses for economic emancipation,” said Ms Chebet.
She praised the Reach programme-a community NGO that has championed the fight against FGM and rights of girl-child in Sebei sub-region for their role is the fight against FGM and GBV saying the programme has given adequate education to the people to stand against FGM.
“And these fruits you are seeing, these women you see in leadership roles in the district are because of the education and sensitisation given by the Reach programme under the able leadership of Ms Beatrice Chelangat,” said Ms Chebet.
Ms Phyllis Chemutai, the Kapchorwa district Woman Member of Parliament said while they recognise the work that has been done and how far we have come under the NRM government, there is still a lot to be done to expedite the narrowing of the gender gap, ‘because as a woman I believe women as the majority of our society, have a lot to offer in order to accelerate our development process,’
Ms Chemutai urged the women to continue their resilience and persistence in ensuring that they take their space of leadership in business and in the political arena.
She noted that women stood at the front lines of COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, community organizers and that this crisis highlighted new barriers to women’s leadership and participation as well as the disproportionate burdens they carry.
She said advancing gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century and that the issues of climate change and sustainability have had and will continue to have, severe and lasting impacts on our environment, economic and social development.
She revealed that women who are are amongst the most vulnerable and marginalized experience the deepest impacts adding that women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources which climate change threatens the most.
“Women have been violated, they have been robbed, they have been beaten in their homes by men, they have been chased and denied their rights as women, we must stand against this. Today, we know our rights, don’t ask for it, go for it and take it,” said Ms Chemutai
She revealed that gender inequality is a major obstacle to improved outcomes but that government is working to level that playing field.
She urged women to use their skills; knowledge and networks to effectively lead the country adding that today unlike in the past women are touted to bring different experiences and skills to make meaningful contributions towards a better society.
She explained that it is very important for women to fully participate in the decision making process in public life adding that this will go along way towards the elimination of violence in achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.
