2012 newsletter repaired

1

F O R U M
0

F O R
WOMEN IN DEMOCRACY
FOWODE E-NEWS
4 EUSSI ,2102 HCRAM- YRAUNAJ

Celebrate
the woman
in YOU!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE)
is a non-partisan national women’s organization.
• Women unite: Untie Uganda.......,...........................3
Uganda....... ........................
....., ....................

Vision: A just and fair society where women and
family
• Public expenditure tracking for family planning
services in Uganda...................................................5
Uganda.. ................................................5
... ...........................
men equally participate in and benefit from
decision-making processes.
• Civil society checklist for the 2012/13 national
budget…….......................................
budget……...............................................…………6
……......................................
Mission: To promote gender equality in all areas
of decision-making through advocacy,
• Women and Corruption ….....................................7
Corruption …..................................
............................ training, research, and publications.

:koobecaF .gro.edowof.www :beW gro.edowof@edowof :liamE .dR awakaN adnitN ,esolC aybuV 51 tolP | adnagU alapmaK ,6717 XOB O.P ,SWEN-E EDOWOF http://facebook.com/FowodeUganda

2

Connecting Girls, Inspiring the future
Coconnection

“Maria Kiwanuka’s enthusiasm for
work, crave for accuracy and belief in
success has seen her ascend to almost
the highest and most influential office
in government-Ministry of Finance,
Planning and Economic Development.
Her zeal did not just start a few
months ago, it started way back
…” The Observer
Each year, International Women's Day
(IWD) is celebrated on March 8 around the
world. Countries use this day to mark the
economic, political and social achievements of
women. It is a day when women are
recognized for their achievements regardless of
age, ethnicity, and culture, economic or
political differences. For Uganda there is a lot
to celebrate and despite the outstanding Maria Kiwanuka attended Gayaza High School, a
Her appointment as Uganda’s second Minister for
challenges we need to celebrate the prestigious all-girls boarding high school. She joined
Finance, Planning and Economic Development in May
achievements so far. Makerere University, where she graduated with the degree
2011 caught many by surprise. Different sections of
of Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). She later pursued
society including the women, business section and the
Women in Uganda are progressively making further education at the London Business School in the
politicians all commended her appointment considering
breakthroughs in fields long considered outside United Kingdom, graduating with the degree of Master of
her repute in the business sector. Her appointment was
their traditional roles. Uganda has had a female Business Administration (MBA).
unique in that she is not a politician as many who occupy
Vice President, Speaker of Parliament and ministerial positions in this country, but rather a technical
Ministers, we also continue to see an increased Kiwanuka was the first woman to run a radio station in
person bringing her rich experience from the business
number of girls enrolling for education at all Uganda. She started Radio One back in the 90s when
world into a Ministry that controls the country’s cash
levels among others. Uganda had only three FM Radios-Radio Sanyu, Capital FM
inflow and outflow.
and CBS FM. She’s reported to have relentlessly pursued a
unique quality and brand for the Radio Station and so
The theme this year is CONNECTING GIRLS,
when the station started its operation in 1997; it was the
INSPIRING FUTURES which impels us to
engage and involve young girls in various “Kiwanuka was the first only one of its kind, many FM stations have come on the
market but none match its style and it boasts of 80%
development initiatives. It is believed that there
is untapped potential in younger girls and
involving them in the different developments;
woman to run a radio broadcast coverage nationwide. On inception, Radio One
was the first FM station to play music off computer, when
many played it off CDs. It introduced a talk show
we ensure that the chain of excellence in the
advancement of women’s rights and promotion
station in Uganda”. ‘Spectrum’ which is one of the highly valued radio talk
shows in the country. Radio One is the first FM Radio to
of gender equality is growing and continuing in
incorporate online video into its programming to enable
generations to come. She has a keen interest in gender issues particularly the listeners view and follow the Talks show online. The
girl child. Working closely with the government of Radio’s attention to detail has made Radio One and later
National Celebrations took place in Nebbi Buganda, she has been very supportive through the Akaboozi ku Bbiri (Radio Two) one of the main players in
district and Government through the Ministry Nnabagereka Foundation in contributing towards proper a now crowded market. Her success in the radio market
of Gender, Labour and Social Development growth and development of the girl child, through draws a lot from her family’s support as well as her
used this day to launch a senior citizens teaching them morals and life skills- in an annual extraordinary abilities. It is reported that the mother of
scheme under where older persons of 65 years program dubbed ‘Ekisaakate.’ She also worked with Her two teenage boys is a stickler for high standards and
and above (60 in the case of Karamoja) will Royal Highness the Nnabagereka to support the works as hard as it takes to get a job done; taking in long
receive monthly Direct Income Support of Ug Makerere University Female Scholarship Foundation. The hours at times.
shs 23,000. Initiative which was established at Makerere University in
2001 funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York

This year’s international women’s day coincides
aimed at supporting girls from disadvantaged socio-
economic backgrounds to access university education
“…worked with Her Royal
with 50 years of Uganda’s independence and thus contributing to the increased female enrolment at Highness the Nnabagereka to
so FOWODE is profiling Ugandan women who the university.
are impacting the lives of others to highlight support girls from disadvantaged
*So, just who is Maria Kiwanuka?
the journey walked by Ugandan women in their socio-economic backgrounds to
search for gender equality and justice while at
the same time inspiring the younger women. Maria Kiwanuka is a Ugandan economist,
businesswoman. She is the current Minister of Finance in
access university
In this edition, FOWODE presents Maria the Ugandan Cabinet. On account of being a cabinet
minister she is an ex-officio member of the Ugandan
education thus contributing to
Kiwanuka and Capt. Olive Kigongo.
Parliament. Prior to her current position, she was the the increased female enrolment at
Managing Director of Radio One and Radio Two, in
Uganda, in which her family owns majority shareholding.
the university.
She also served as a non-Executive board member on the
Board of Directors of the Aga Khan Foundation (East In her, the Ministry of Finance has got an expert with a
Africa), the Nabagereka Development Trust, Nkumba great amount of hands on experience in economics,
University, Uganda Development Bank and Stanbic Bank business, banking and finance. However the challenge
Uganda Limited and a member to the Presidential that lies ahead of her as a Finance Minister is to
Economic Commission and Presidential Investors endeavour to stabilize the economy. Women also hope for
Roundtable. increased financing of gender concerns which will
eventually lead to meaningful empowerment of women.


3

Connecting Girls, Inspiring the future

While with the rebels, I collected food for the
fighters, carried guns to the bush and would also join
them to hit the enemy installations. The ruling Passing on the baton
government started looking for me and I could no
longer stay in the village fearing I would be killed; it
is then that I told my husband about my connections
with the rebels and I left him with the kids. We l lived
separate lives until when the war was over. While in
the bush, life was not easy; we forgot luxuries like
sugar and salt, we used a particular type of leaves as
sanitary towels. Although we were officers we found
ourselves doing other duties like waswashing, roasting
gonja etc… These situations taught me that every
woman needs a woman for a best friend, I became
Capt. Olive Zizinga is one of the first women to close to the other women with whom we shared
join the National Resistance Army (NRA) responsibilities and complemented each other during
liberation struggle as a fighter. Her courage these hard times.
and tenacity is admired by many and in 2008
city
she received an award from the ‘Global African “My children had grown up but they
Movement’ for having rendered extra ordinary had suffered a lot while I was
service to the nation.
away, many had been arrested with FOWODE commemorated the International Women’s Day

In 1949 a general strike broke out. It was called ‘war
e
their father because of me.”
fa by holding a half day dialogue with young women leaders
during the women’s day P Publicity week.
number eight’. Workers who were demanding higher
salaries stopped everyone from going to work There are times when I badly wanted to return to my
T
family because I felt I could not endure any more The dialogue on Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures
iring
including those bringing food stuff to town. Whether it aimed at creating space for FOWODE young leaders’
was a bicycle repair or anything else, everything came suffering. We could walk long distances nonstop for a
suffering e
day or two sometimes without food or water. I alumni and other youth to share knowledge on challenges
to a standstill. There were some who insisted on
ere and opportunities for women in Uganda and how the
selling their farm products, such as milk, we the remember this one-time when I felt so thirsty and
one time
colleagues gave me kwete ‘local brew’ to quench my youth can engage in the development processes. During
children were told to pour it and we did. the dialogue Rhoda Kalema well known for her struggles
dialogue,
thirst, another incident was when one morning I
woke up to find a big snake had peeled its skin from in gender equality and women’s empowerment and Helena
In the same year another civil riot called “number under my bed. These and many more are the hard Okiring a youth and women activist shared with the young
nine” broke out. Number nine was for farmers who times we faced in the bush that made me wish to women their experiences in promoting gender equality and
were growing coffee and cotton. They wanted to return to the comforts of my home and made me cry. women’s empowerment They interacted mainly on how to
empowerment.
process their crops and set their own prices. When the I remember hiding with Gertrude Njuba to cry engage in the promotion of women’s rights and how to
farmers went on strike, the army, known as King because we wanted to go home and when we actively participate in activities that promote democracy
African Rifles was brought from Jinja to quell it. The returned we were summoned to explain why we were and human rights.
strikers went burning houses and got us children crying but even then, we were never allowed to go
involved as well. We started setti
setting ablaze the houses home. This dialogue was graced by Hon. Miria Matembe
of big chiefs…these and more are some of the
influences that shaped my life”. The Rising Tide When we eventually captured Katonga, governor
governors
were appointed to control and administer the war
So who is Olive Zizinga? zones, it’s at this time that I was also appointed
zones Women unite: Untie Uganda
advisor to ‘Mzee’ Museveni. Soon after we took over
I got married in 1953 to Mr. Zizinga at the age of Kampala and I finally met my family again. I was
17years and had ten children. Although 17 seems delighted to see my husband who had waited for me
young, to me it was the best option considering that
e all that time. My children had grown up but they had
pursuing my education had become a bit of a suffered a lot while I was away, many had been
problem. When I completed primary four my aunt arrested with their father because of me.
who was paying school fees took me back to my
parents claiming I was naughty and could no longer be My saddest moments include losing our six children in
managed. My parents to took me to Ndejje 1980, our 26 year old son was killed on Kyagwe
Demonstration School but I soon dropped out because Road, in 1982 our second child was arrested and
of the distance (7 miles) I had to cover daily. My uncle killed in Bombo Army Barracks, in 1986 o third son
our
later paid fees for me at Mukono Bishops School and was killed in Makindye where he had been
Makin e
due to financial difficulties he could not continue his commanding National Resistance Army forces, the
support towards my Education.
ation. fourth child died at the age of 34, the fifth died of
Aids at the age of 31 and the last born died later.
“… when Museveni and his team
I was sworn in as member of the National Resistance
started their struggle in the 80s I Council and became Honorable. Captain Zizinga. With
this new accolade, I could not do certain things at
voluntarily joined them and got home and this caused some misunderstandings with
involved in rebel activities
activities…” my husband who thought I was disrespecting him As part of the commemoration of International Women’s
In the 1950s I joined the movement of Kamya when and abandoning my duties at home. I was later Day, the women’s movement under its campaign
he rallied us not to buy things from Indians. In 1962 I appointed as a Senior Presidential Advisor but time WOMEN UNITE: UNTIE UGANDA mobilized women to
joined another force that was meant to fight for the came when I could not meet the President and it show their solidarity with mothers whose c children are
Kabaka, though we were not successful. We took dawned on me that the rank of Hon. Capt and the suffering from the nodding disease syndrome by tying
pangas, knives, sticks and even cassa
cassava stems and post of Advisor were in theory and not in practice. I themselves to trees for 30 minutes. Women also took this
.
walked towards Mengo to fight for the Kabaka only to was eventually laid-off and left government because I
laid off opportunity to condemn government’s failure to
be disbanded around Matugga when one of our didn’t have the senior six academic qualification. adequately address the nodding disease problem which
colleagues grabbed a soldier and instead of helping has reportedly claimed the lives of over 200 children in
of
My role in these struggles which I started engaging in Pader, Kitgum and Lamwo districts.
er,
him we ran away fearing that government soldiers as a child is unimaginable; I endured the harsh
would shoot us if they found us. conditions of the bush war and this sacrifice earned
According to experts, the cause of nodding disease which
odding
me and other women trust among the male
When Museveni and his team started their struggle in
eni is mostly common among children and adolescents aged
counterparts. It was also an opening for other
the 80s I voluntarily joined them and got involved in between 10 and 19 years is still unknown.
Ugandan women to be recognized as somewhat
rebel activities without my husband’s knowledge. equal contributors to the developm
development of their
country.

:koobecaF .gro.edowof.www :beW gro.edowof@edowof :liamE .dR awakaN adnitN ,esolC aybuV 51 tolP | adnagU alapmaK ,6717 XOB O.P ,SWEN-E EDOWOF http://facebook.com/Fowod
wodeUganda

4

…and then I
knew I was
a Woman!

Right from the edge of my creation, I thought this is how
I would be, and yes this is how I am. I was born a woman
and a woman I will be. Throughout my infancy, I battled
with thoughts of who I was as a girl, what woman I would
grow into and what kind of woman I would later be. I was
told, there was a woman that God did not create, Living only as women but in a male headed household.
deterring the natural instincts that refer to my sexuality to Society hails our late father; the head of the family. When
the artificial roles. This woman was the model in society, I send money home society still thanks ‘Salongo’ who
accepted by several, a woman who set standards for what educated me. Dead or Alive, he Salongo still feeds the
kind of woman I was to be. family! Are we really far from where we started from, are we
Yes I grew up as a principled young girl, groomed in a moving miles? Is gender equality a myth in your
home of 7 girls and 5 boys. The natural woman in me Ihated it that my brother has home or a reality? Sure something is being done like
started growing into the ‘real’ woman; predesigned by getting educated, joining of decision making
society. I made the fibred dolls and played mother in our to give me away for positions, economic empowerment, but a lot more
childhood games, I can’t forget the ‘tantantala’ song in needs to be done as this ascribes to only a few
depiction that marriage was the epitome of a woman’s life.
marriage? Why not my women, several especially at the grassroots level still
If I missed being the bride in that game, bowls of tears
flowed from my eyes. I never knew what this meant. No, I
mother, because she bore the pain face the intensity of the gender imbalances.

never! Well, how could I know unless I was told! I never questioned why even my younger brothers Oppression is now manifesting itself in a secondary
couldn’t kneel for mother, yet it was a must for the girl form. Through rape, human trafficking, corruption,
At the ages of innocence, I knew that a woman was to child. Did I ever see any of my brothers in the kitchen! My poverty, defilement, insecurity, the incest, domestic
take care of the man, the children, animals, and the home mind can’t trace that scene. Wow! I thought I had come violence, should I also say the Child sacrifices?
alike! Perhaps that is what she was created for. I saw into a better world, now I knew we were two different
mother do the triple roles. Yes, she produced, dug, cooked human beings not only in spelling of the nomenclature but I mean, who is affected most? It is still I the woman
and went to the market not mentioning taking the water in every sense of woman being different from man. that I was; I am and will forever be. As we celebrate
to the bathroom for father to bathe. Society brought to me several normalized injustices as Women’s Day, woman, measure your success
realities that accrued to being feminine. I witnessed the according to the miles you have moved in reality,
For that purpose, she was a professional housewife, the power controls at home which manifested sometimes in start with your own home, are you enforcing
home was her confinement. Society taught me how to the fights we had with our brothers, they played the patriarchy? Girls, women, mothers, wives, sisters,
walk on knee bows as I grew up, together with my security role and they had the right to give the girls away aunties, dear grannies and of course the men out
brothers, we moved on in this action for respect, only to in marriage in exchange for a cock! there, lets connect for the better of all the women in
be surprised, at a certain age, they stopped, while I Uganda. To the men, I know you like making women
continued. I was so grieved at the traumatic situation my I hated it that my brother has to give me away for
marriage? Why not my mother, who bore the pain of happy, one statement for you. The only way you can
family had to go through under the auspices of society. I make a woman happy is to observe, defend and
wanted to strangle this person called society. Because of bringing me into life, little did I know that on that day, she
does not even appear any where before the guests! Sshh! protect her rights, together, we can move
the same person, I heard the woes in the parents’ bed MOUNTAINS!
room, several times mother packed her bags to head for I was shut down in a whisper, ‘Don’t you know that
her parents, but society said “NO! You can’t do that, you children belong to the MAN?’ Of course, the head of the
family, he was in and out of home. At the age of 12 I saw Happy Women’s Day
are a married woman, you belong to the man, how will
society regard you?” The anger that grilled in the marital father heading 2 families and we used to say; Father is a
real man, he controls the family even when he is miles By Juliet Luutu
home spilled over to the children until only the daughters
who measured up to the required strength for survival away!
remained.

5
Parliamentary Gender Champions lobby for a gender and equity monitoring unit

Gender champions within Parliament are plotting to push for the establishment of
within
a ‘Gender Monitoring Unit’ within parliament which will be mandated to check
ill
for adherence of the various government sectors to Ministry of Finance’s Budget
Call Circular directive on gender and equity budgeting.

Working hand in hand with the Uganda Women Parliamentarians Association, the
Parliamentary Budget Office, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development
and the Forum for Women in Democracy, the Members of Parliament want this
Democracy,
unit to be established as an independent body that will play an advisory role to
the various parliamentary committees when auditing the compliance of the
different sectors to the budget call circular gender directive. It will also be
responsible for recommendin to the Equal Opportunities Commission which
recommending
sectors would be befitting to receive the ‘Gender equity Certificate of Compliance’
quity
in a given time frame.

“…every government institution or
government sector will be
required to present the Gender equity
Certificate before its plan, budget, policy
statement, bill or loans are approved...”

In a move to ensure that government meets its gender equality objectives, every
government institution or sector will be required to present the Certificate of
institution
Gender and Equity before its plan, budget, policy statement, bill or loans are
approved by Parliament. “For the first time gender accountability is going to be
taken seriously,” stated Hon. Rosemary Nyakikogoro.
Rosemary

It is yet to be decided where the unit will be housed, but it was proposed for it to
be initially established as a department within the Parliamentary Budget Office
while members with the support of the Speaker of Parliament continue to work
out arrangements of having a fully fledged and independent unit within the
Parliamentary Structure as is the case with the Parliamentary Budget Office which
was established through the Budget Act 2001
2001.

A select committee has been constituted to develop guidelines and specific Terms
develop
of Reference for the Gender Monitoring Unit detailing the functions of this unit
and its operational framework. This committee was also tasked to develop the
Gender and equity checklist that would guide the parliamentarians when checking
for compliance to the gender directive for the Financial Year 2012/13. Given her
proficiency in gender analysis and gender budgeting, Forum for Women in
Democracy (FOWODE), was co-opted on this committee to provide technical
opted to
guidance in this process.

Ms. Patricia Munabi Babiiha, the Executive Director, FOWODE, voiced her support
,
eht fo eno awbapM haraS ..noH dna EDOWOF rottceriiD eviittucexE ehtt ibanuM aicirtaP
h ar a S n o H d n a E D O W O F r o c er D e v u c e x E e h towards this initiative which makes gender budgeting a reality in Uganda.
owards
.gnidnetta snoiipmahc redneg yratnemailraP
sno p m ahc red

Public expenditure tracking for family planning services in Uganda

In 2011, FOWODE began examin
examining the extent to which funds for It was also discovered that whereas Donors procure commodities
safe motherhood especially Family Planning Services have been and contract the National Medical Store to distribute to all health
utilized and whether there are any leakages in distribution of
ny units in the country. Ministr of Finance disburses funds to the
Ministry
family planning drugs and materials. While applying the Public
amily national medical stores to purchase, store and distribute family
Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) methodology, FOWODE planning materials to all health units in the country.
tracked the flow of family planning funds/commodities from
Uganda’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Funds for promoting consumption of family planning services at
Development to the Ministry of Health, National Medical Stores lower health unit levels are part of the general PHC non wage
(NMS) and to the Health Center IVs and Health Center IIIs in the
IIIs grant that is released quarterly to health units
5 selected districts.
The flow of family planning commodities is not consistent in some
low consistent
In total 20 Health Center IIIs and 10 Health Center IVs were health units for example, Health Centre IIIs are supplied a
randomly but proportionately selected in Luwero, Kabale, Kibaale, standard kit of materials every two months which may not
Gulu and Kibuku and data was gathered to ascertain the amounts necessarily meet the needs of users in a particular community
community.
of funds allocated for family plplanning services. To discover the
nature and efficacy of criteria used to allocate, disburse and The assessment also observed, laxity in record keeping of family
ecord
account for funds released for Family Planning services and also planning and deliveries by National Medical Stores and the health
to determine the levels of re allocations, diversions and/or The assessment revealed that in relation to
re-allocations, centers making it hard to accurately account for these
leakages (if any) of funds allocated to the different budget lines the transfer of Funds from the Central
allocated ransfer commodities on monthly, quarterly, bi annual, annual basis.
odities bi-annual,
for family planning services. Level to the Health Units, Donors
vel There was also serious under utilization of family planning
contributed much more than what the services at health centers with condoms being the most used
Central Government contributes
contributes, for family planning method
method.
USD 923,440
“…FY 2010/11 allocated was example for the financial year 2010/11 USD
923,440 was allocated by the Ministry of FOWODE intends to engage with government and other key
bygovernment USD 9,213,952 and was Finance Planning through the National stakeholder to address the key findings of this assessment and to
Medical Stores and USD 9,213,9
9,213,952 was do this systematically an advocacy strategy has been developed
allocated donors family planning
by for allocated by donors including UNFPA, to effectively lobby for improved financing and management of
reproductive health services in Uganda.
services" USAID and DFID.

wodeUganda

Civil society checklist for the 2012/13 national budget 6

Members of the Civil Society Budget Advocacy as well as the demarcation of
Group a loose coalition that advocates for pro government land.
poor and gender sensitive budgets in Uganda
developed a checklist to guide Members of The civil society organizations also
proposed that Ministry of works needs to
Parliamentarian when critiquing the National
give a status report about all roads it
Budget for the next financial year.
committed to construct in the previous
financial year and its plan for constructing
Recognizing that Parliament is mandated to
community access roads.
ensure that spending decisions are in line
with national priorities, the budget advocacy It was also stressed that Parliament should
group believes that this checklist will guide request the responsible sectors to give a
parliament in ensuring that gender and pro- status update on the implementation of the
poor concerns are incorporated into the various policies and plans including the
national budget priorities for the upcoming National Action Plan for Women, the
financial year 2012/13. Information Communication and Technology
Policy, the Labour Act as well as progress on
Priority areas in Health, Education,
amending the Succession Act to be gender
Agriculture, Information Communication and
sensitive and the development of guidelines
Technology, Trade, Water and Sanitation,
for the operationalisation of the Trafficking in
Lands, social development and macro
Persons Act.
economics were identified and some of the
emerging issues included the declining Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group believes According to Julius Mukunda, the Senior
budgetary allocations to the water sector yet that this checklist will guide parliament in ensuring that gender Program Director Forum for Women in
access to clean and safe water especially in Democracy, once finalized, the checklist will
the rural areas is still lacking. and pro- poor concerns are incorporated into the
be submitted to parliament so that the
national budget priorities for the upcoming financial parliamentary committees study the raised
Other issues included, government ministries
year 2012/13. issues and present them to the specific
to report on measures designed to improve
on measures of mitigating climate change and its effects on sectors during the budgetary review process.
pay and welfare of teachers and health
workers, Ministry of education to clarify on agriculture. It was further proposed that Ministry of health needs
the planned scrapping of the Universal to explain inconsistencies in demand and supply of drugs by
Primary Education program in urban schools National medical stores while Ministry of lands needs to give a
and ministry of agriculture to report on status update on compensation of land owners in the oil rich areas

Women councilors trained in effective legislative engagement

“…I have become more aware of what authority I
possess and what my responsibilities are as a
Councilor. I had not been oriented on my roles
since I was elected Councilor.”

The Councilors discussed and agreed on priority
areas of focus for their respective districts. Councilors
from Masindi agreed to mobilize women leaders,
youth and disabled persons for effective participation
in decision making, form Women Caucuses and lobby
for inclusion of gender issues in the district Annual
Budgets, while those from Busia planned to form
o si k a W n i g n i n i a rt e vit a l si g el e vit c ef f e e h t g ni r u d s r ol i c n u o c n e m o W coalitions and caucuses within Council to effectively
lobby for gender equity.

FOWODE organizes such capacity building trainings
with an understanding that women in leadership are
Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) the sessions on the ‘role of councilors’ and
still constrained by the patriarchal tendencies and
organized a capacity building training in February ‘assertiveness’ as well as ‘tabling motions’ in council
practices in legislatures that hinder their participation
2012 for female District, Municipal and Sub County were most appreciated.
and thus the prioritization of the women’s issues in
Councilors, majority of whom are new to the
“The most interesting session was the role of a the legislatures. Additionally, the women tend to lack
legislature, having been elected last year. The
Councilor. I have become more aware of what adequate skills and experiences to enable them
training aimed at enlightening the Councilors from
authority I possess and what my responsibilities are as effectively influence legislative decisions.
Masindi, Wakiso and Busia districts on the Council
a Councilor. No one had oriented me on my roles since
operations as well as furnishing them with key skills It is believed that once trained, the women are better
I was elected Councilor.” reported one of the
necessary for effective legislation like public placed to influence decisions in their legislatures and
participants
speaking, time management and mitigating conflict as a result, FOWODE will continue building capacities
among others. “I have learnt how to table an effective motion in of women at different levels so they can effectively
Council”, is what another participant had to say when analyze and influence legislature from a gender
The women perceived this training as extremely
asked to share what she had found most exciting.” perspective.
educative and timely and from the feedback received
, and ‘assertiveness’ as well as ‘tabling motions’ in

7

Women and Corruption
Corruption!

In her book ‘Political Cleaners: How Women are the
Political Minority groups and less advantaged groups such
less-advantaged
New Anti-Corruption Force. Does the Evidence
Corruption as women and girls also suffer disproportionately in
women
Wash?’(2003), Author Anne Marie Goetz suggests
’(2003), a context where human rights violations are ignored
that promoting women in politics as a bulwark by a corrupt law enforcement system. Moreover, a
against corruption serves the view "women as corrupt judiciary will reinforce existing explicit or
instruments to achieve a broader development goal" implicit gender discrimination
discrimination.
rather than welcoming them to public office as a
matter of their democratic and social rights. Despite resource limitations, civil society has been
limitations,
at the forefront of fighting corruption. For example
. example,
While a few women are benefiting from corruption,
hile Forum for Women in Democracy facilitates
as a social group, women do not gain from communities to establish Village Budget Clubs
corruption. Women, who represent a where 70% of membership is women. They
disproportionate percentage of the world’s poor, and participate in budgeting and planning process and
articipate processes
are more dependent on social services, suffer the
ependent also mon
monitor and track government funds. This has
most under a corrupt system of governance. Their contributed to increased transparency and
access to public office and institutions is restricted by accountability in the specific communities. Such
social, cultural, political and institutional initiatives that focus on women’s participation have
discrimination. proven to be effective alternatives for gender
mainstreaming
mainstreaming in the fight against corruption.
Corruption undermines a level playing field f
ndermines for
“Studies show that women
ow women and men in decision-making When political
making.
parties can be bought and sold, when officials are
and men have similar attitudes elected through vote-buying and when promotion
buying
towards corruption but men within the civil service or corporate sector is related A snap shot of the Relation
to personal connections rather than merit, there i is between Gender and Corruption
have more opportunities to be
less chance that women can increase their
corrupt, since they are more representation in Parliament or at management levels
likely to be part of corrupt within the public or private sector.
• Gender influences how effectively
networks tha the women”
than Corruption compounds this by making it even more corruption is measured and
difficult for women to access public services. It is
evaluated
estimated that Uganda loses 500 billion shillings
da
When a new cabinet was announced in 2011, annually as a result of corruption, this leads to
women jubilated over the in increased number of • Gender shapes opportunities to
reduced public revenues, often resulting in lower
female ministers from 15 in the previous cabinet engage in corruption
levels of spending on basic services like education,
to 22. But with the corruption allegations which
allegations,
health and other social services, which predominantly
have led to two f female cabinet ministers • Corruption has different effects on
ffects
affect women's and children's welfare.
investigations, the
stepping aside to allow investigations
excitement might soon fade away The biting
away. social groups of men and women
Corruption skews public investment choices away
arm so far exhibited by the 9th parliament in the
r from service delivery; corrupt officials or politicians
fight against inefficiency and graft is commendable. • Gender informs the relevance of
design public projects to maximize bribery receipts
and to minimize the chance of detection. Grand
anti-corruption strategies for social
corruption
There is an ongoing debate on corruption and
its effects on gender. SSome argue that women infrastructure investment is pr prioritized to the groups of men and women
are less corrupt than men and some have gone detriment of projects in pro-poor areas such as basic
poor
ahead to describe corrup
corruption is a “male game”. education and health services that directly aid the • Gender shapes the dynamics of
Recent studies have however shown that this poorest. Corruption in the water and energy sectors participation and representation in
assertion is not universal but culture
culture-specific and will particularly impact poor women, who often bear
government and civil society anti
anti-
can even be damaging to the women’s cause. the burden of seeking water a and fuel for their
families. Corruption also increases the obstacles for corruption interventions
Studies by different scholars show that women women entrepreneurs, by distorting access to credit
and men have similar attitudes towards and making it more difficult to obtain the necessary • Gender defines the currency of
corruption, but men have more opportunities to
ion, licenses and permits. corruption
be corrupt, since they are more likely to be part
of corrupt networks than the women.

wodeUganda

8

The Uganda Feminist Forum 2025 Vision

This Mural is a masterpiece that projects the Uganda Feminist Forum (UFF) 2025 Vision that members
thought out at the 2009 Uganda Feminist Forum. It depicts the ambitions and aspirations of the. By
this time, the mural says, women will be owning properties, city bus services, holding positions in
decision-making bodies like Parliament and even State House.

Feminists are urged to make more use of the Mural and to use it as a fundraising tool among
others. More copies in different sizes can be printed and disseminated for homes, auctioned at
fundraising drives, and even sold to international museums to allow for visibility and presence of the
UFF.

VISIT THE FOWODE RESOURCE CENTER
The FOWODE resource center is a ONE STOP CENTER, where you can access over 1000 information materials relevant to the FOWODE Thematic areas of Gender,
Governance, Democracy, and Human rights. You can also access internet, photocopying and printing services. Please visit the FOWODE website, www.fowode.org or the
FOWODE resource center at our offices in Ntinda

**NEW** NEW***

***MUST WATCH VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES*** 89.5 SPEAK FM IN GULU

Sharing the National Cake: "FOWODE's Gender
Budgeting at Work" is a documentary highlighting the
progress of Gender Budgeting in Uganda and the role of
FOWODE. This documentary also highlights the gender gaps
still existing in Uganda that need to be bridged to enhance
equitable distribution of resources for the benefit of the
women and men in Uganda.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKrHnw8X7Xw

Listen to

89.5 SPEAK FM
Voices unlimited
Overcoming the Tides: “This documentary Based in Gulu district, Speak FM covers the greater part of the Acholi sub
highlights women's experiences during Uganda's 2011 region including Gulu, Nwoya, Amuru, Oyam, Pader, Kitgum, Agago
election campaigns for the purpose of advocacy, districts and Partly Lira, Apac, Kotido, Karuma areas.
replication of good practices if any, and shared Programming at 89.5 Speak FM includes cultural and contemporary
learning. It brings to the fore the challenges and music, news, weather, traffic, sports community-oriented activities,
triumphs that women face as they traverse the advocacy campaigns and talk shows on topical issues.
political terrain within parties and among the
89.5 Speak FM is committed to keeping her style contemporary while
populace. delivering educative entertainment to her listeners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9_61t-UQsk The radio station is crystal clear, so do not hesitate to partner with 89.5
Speak FM to deliver your messages to the people in this region.

89.5 SPEAK FM is affiliated to Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE)
Find us at: Plot 19, Cemetery Road, Gulu Town, P. O BOX 1444 Gulu District,
Check out the fowode website Call us on: +256 0471 436895, Email us @: speakfm@fowode.org

http://facebook.com/FowodeUganda
The fowode website www.fowode.org is regularly updated to meet your information needs. There is everything including information about our programs, researches and
:koobecaF .gro.edowof.www :beW gro.edowof@edowof :liamE .dR awakaN adnitN ,esolC aybuV 51 tolP | adnagU alapmaK ,6717 XOB O.P ,SWEN-E EDOWOF
assessment reports on gender equality, upcoming events, news etc... Check back often as there is always new information posted.

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