Women will continue rising in the ranks

Rose Najjemba Muyinda is the chairperson of the National Women’s Council (NWC) in Uganda. She shared with Thomas Pere the role of her organisation in emancipating women and the benefits women have achieved from their struggle.

What is the National Woman Council?
It is a statutory organ put in place by an Act of Parliament with the aim of bringing women above 18 years in Uganda together for social, economic and civic development. It was enacted in 1993.

The organ has a structure that runs from village, parish, sub-county, district to national level with an executive committee at all levels. It has an established and well-equipped secretariat headed by the executive secretary as the accounting officer.

What is the vision and mission of this organisation?
The vision is for organised and unified women of Uganda who actively contribute to sustainable community and national development, while our mission is to organise and support the development of women of Uganda to enhance their contribution to sustainable social and economic development.

What is the national theme of the 2010 women’s day and why was it adopted?
It is “Consolidating Equal Opportunities For Women: A path to Prosperity For All.” It is adopted from the global theme, “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for all.”
The normative principal that women are entitled to the same opportunities as men in all spheres of society is enshrined in national, regional and international instruments on human rights.

Najjemba is proud of what women have achieved

but still yearns for more

The national theme underscores the importance of ensuring equal opportunities as a pre-requisite for wealth creation and prosperity programme which aims to address poverty through interventions that target the various levels of the value chain.

Its purpose is to enable every household in Uganda meets its basic needs, afford basic goods and services for material and social comfort, and have a reasonable annual income of at least sh20m.

The theme awakens us to analyse the link between equal opportunities for women and the attainment of prosperity. Unless women have equal opportunities to access key requirements for production, getting out of poverty will remain a critical challenge for Ugandans. The prosperity for all programme targets all Ugandans irrespective of gender, religion, political affiliation, class and other aspects.

Equal opportunity means having the same treatment or consideration in the enjoyment of rights and freedoms, attainment of access to social, cultural or political activities regardless of sex, age, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed, religion, health status, social or economic standing, political opinion or disability.

Are there any activities you will have when celebrating this year’s day?
Today’s national celebration will be held in Bushenyi district and it will be presided over by the President. Besides, various activities have been going on in the past one week. Some of them include exhibitions by women groups and enteprenuership training in Bushenyi District Hall. Tree planting is also being done in some designated areas in the district.

What are some of the accomplishments you have made since this organisation started?
Among our successes is putting in place and operationalising the NWC terms and conditions of service regulations 2000 and amendment of NWC statute of 1993. And we have been able to network and develop good working relations with different government, international and local NGOs who have from time to time helped the council to carry out some of its activities.

The council has over the years strengthened its institutions by providing transport at grassroots with bicycles, and provided its maintenance funds. It also opened 56 district women’s council offices countrywide.

Besides, it has economically empowered women through the national women’s council credit scheme. It continuously carries out training, awareness and sensitisation.

Comment on the progress of women emancipation in Uganda.

We used to have few women in offices but now the number has shot up. Unlike in the past where they used to enrol for courses like typing after O’level, there are many educated women who have done professional courses like law, medicine and engineering.

Representation in all political organs has also gone up. Furthermore, women now contribute to the economy because many own businesses. Unfortunately men have given up their role in the family which is common at village and national level.

What are the challenges you are facing?
This is an organisation that was supposed to be all embracing when it was started and not under multi-party democracy where members are forced to go by party rules. Members still have to learn the party way of doing things. It is for this reason that there is a bill to review the act in Parliament.

Secondly we have got a problem of funding. It has been made worse by the fact that we are neither government nor a civil society organisation. Consequently, when we approach donors for funding, they are reluctant to help.

They say we are a government organisation yet the Government only gives us salaries and conditional grants to the districts.

Any plans for this organisation?
Currently we are waiting for the amendment so that it fits in a multi-party environment.
We shall also hold our elections.

NWC will then continue with the struggle against violence, and push for more leadership positions, increased financial empowerment, and education of women.

Any message for women out there?
Women should know they have come from very far and keep on struggling against their challenges. They should appreciate that empowerment is not given on a silver plate but comes through hard work.