With its affirmative programmes geared towards achieving empowerment of women and gender equality through equitable and sustainable development, government has empowered women socially, economically and politically.

Faridah Kibowa, the chairperson of the National Women’s Council, says through programmes such as universal primary and secondary education and economic and livelihood programmes like the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme, Operation Wealth Creation, and Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment, among others, the government has made considerable progress in incorporating the principles and provisions of global and regional commitments on women’s rights into national legal and policy frameworks.

The National Women’s Council exists to bring all the women of Uganda together for development purposes, irrespective of their origin, tribe, religion or political background, as well as build a gender equal world.

Ms Kibowa says since inception in 1993, the Council has persistently committed to supporting women’s empowerment through the implementation of multiple programmes throughout the country and will continue to do so.

“As part of its investment plan, the Council has designed and adopted the “15 Household Model” for social economic empowerment of grassroots women and households, to be delivered through the National Women Council Structures that run from the national level through to the village levels,” says Kibowa.

She, however, notes that despite all the commitment and progress made to date, gender equality remains a key development challenge.  This calls for deliberate interventions by all stakeholders to harness the existing opportunities to accelerate intergenerational positive transformation towards gender equality, she advises.

She adds that there is need for women and girls to support and take advantage of all the initiatives aimed at empowering women. “At National Women’s Council, we strive to build a gender equal world because we believe that equality is not just a women’s issue but a business issue; it is essential for economies and communities to thrive.”