8 - The Contribution of Women in Influencing Legislation and Policy Formulation and Implementation in Uganda (1995-2005)
Corresponding Author(s) : Elijah Dickens Mushemeza
Africa Development,
Vol. 34 No. 3-4 (2009): Africa Development
Abstract
This paper on impact assessment of the contribution of women in influencing legislation and policy formulation and implementation in Uganda 1995-2005 is premised on the assumption that there is still much more to be done, though women have made some contributions towards the advancement of gender equality and empowerment. This is because the institution of patriarchy is still strong, and sufficient gender mainstreaming in the determination of policy choices and legislations and how these affect the quality of life for both women and men, particularly in the areas of family, health and education, is still lacking. The paper argues that although the government has been implementing a gender sensitive and responsive constitution, and despite the fact that the number of women participating in politics and governance has been steadily increasing, their participation has not had the desired impact on legislations and policies to make them gender sensitive and responsive to women’s rights, interests and needs. The sectors of health, education and family are selected for the analysis because these are where women are affected most. It is presumed that having gender sensitive, responsive and implemented policies, and non-discriminatory laws, in these sectors would go a long way in neutralising patriarchy and promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The paper proposes policy recommendations on how to scale up women’s participation, contribution and impact on policies and legislations to the advancement of gender equality and empowerment of women in the entire society.
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- ACFODE, ARISE, A Women’s Development Magazine Issue No. 41, March 2007.
- ACOFODE, ARISE: A Women’s Development Magazine Issue No. 40 December 2006.
- ActionAid Uganda, 2000, Draft Country Programme Review Report, Kampala: ActionAid Uganda.
- Adome, R.O., et. al., 1996, Popular Pills, Community Drug Use in Uganda, Amsterdam: Het Spinhuis.
- Alina, R.S., 1985, ‘Women’s Role in Water’ in P. P. Kabalikat , ed, Women’s Issues in Water and Sanitation: Attempts to address an Age-old Challenge. IDRC, Canada.
- ARISE, A Women’s Development Magazine, Issue No. 39 August 2006.
- CEWA-Uganda, 2002, Participants Notebook: Integrating Gender into Economic Policies, Kampala: CEWA (U).
- FIDA-U, ‘Shadow Report of Uganda’s First Periodic State Report to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights’ Presented to the 40th Ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and people’s Rights, Banjul, the Gambia 15 – 29 November 2006.
- Kabonesa, C. and Happy, M., 2003, The Gender Gap In Water Resource Management In The Nile Basin Countries: The Case for Rural Women in Uganda, Paper presented at ‘Role of NGOs and Media in the Nile Basin Initiative’ Session, March 16, Kyoto, Japan.
- Keller, B., 2002, ‘Engendering Uganda’s Poverty Eradication Initiatives: A Desk Review on Gender and Poverty’, Report for Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Department for International Development (DFID).
- Kharono, E., 2003, Critical Review of Affirmative Action in Uganda, Kampala: UWONET.
- Kiyimba, A., 2000, ‘The DRB: The Issue is not the Number of Wives’ in ARISE: A Women’s development Magazine Published by ACFODE No. 29.
- Matembe, M., 2002, Gender, Politics and Constitution Making in Uganda, Kampala: Fountain Publishers.
- MFPED Poverty Eradication Action Plan 2004/5 – 2007/, Kampala. MFPED, 2006, Gender Inequality in Uganda: The Status, Causes and Effects. MGLSD, Gender Bulletin, Vol. 9 No. 2 2000.
- Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (2006), ‘Gender Inequality in Uganda: The Status, Causes and Effects’ Discussion Paper 11.
- Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 1999, The National Action Plan on Women, Kampala: Uganda.
- Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 1999, Third Country Status report on CEDAW, Kampala: Uganda.
- Mulyagonja, I.K., 2006, Domestic Relations Bill Coalition: Report on Background Study for Re-Strategizing for Enactment of an Equitable Family Law for Uganda, Kampala: UWONET.
- Okuonzi, S., and Macrae, J., 1995, Whose Policy is it anyway? International and National Influences on Health Policy Development in Uganda, Health Policy and Planning 10(2):122-132.
- Republic of Uganda, The 1995 Constitution.
- Republic of Uganda, The Local Government Act, CAP 243.
- Ssonko, M.N., 2002, ‘Working in Gender and Development in the Ugandan Context’, A paper Delivered to the Students of Gender and Development Policy, University of Wales Swansea, School of Social Sciences and International Development.
- Tamale, S., 2001, Women’s Participation in Politics, Strategies for Parliamentary and Local Council Elections 2001, Keynote address at a Women’s breakfast meeting in preparation for the Ugandan Parliamentary and local government elections 2001, organized by the East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI), March 23rd, 2001 at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala.
- UBOS, Socio-Economic Survey, 2002/2003.
- Uganda Women’s Network: Domestic Relations Bill review report 2001. UWONET, 2004, Gender Transformation and Empowerment: The Domestic Relations Bill and The Poverty Eradication Action Plan, Exploring the Linkages.
- UWONET, 2006, Gender Audit of Key Laws Affec ing Women in Uganda. UWONET, News, Vol. 7 Issue No. 1 August 2005.
References
ACFODE, ARISE, A Women’s Development Magazine Issue No. 41, March 2007.
ACOFODE, ARISE: A Women’s Development Magazine Issue No. 40 December 2006.
ActionAid Uganda, 2000, Draft Country Programme Review Report, Kampala: ActionAid Uganda.
Adome, R.O., et. al., 1996, Popular Pills, Community Drug Use in Uganda, Amsterdam: Het Spinhuis.
Alina, R.S., 1985, ‘Women’s Role in Water’ in P. P. Kabalikat , ed, Women’s Issues in Water and Sanitation: Attempts to address an Age-old Challenge. IDRC, Canada.
ARISE, A Women’s Development Magazine, Issue No. 39 August 2006.
CEWA-Uganda, 2002, Participants Notebook: Integrating Gender into Economic Policies, Kampala: CEWA (U).
FIDA-U, ‘Shadow Report of Uganda’s First Periodic State Report to the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights’ Presented to the 40th Ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and people’s Rights, Banjul, the Gambia 15 – 29 November 2006.
Kabonesa, C. and Happy, M., 2003, The Gender Gap In Water Resource Management In The Nile Basin Countries: The Case for Rural Women in Uganda, Paper presented at ‘Role of NGOs and Media in the Nile Basin Initiative’ Session, March 16, Kyoto, Japan.
Keller, B., 2002, ‘Engendering Uganda’s Poverty Eradication Initiatives: A Desk Review on Gender and Poverty’, Report for Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Department for International Development (DFID).
Kharono, E., 2003, Critical Review of Affirmative Action in Uganda, Kampala: UWONET.
Kiyimba, A., 2000, ‘The DRB: The Issue is not the Number of Wives’ in ARISE: A Women’s development Magazine Published by ACFODE No. 29.
Matembe, M., 2002, Gender, Politics and Constitution Making in Uganda, Kampala: Fountain Publishers.
MFPED Poverty Eradication Action Plan 2004/5 – 2007/, Kampala. MFPED, 2006, Gender Inequality in Uganda: The Status, Causes and Effects. MGLSD, Gender Bulletin, Vol. 9 No. 2 2000.
Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (2006), ‘Gender Inequality in Uganda: The Status, Causes and Effects’ Discussion Paper 11.
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 1999, The National Action Plan on Women, Kampala: Uganda.
Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, 1999, Third Country Status report on CEDAW, Kampala: Uganda.
Mulyagonja, I.K., 2006, Domestic Relations Bill Coalition: Report on Background Study for Re-Strategizing for Enactment of an Equitable Family Law for Uganda, Kampala: UWONET.
Okuonzi, S., and Macrae, J., 1995, Whose Policy is it anyway? International and National Influences on Health Policy Development in Uganda, Health Policy and Planning 10(2):122-132.
Republic of Uganda, The 1995 Constitution.
Republic of Uganda, The Local Government Act, CAP 243.
Ssonko, M.N., 2002, ‘Working in Gender and Development in the Ugandan Context’, A paper Delivered to the Students of Gender and Development Policy, University of Wales Swansea, School of Social Sciences and International Development.
Tamale, S., 2001, Women’s Participation in Politics, Strategies for Parliamentary and Local Council Elections 2001, Keynote address at a Women’s breakfast meeting in preparation for the Ugandan Parliamentary and local government elections 2001, organized by the East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI), March 23rd, 2001 at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala.
UBOS, Socio-Economic Survey, 2002/2003.
Uganda Women’s Network: Domestic Relations Bill review report 2001. UWONET, 2004, Gender Transformation and Empowerment: The Domestic Relations Bill and The Poverty Eradication Action Plan, Exploring the Linkages.
UWONET, 2006, Gender Audit of Key Laws Affec ing Women in Uganda. UWONET, News, Vol. 7 Issue No. 1 August 2005.