ARE WE PACKAGING THE ‘WOMEN EMANCIPATION’ GOSPEL WELL?
As we look forward to celebrating women’s day on 8th of March 2022, Gender equality and empowering women and girls is the 5th Sustainable Development Goal in Uganda, and we must give credit to the government and the non-state actors for elevating the status of women in every capacity. From providing women and girls with education, health care, access and ownership rights over property and technology, and equal participation in political and economic decision-making processes which has led to social, economic and environmental sustainability across the globe. It’s not news that the position of women globally hasn’t been desirable due to mainly cultural limitations and stereotypes. From no education to now rights of property ownership. As we talk, over 19% of women own individual land in Uganda as compared to 43% of men according to Gender Land and Asset survey. This is a huge milestone!
We must recognize that recognize that empowering women creates more resilient communities because when women are supported, health among families increases, as does incomes and the amount of children that attend school. Among many other advantages, educated mothers provide better nutrition and make better choices about their children’s future. They are also more likely to invest in and emphasize the importance of their children’s education when compared to mothers who did not receive an education. Failure to empower women/ young girls comes at a cost much more than what is required to empower them. According to the 2016 Uganda Sustainable Development Goals report, 1 in 3 women aged 18-24 were married off by the age of 18 years and over 50% of women married before 18 are in the poorest 40% of the households. So there in no doubt that the more women are not empowered, the more poverty levels. Although the enrolment of girls that attend schools in Uganda is 60 percent (compared to 40 percent among boys), many girls still drop out to work at home due to issues regarding poverty. In other cases, girls drop out to enter into early marriages. These are some of the challenges still faced.
However, is the gospel of women empowerment well understood by the public? When you go to the grass root with the intention of empowering women, most men shun the efforts due to misunderstanding of what exactly women empowerment is. Some lament of how women are almost torching them from their houses. One of the LC chairpersons in Wakiso district made an alarm, citing that gender based violence against men has gotten out of hand. He mentioned of how most men sleep in bars as well as work places for fear of going back to be tortured by women. And due to such reasons, most men shun the gospel of ‘woman emancipation’. They perceive it like it’s a battle against their egos and position as superiors. This calls more need to sensitize the masses what exactly it is to empower women. It is simply to free women from old social limitations and customs as well as eradicate gender discrimination. Women also need to know that empowering them doesn’t mean they should disrespect and belittle their male counterparts. Otherwise we shall be hitting a dead end in creating a harmonized community. The media is awash with reports of women/ girls abusing men. Is this what we wish for our communities? If it’s the gospel of empowering women, let it be packaged well not to encourage a rebellious community but rather development and peace. A gospel that calls for equal growth and development to complement each other rather than overpowering the other.
CAROL NYANGOMA MUKISA
Social Analyst & CEO
WARM HEARTS FOUNDATION