Uganda yesterday joined the rest of the world to mark International Women’s Day with renewed commitments to promote gender equality and protect women’s rights.
The national celebrations were held at Kololo Independence Grounds and were presided over by Vice President Jessica Alupo, who represented President Museveni.
During the celebrations, the government highlighted four key policy strategies aimed at advancing women’s rights.
These include the national strategy to end female genital mutilation; the gender and equity strategy for climate action, and the second national action plan on the elimination of gender-based violence in Uganda.
In his message delivered by Alupo, Museveni acknowledged the important role women play in Uganda’s development and thanked them for their contribution to national progress.
The president said women had made significant strides since the National Resistance Movement came to power in 1986.
“Women have come a long way since 1986 when their potential was not fully recognised because of inadequate education,” Museveni said in the message.
He noted that in the past many girls were denied education because families prioritised educating boys. As a result, many women faced limited opportunities and poor living conditions.
However, Museveni said government policies had opened up opportunities for girls and women to access education at all levels.
He cited programmes such as Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) as key initiatives that have enabled more girls to stay in school and progress to higher institutions of learning.
Museveni added that more women are now serving in leadership positions in government institutions, a development he said reflects growing gender inclusion in the country.
He also said women now have greater access to justice, noting that perpetrators of violence against women can be arrested and prosecuted, unlike in the past when many cases went unpunished.
Several female dignitaries from government, the private sector and religious institutions attended the celebrations.
During the event, a number of women were recognised and awarded medals for their outstanding contributions to society.
