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The challenge:
 
Women in Uganda represent 80% of the agricultural labor force, are responsible for about 80% of the food crop production and continue to contribute about 60% of the labor for cash crop production. Women also work in non-farm activities to supplement household resources. This double workday often means delegating domestic responsibilities to younger females in the household.
 
According to the 2007 MDG Report published by UNDP Uganda Country Office, the average Ugandan woman spends 9 hours a day on care labor activities such as fetching water, firewood and caring for the sick. The burden of care makes the woman particularly vulnerable when it comes to competing on the job market.
The maternal and infant mortality rates (MDG 4 and 5) are still very high: 435 women out of 100,000 lose their lives while giving birth; while 76 out of 1000 new mothers lose their infants in their first weeks of life.
 
In the education sector, the Universal Primary Education (UPE) policy initiated by the Government of Uganda in 1997 has significantly narrowed the gender enrollment gap.
Nevertheless, only 42% of girls complete their primary education, compared to 55% of boys. Most of these dropouts are due to financial constraints, family responsibilities, illness, early marriages and pregnancies.
 
Uganda benefits from an active affirmative action policy to reduce gender imbalances in higher education, governance, politics and management. This has resulted in considerable strides towards gender equity, equality and empowerment. However, women’s lack of control over their resources, especially land, continues to be the major cause of their poverty.
The northern Ugandan woman suffers a far more alarming fate then her urban and other regional sisters. The 20 years old conflict with the Lord Resistance Army has left her extremely poor, displaced from her home, and often the victim of sexual and gender based violence.
 
The response:
 
UNDP recognizes the complexity of the gender equality and women’s empowerment challenge, and has hence integrated it in all its programme activities. UNDP promotes gender-sensitive budgeting and policy making, and works to mainstream the gender dimension into macro-economic policies. We support the women’s participation in democratic governance, through an active representation at the local council level and in the local administration of justice in local council courts.  
UNDP is also involved in reducing the incidence of HIV among vulnerable women through its HIV mainstreaming activities.
 
Some key interventions in gender mainstreaming:
  • support to the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to put in place policies for poverty eradication through equitable development
  • communities in eight sub counties of eight districts enables to implement a building block participatory development (PDM) practice module at village level
  • provided training in business skills with specific focus o entrepreneur skills, business planning, marketing and pricing and capacity building for micro finance institutions
  • created general entrepreneurship awareness and skills for small and medium enterprises owned by women
 
Beyond capacity development, UNDP is intervening to  support the creation of a protective environment for women and girls. The Sexual and Gender Based Violence project’s objectives are to:
·          Promote women’s participation in peace and security matters including SGBV prevention.
·          Enhance capacities for better prevention and response to SGBV.
·          Ensure effective and efficient implementation of the SGBV Project.
 
Facts & Figures
  • 28.7%: percentage of women in Parliament
  • 42%: percentage of female enrolment in institutions of Higher Learning
  • 49%: percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
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Contact at UNDP

Enid Nambuya
Gender focal point
enid.nambuya@undp.org
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