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Women in Uganda: a Brief Socio-Political History

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Women in Uganda: a Brief Socio-Political History BEYOND NUMBERS Narrating the Impact of Women’s Leadership in Eastern Africa AWC African Woman & Child Feature Service The African Woman and Child Features Service (AWC) is a media, Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Nairobi, Kenya and covers the East Africa region. AWC’s vision is to promote diversity, gender equality and professional media for equitable development. Beyond Numbers: Narrating the Impact of Women’s Leadership in Eastern Africa © Copyright 2010 AWC Feature Service ISBN: 9966-7265-1-9 African Woman and Child Feature Service P.O. Box 48197 (00100) NAIROBI Phone: 254 20 -20-2724756, 2720554 Fax: 254-20-2718469 Email: [email protected] Website: [email protected] Editor: Professor Beverle Lax and Jane Godia Cover Design: Noel Creative Media Design and Layout: Noel Creative Media Sponsors: HIVOS Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................... iv The Research Team ................................................................................................................................................................. v Foreword ................................................................................................................................................................................ vii Uganda viii Beyond Numbers Study Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Politics .................................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Women in Uganda: A Brief Socio-political History .............................................................................................................. 9 Gender in Mainstream Legislation and Policies .................................................................................................................. 34 The Affirmative Action Policy .............................................................................................................................................. 36 Tanzania 40 Beyond Numbers Study Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 41 The Political System ............................................................................................................................................................. 42 Rwanda 54 Beyond Numbers Study Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 55 Facilitators and Constraints .................................................................................................................................................. 59 Gender Specific Reforms/gender in mainstream legislation and policies ............................................................................ 62 Changing Attitudes and Transformation .............................................................................................................................. 65 Beyond Numbers Study 63 iii Kenya 70 Beyond Numbers Study Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 71 Constraints and facilitators .................................................................................................................................................. 80 Gender Specific Reforms ...................................................................................................................................................... 85 Gender in Mainstream Legislation and Policies .................................................................................................................. 89 Institutional Transformation .............................................................................................................................................. 94 Rationale of Gender and Governance Programme in Kenya .............................................................................................. 96 Gender discourse in Kenyan Parliament ............................................................................................................................ 105 Beyond Numbers Study 79 Sudan 119 Beyond Numbers Study Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 119 Beyond Numbers Study 127 iv Summary eyond Numbers is a first qualitative study of Eastern African women in political decision-making that explores the vast range in women’s access Bto decision-making – from that of Rwanda sporting close to 50 per cent of women’s representation in Parliament (the highest in the world) to that of Kenya’s 7.6 per cent of women’s representation in Parliament. The study on Eastern African women’s participation and representation in political decision-making is based on extensive global and regional literature reviews, as well as case material gathered on the three best performing countries, namely, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda; and two countries with very low representation of women in political decision-making, namely, Kenya and Sudan. An open-ended questionnaire and focus group discussions comprise the methodology used in this study. The purpose of this powerful study is to reveal how the women’s movement for participation and representation in political decision-making in Eastern Africa has moved forward in the interest of those who form at least one half of the population of these respective countries – women. The study measures the impact of a critical mass of women on such areas as institutional culture, gender, and service delivery. In addition, it examines the ability of female decision makers to challenge the status quo; change the attitudes of men and patriarchal forces; and change laws and policies that affect women directly. And, this study shows how the women’s movement in the five Eastern African countries advocates for gender mainstreaming in all laws, policies, and institutions. Further, the study examines the quota system and the extent to which it either helps or hinders women’s participation and representation in decision-making. The intention of this study is to form a regional grouping to move the women’s agenda forward. Also, this study aims to be combined with a similar study focusing on the South African experience to produce a document that will be used internationally by different institutions to strengthen and propel the women’s rights agenda, particularly concerning women’s participation and representation in political decision-making, globally. v Acknowledgements This study was made possible with the support of many people and institutions in Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Rwanda. We wish to single out the assistance received from Colleen Lowe Mona of Gender Links who carried out an initial training for the team of researchers who later worked on this project. We would like also to thank HIVOS for providing financial support to this project. The valuable insights that we received from partners and colleagues while working on the Nairobi+21 commemorative project in 2006 was also critical in the success of this project. Rosemary Okello of the African Woman and Child Feature Service provided overall guidance to the project while Wilson Ugangu coordinated the research in Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Tanzania. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the field researchers who worked with others in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Sudan. Finally, we are grateful for the editorial eyes of Professor Beverle Lax and Jane Godia who at different times assisted in editing this publication. vi The Research Team Rosemary Okello-Orlale (Kenya) is the Executive Director African Evelyn Matsamura Kiapi is a Ugandan who has been practicing Woman and Child Feature Service (AWC), a media NGO focusing journalism for the past twelve years serving in different capacities on development communication in Africa. She the Secretary to from freelance writer to correspondent, sub editor and Product the Kenya Editor’s Guild as well as the Secretary General of the Editor at The Monitor (now Daily Monitor) an independent daily African Editor’s Forum. She holds MA New Media Governance in Uganda. and Democracy (Leicester University), Advanced Management Programme (Strathmore Business School), Post Graduate in Ms Kiapi who holds an honours bachelors degree in Mass Journalism (London School of Journalist), Post-Graduate Diploma Communication from Makerere University (Kampala, Uganda) in research methodology, Population Studies and Research and a Masters degree in Development Studies, University of Institute (Nairobi University) and also Executive Education Leeds (United Kingdom) is currently an independent journalist Strategic Frameworks for NGO (Harvard University-John F. and researcher with a speciality
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