Women's Economic Justice Project in Luwero District [2015-2018]

A BASELINE SURVEY REPORT WOMEN’S ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROJECT IN LUWERO DISTRICT [2015-2018] Project Implemented by: EASSI, FIDA-Uganda and NAWOU FINAL REPORT- August 2015 Submitted by: Melody Niwamanya Baseline Survey (2015): Economic Justice Project in Luwero Acronyms and Abbreviations CDO Community Development Officer CEDAW The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women DCDO District Community Development Officer DGL District Local Government EAC East African Community EAFF East African Farmers Association EASSI East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women FIDA Uganda Association of Women Lawyers FOKUS Forum for Women and Development GoU Government of Uganda HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome IGAs Income Generating Activities LC Local Council MDG Millennium Development Goals NAWOU National Association of Women's organisation PWDs People with Disabilities RDC Resident District Commissioner SACCO Saving and Credit Cooperatives UBOS Uganda Bureau of Statistics UDHS Uganda Demographic Health Survey UEPB Uganda Exports Promotions Board UGX Uganda Shillings UNCCI Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry UNHS Uganda National Housing Survey VSLA Village Savings and Loan Associations 2 | Baseline Survey (2015): Economic Justice Project in Luwero TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................ 2 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................... 7 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 11 1.1. Background .............................................................................................................................. 11 1.2. About the Economic Justice project for Women: ...................................................................... 11 1.3. Objectives of the Baseline: ....................................................................................................... 12 1.4. Methodology of the assignment............................................................................................... 12 2. BASELINE FINDINGS ................................................................................................................ 15 2.1 Luwero District demographic characteristics ............................................................................ 15 2.1.1 Location and population ............................................................................................ 15 2.1.2 Sources of Household livelihood ................................................................................ 15 2.1.3 Percentage of population below poverty line ............................................................ 15 2.1.4 District past expenditure ........................................................................................... 16 2.2 Groups Assessment .................................................................................................................. 16 2.2.1 Group Organization and Management ...................................................................... 16 2.2.2 Group enterprises ..................................................................................................... 20 2.2.3 Potential for expansion ............................................................................................. 24 2.2.4 Marketing and Market linkages ................................................................................. 25 2.2.5 Capacity Gaps............................................................................................................ 26 2.2.6 Legal capacity needs.................................................................................................. 27 2.3 Group member’s assessment ................................................................................................... 28 2.3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 28 2.3.2 Socio-economic Indicators......................................................................................... 28 2.3.3 Knowledge of women rights ...................................................................................... 31 2.3.4 Knowledge of national laws on women rights ............................................................ 32 2.3.5 Participation in leadership ......................................................................................... 32 2.3.6 Participation in decision making ................................................................................ 33 2.3.7 Ownership of Productive Assets ................................................................................ 33 2.3.8 Reasons for not owning Land .................................................................................... 34 2.3.9 Capacity Building Interventions ................................................................................. 34 2.3.10 Access to EAC markets .............................................................................................. 35 3 | Baseline Survey (2015): Economic Justice Project in Luwero 3. INDICATOR BASELINE VALUES ................................................................................................. 36 3.1 Outcome 1: Women are more economically independent ........................................................ 38 3.2 Output 1: Womens’ access to justice strengthened .................................................................. 38 3.3 Output 2: Women organised in influential and sustainable groups .......................................... 39 3.4 Output 3: Women actively participate and benefit from the EAC Common Market .................. 40 4. CHALLENGES AND BOTTLENECKS ............................................................................................ 41 4.1 Project coordination challenges ............................................................................................... 41 4.2 Women and Group specific challenges ..................................................................................... 41 4.2.1 Some Women groups are inactive and lack independence ........................................ 41 4.2.2 Women’s lack of land ownership increases vulnerability ........................................... 41 4.2.3 Poor quality products ................................................................................................ 41 4.2.4 A few individuals dominate some groups .................................................................. 42 4.2.5 Inadequate start-up capital ....................................................................................... 42 4.2.6 Inability to meet huge demand and large orders ....................................................... 42 4.2.7 Poor Packaging and branding .................................................................................... 42 4.2.8 Exploitation by middle men ....................................................................................... 42 4.2.9 Storage facilities ........................................................................................................ 43 4.2.10 Individualism in some groups .................................................................................... 43 4.2.11 Lack of value addition ................................................................................................ 43 4.2.12 Lack of security to access loans ................................................................................. 43 4.2.13 Gender limitations..................................................................................................... 43 4.2.14 Domestic violence ..................................................................................................... 43 4.3 Exogenous factors .................................................................................................................... 44 4.3.1 Un-predictable Political environment ........................................................................ 44 4.3.2 Droughts and dry spells ............................................................................................. 44 4.3.3 Increased taxes on inputs and depreciation of the shilling against the dollar ............. 44 4.3.4 Government of Uganda’s limited funding to the agricultural sector ........................... 44 5 RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES ........................................................................... 45 5.1 Project specific recommendations ........................................................................................... 45 5.1.1 Improving partner coordination ................................................................................ 45 5.1.2 Improve the timing of activities ................................................................................. 45 5.2 Group specific recommendations ............................................................................................. 45 4 | Baseline Survey (2015): Economic Justice Project in Luwero 5.2.1 Capacity building ....................................................................................................... 45 5.2.2 Addressing Legal gaps ..............................................................................................

Load more