INTRODUCTION
KALI with support from KWATANIZA implemented a project on enhancing
20 committed Women leaders/ councilors ‘voice’ to demand for accountability
from duty bearers.
This project was a continuation of a
prior project that was initiated in Kasese by KALI and Kwataniza in 2008. The
project built on the achievements that were realized during the training of
women leaders and councilors in 22 local and urban councils in Kasese district.
In the implementation of
the project, KALI identified
and worked with 20 committed women leaders and councillors
through enhancing their capacity to demand for accountability and advocate for the voice less. This project was organised in phases with two trainings and a follow event on the action
plan developed by the women leaders and
councillors during the training.
Purpose of the project
The overall purpose of the project was to enhance 20 committed
women councilors/ leaders ‘voice’ to effectively demand for accountability and
fully participate in governance and delivery of services at local government
levels in Bukonzo County West and the district at large.
Activities implemented:
KALI, organized a two (2) days training workshop for 20
committed women councilors and leaders for the seven sub counties of Bukonzo
west ( Bwera, Ihandiro, Kitholhu, Karambi, Nyakiyumbu, Isango and Mpondwe
Lhubiriha Town council. The training covered the topics: legal and human rights
basis for women participation in politics, council procedures, communication,
negotiation, Lobbying and advocacy for accountability in service delivery.
During this training, participants (women
leaders/councilors) developed an action plan (agreed and committed themselves)
as a basis for putting into practice the skills and knowledge acquired. This
therefore necessitated that an arrangement be made to follow up the action of
women leaders/councilors in relation to the agreed issues.
A review
meeting was organized to ascertain the level of participation and the impact of
the training on the 20 committed women leaders and councilors and get know the
progress so far made on the agreed action points.
In order for committed women leaders in Nyakiyumbu
sub county to express themselves in public, KALI supported the women councilors
and leaders to organize the women’s day
celebrations which took place in Nyakiyumbu. This was the first of its kind in
the history of the sub county. The day was characterized by women presenting a
memo to the leaders asking them to involve them in the planning and budgeting
of the sub county. Women also voiced the plight of the vulnerable children who
are not catered for in the sub county plans. The women also questioned the
allocation of the Naads project that, it was not enough for the sub county to
be proud of Naads while food security meant power roles to women who are not
fully represented on the committees.
KALI also facilitated the project officer to carry
out field visits to support the women leaders in the field and to monitor their
projects and progress made. This was done in all the seven sub counties of the
project implementation. As a result of the monitoring and support, education
and health of the women was recognized as key to all if leaders must show
results for their actions. KALI has also realized that, women leaders still
lacked capacity to engage with male leaders because of gender stereo typing
that looks at a women as a follow of man, after two decades of gender
mainstreaming in Uganda.
A follow up meeting was organized to assess their (women councilors/leaders) progress in terms
of participation and involvement in development issues. This was to assess
their progress on the agreed action points and draw a way forward..
Agreed issues/action
points for follow up and findings
Conduct regular meetings at village level.
10 out of 20 committed women leaders organized at
least two meetings at village and parish levels. These meetings generally
targeted the women within these areas. Issues of concern were mainly water,
Sanitation and hygiene, food security and livelihoods (economic empowerment) for
example;
·
3
of the women leaders conducted household visits to sensitize the people about
the outbreak of cholera and how to prevent disease; and also mobilized mothers
to take children for immunization. This was done in Nyakiyumbu, Karambi and
Bwera sub counties. Hon. Afra from Krambi
Sub County held a meeting on 04/03/2012 to sensitize the community following
the outbreak of cholera epidemic that had started claiming peoples’ lives in
her village of Karukumiza in Karambi Sub County.
·
Hon. Kyakimwa Afra hailing from Karambi Sub
County confirmed having conducted three (3) meetings. One was held on
11/12/2011, it looked issues of women involvement and participation in meetings
at different levels so as to enhance participatory planning.
“…During this meeting
women were introduced to different skills on how to conduct meetings and Ms.
Aidah Kabugho was selected to lead the meeting…”. Said Hon. Afra.
·
Another meeting was
held on 14/01/2012 under the theme “reviewing
women’s achievements and challenges in 2011 and making a way forward for the
year 2012”. According to the minutes, this meeting was chaired by Mrs.
Anasteziah Bwambale. During the meeting some women were able to mention some of
their achievements for instance Mrs. Getrida Kabugho had managed to purchase 2
acres of land from her SACCO savings an idea that was initiated by Hon. Afra.
Mrs. Peregiya Baitababu one of the participants also said she was able to buy
10 iron sheets from her savings too.
Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town Council
·
Hon. Hodillah Mainja
the deputy speaker Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town Council indicated that she managed to
conduct 2 meetings and that these were majorly focusing on women’s economic
sustainability. The meetings took place in the areas of Kisaka and Kyanzi cells
respectively. During these meetings, Hon. Hodillah advised the members to come
up with an initiative that would help sustain them economically. After a long
discussion on enterprise selection the members unanimously agreed on offering
outside catering services. A group to manage the enterprise was selected under
the name Kisaka I paragon women group with 60 members at the moment and Kyanzi
paragon with 30 members. According to the honorable councilor, Kisaka group has
so far offered their services at two functions and that kyanzi group.
·
Honorable Getrace Ithungu of Nyakiyumbu Sub
County was proud to mention that the skills she acquired during the training
helped her to lobby and organize for the women’s day celebrations which took
place on 08 MARCH 2012. That she lobbied for financial support from KALI and
the sub county to release the funds allocated to women in the budget to run the
activity. She revealed that the event took place and that about 150 people
attended the function.
However some councilors revealed that they
have failed to organize and hold such meetings for example in the sub county of
Isango Honorable Josephine Kabwenda attributed this to the high expectations of
the people in her area (expect to be given money) hence failure to attend.
Attend and actively participate in council
sessions
15 out of 20 committed women leaders reported to
have attended all the council sessions organized in their respective sub
counties.
The 5 have at least attended one council session
organized in their respective sub county. The reasons for attending only one
council session were basically concerned with their gender roles, for example
the woman councilor from Kitholhu missed a council session because she had a
sick child.
8 out of 20
committed women leaders participated and were actively involved in council
sessions. They raised motions, discussed and supported motions that concerns
women issues. Some of the examples are as follows:
·
Honorable Ithungu
Doreen a woman councilor of Bwera Sub County said that for the first time
during their term of office she became the first woman councilor to move a
motion on visiting schools and monitor pupils and teacher’s performance. Schools
visted to this effect include; Kitalikibi, Bwera church, kasanga and
kabusongora primary schools have so far been visited. The practice was adopted
in Ihandiro Sub County through a motion moved by honorable Biira Dezi and a
schedule for the school outreach has been developed.
·
Honorable Afra of Karambi sub County confirmed
the high participation of women councilors during council sessions. She mentioned
honorable Masika Agness who raised a motion in the council that was held on
19/04/2012 on leasing sub county land and other facilities including the playground
in Karambi trading centre, health centers, markets and parish headquarters. Implementation
has to this effect taken course.
In the same session,
that honorable Masika Annet pushed for the regaining back of Bikunya parish
land which the LCII person Mr. Boosi Zorosi had sold illegally the motion was
supported. Also that honorable Afra pushed for the provision of Local
Government Acts to all councilors and that the motion was supported however
referred for the next financial year. All motions got a unanimous support and committees
to follow up the resolutions will be submitting findings to council in June.
Honorable Afra however
mentioned that honorable Masika polina (councilor for the disabled) was still
lagging behind in terms of council participation. She attributed this to the
nature of her appearance (Disability) and more efforts were still needed to
empower her.
·
Equally honorable
Hodillah Mainja confirmed her regular attendance and participation during last
council meeting that was held on 08/02/2012 she shared her issue of concern
(shifting the town council parking yard to a better place) with other female
councilors and by virtue of her position (Deputy speaker), honorable Norah
moved the motion on her behalf. However she explained that since she was
appointed the deputy speaker she has never conducted/led any council
meeting/session.
However some councilors pointed out that they
do attend council but their efforts towards council participation are sometimes
held back by their male counter parts who still believe in supremacy. They also
mentioned that some clerks to council have suppressed them in councils.
However, the women leaders promised to
organize a pre-council session where they will be able to come up with
strategies of how to bring the female speaker on board.
Re-awakening of women councils
12 out 20 committed women leaders have conducted
meetings with their women councils to reawaken them and mobilize them to start
meeting. This was done in the sub counties of Bwera, Kitholhu, Ihandiro, mpondwe lhubiriha and Nyakiyumbu.
7 out of 20
committed leaders have attempted to meet with the sub county leadership over
the issue of facilitating the women council meetings. They were promised
support.
During the follow up meeting, it was found out
that Women councils have failed to take off seriously in most of the sub
counties apart from Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town Council where the women council sits
regularly.
This action point has been challenging to the women leaders as it requires
funds.
Working towards supporting women projects
9 out 20 committed women leaders have worked
towards supporting women projects. These projects were in form of Savings
initiatives; this was introduced in Nyakiyumbu and Karambi Sub Counties by the
women councilor and women in Kawolwe and kisolholho parishes save every month.
This is in addition to 8 SACCOs that they had established the other time.
Other women projects
supported include; initiated women groups to benefit from NAADs program, each
woman councilor has supported at least one group which benefited from the NAADs
program; 5 groups were supported by the women councilors to write proposals for
support and shared them with stakeholders of which KALI was also reached for
support. These were done in the sub counties of Nyakiyumbu, Bwera, Mpondwe
Lhubiriha, Ihandiro and Karambi.
Functional Adult Learning
In a few sub counties where FAL program is
available, the women leaders have tried to mobilize women to take part in this
program. This was done in Nyakiyumbu and Karambi sub counties.
The FAL program is
not active in many sub counties but 6 out of 20 committed women leaders have
managed to engage with other sub county leaders to have money allocated to this
program. However, even when the women have been mobilized to participate in FAL
program, this has not taken off and money not yet allocated.
ACHIEVEMENTS
·
The project has
empowered the 20 committed women councilors and leaders who can now actively
participate in council session and also raise motions. This has enabled a
number of issues concerning women to be tabled.
·
At least one women
council has been fully revived (Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town Council) and this will
serve as an example to the other sub counties where members were mobilized but
have not yet started off fully.
·
The 20 committed women
leaders and councilors are mentoring other women leaders within their sub
counties and mobilizing them to take part in the development programs of their
sub counties.
CHALLENGES
·
There is a challenge of reaching out to other women leaders by the 20
committed women leaders since it involves a cost and can only reach out to a
few.
·
Other action points agreed upon by the women
leaders were not easily achieved. These are the FAL program and women councils;
this was mainly because of the limited resources at sub county level to
facilitate the above.
·
The other
challenge is the male dominated society. We are working in a male dominated
society and therefore, women remain women however much they are empowered. The
men will always take their position. This requires working together (all
stakeholders) to ensure women empowerment.
RECOMMENDATIONS
·
Roll out of the activities to other sub counties,
since the women tained have shown commitment in being role models
·
Taking the approach of the committed leaders to
school and higher institutions, this will take KALI to another level of meeting
with leaders in schools/institutions who are joining the public sector soon;
·
Sharing the experiences of KALI with other
development partners, KALI if resources allow has had hands on training and
could these skills to cascade the experiences and learnings to a bigger
audience;
·
Gender mainstreaming was
a process thus needed continous follow ups and trainings.
