The National Women Leaders’ Summit on women’s civic engagement, held on March 5th, 2025, at Onomo Hotel in Kampala, brought together women leaders from across Uganda to reflect, engage, and strategize for greater inclusion in national governance and decision-making processes.
Objectives of the Summit:
To foster dialogue on the setbacks, milestones, and emerging opportunities for women as they navigate Uganda’s civic and political space.
1. To provide a platform for women leaders to share their experiences, celebrate their contributions, and candidly discuss the hurdles they continue to face.
2. To equip participants with practical tips and strategic insights for effective and impactful participation in leadership with a focus on the upcoming 2026 general elections in Uganda.
3. Recognizing that equal participation of women in leadership and civic processes is critical to sustainable national development, the summit was organized as part of UWONET’s broader initiatives to strengthen women’s voices in public life. The event created a space for dialogue on the current landscape of women’s civic engagement, examining the challenges, celebrating progress, and identifying new opportunities to drive change.
The space provided a critical platform for reflection, dialogue, and strategy development to enhance women’s participation in leadership and civic processes. Discussions highlighted key achievements, persistent challenges, and actionable recommendations for advancing GEWE. Stakeholders emphasized the need for electoral reforms, strengthened legal protections, mentorship programs, and sustainable resource mobilization to create an enabling environment for women in leadership.
UWONET Executive Director Calls for Stronger Collaboration to Advance Women’s Leadership;
She has underscored the critical importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in shaping inclusive policies, breaking down systemic barriers, and promoting meaningful participation of women in leadership. Speaking during the engagement, Rita acknowledged that although notable progress has been made, significant challenges persist. These include widespread misinformation surrounding elections, entrenched negative social norms, gender-based violence, the burden of unpaid care work, and pervasive poverty, all of which continue to undermine women’s leadership.
Hon. Dr. Miria Matembe Applauded UWONET for Championing Women’s Political Participation; Hon. Dr. Miria Matembe expressed her gratitude to UWONET Secretariat for convening a strategic reflection and dialogue session aimed at enhancing women’s Participation in elections and civic processes. Speaking during the event, Dr. Matembe emphasized the importance of such gatherings in providing Uganda’s women’s movement with a platform to reflect on past achievements and Chart the way forward in the fight for gender equality and women’s empowerment (GEWE). She also lauded UWONET for the development of the National Women’s Manifesto 2026–2030, describing it as a critical tool for unifying and amplifying women’s voices on GEWE issues in the lead-up to the general elections.
EC’s Voter Education Efforts Praised Dr. Jenifer Somali Angeyo, Head of the Legal Department at the Uganda Electoral Commission (EC), commended the Commission’s ongoing efforts to make voter education more accessible to the public. Speaking , she emphasized the Importance of ensuring that all citizens especially women are well-informed about their rights and responsibilities in the electoral process. “An informed electorate is fundamental to increasing participation in civic and electoral activities,” she noted, highlighting the critical link between knowledge and democratic engagement.
Uganda Police Reaffirms Commitment to Addressing Election-Related GBV; Assistant
Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Bamunoba Ubaido, the Chief Political Commissar of the Uganda Police Force, acknowledged that VAW/G remains a serious concern during electoral processes. “Violence against women and girls during elections is unacceptable and undermines democratic participation. We are committed to holding offenders accountable and creating a safe environment for all citizens,” he said
Dr. Sarah Bireete, Executive
Director of the Centre for
Constitutional Governance (CCG); highlighted the challenges faced by women in Uganda’s political landscape, citing intimidation, harassment, and gender-based violence as major barriers to their participation in elections.
Hon. Flavia Kabahenda Calls for Greater Inclusion of Child Mothers in Education, Hon. Flavia Kabahenda, highlighted significant gaps in the education sector, particularly regarding the reintegration of child mothers into the school system. She emphasized the urgent need to create supportive structures that enable young mothers to continue their education. She noted that without deliberate intervention, many of these girls are left behind, further widening the inequality gap.
