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| Uganda | |
 Flag of Uganda | |
| Population (in Mil.) | 33.4 |
 Sex Ratio (m/f)
| 1,01 |
 Life Expectancy Ratio (f/m)
| 1.02 |
 Fertility Rate
| 6.38 |
 Income Ratio (f/m)
| 0.69 |
 Literacy Ratio (f/m)
| 0,75 |
 Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (f/m)
| 0,62 |
 Women in Parliament (in %)
| 28,8 |
| SIGI Rank | 73 |
| More information on variables | |
| Did you know that Uganda ranks number 73 of 102 countries on the OECD Social Institutions and Gender Index? To learn more, see the official country note "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Uganda" at genderindex.org: | |
Contents |
Social Institutions
The Constitution of Uganda includes anti-discriminatory provisions and condemns any custom that contradicts human rights. But discrimination against women is rife and the situation of Ugandan women is further aggravated by deeply rooted patriarchal tradition and years of armed conflict. The government has enacted new laws to improve the situation of women, but their implementation has been obstructed by some reticent communities.
Family Code
Customary laws dominate in regard to family matters, many of which discriminate against women. The minimum legal age of marriage is 18 years for both men and women, but early marriage is frequently arranged for young girls, especially in rural areas. A 2004 United Nations report estimated that 32% of girls between 15 and 19 years of age were married, divorced or widowed. By contrast, a 2006 Demographic and Health Survey reported the figure to be 15.4%. Polygamy is legal in Uganda, according to traditional and Islamic Sharia law. Women have no legal course of action to prevent their husbands from taking another wife. Although the 1996 law on the status of children stipulates that both parents are responsible for supporting their offspring, customary law holds that men hold sole parental authority in Uganda. Customary law also prevails in the event of divorce in that child custody is typically awarded to the father. Tradition dictates that women do not have the right to inherit, but the Marriage Code grants widows the right to inherit 15% of a deceased husband’s property.
Physical Integrity
The physical integrity of Ugandan women is poorly protected. Violence against women is widespread: some estimates say that more than half of the women in the country have suffered domestic violence at the hands of their partners. Domestic violence has wide social acceptance, even by women. Rape is very common in Uganda. In nearly half of sexual violence cases, the victim’s husband or partner is the perpetrator reflecting a widely held belief that spousal rape is a husband’s prerogative. Many women were raped by rebel soldiers during the conflict in northern Uganda. Women of the Sabiny tribe are subjected to female genital mutilation. There are no laws prohibiting the practice, but the local authorities have issued a decree denouncing the custom. There is no evidence to suggest that Uganda is a country of concern in relation to missing women.
Women Activists
Women Activists in Uganda are expressing their disappointment about the increasing cases of violence against women and children. A campaign code named "Murder of Women campaign" has started with online interactions to brainstorm and exchange ideas on how best to intervene. Recently, Uganda has witnessed increased cases of men murdering their wives and child sacrifice. This campaign is the continuation of the recently concluded campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence which was from 25th November to 10th December 2008. The campaign is being spearheading by FIDA-Uganda and meetings are underway to come out with the practical solutions.
In all this, what is hurting is that it is no ones business. It like let women be butchered! After all its their mistakes. No one has come out to condemn even the legislators have kept quiet about it and some of the perpetrators walk scot-free. This impunity must stop.
One of the organisers at FIDA-Uganda had this to say , we shall hold a meeting at the end of the month, the situation is getting worse- and this is countrywide. The impunity with which communities are acting is unbelievable- this is because there is no form of accountability whatsoever- the justice system has become compromised and the community members and leaders themselves are responsible for the violence against women.
Several strategies have been proposed and below is a suggestion from one of the contributors
We need to pressure for an Official Statement from Government about the Murder of women. I think this year women's day should be a day of “Mourning"! We need to change and Stop using development/academic terminologies like "Gender Violence" which desensitize people and call it what it is - “Murder of Women in Uganda"! A propaganda war is as important as a practical one!
Reported Cases of Violence Against Women between November and December 2008
- The New vision of 3rd Dec ‘2008 reported on page 3 that; a 65 year old Yusufu Sokolo of Namutya Busana sub-county, Kayunga district was sentenced to life imprisonment for hacking his wife to death after being denied sex.
- New Vision of 16th Dec’2008 in the front page, a 37 year old man killed his wife by smashing a bottle on her head because she refused him to read a text message on her mobile phone. He was arrested and charged with murder.
- Monitor of 13th Dec ‘2008 on page 4 the Member of Parliament of Arua municipality, Akbar Hussien Godi arrested as a suspect in his wife’s brutal murder.
- Monitor 22nd Nov’2008, on page 8, a 14 year old Ethiopian girl and pupil of Kampala primary school defiled on her way to school. She was arrested, charged with simple defilement and remanded in Naguru remand home while the defiler was set free on bail. Her community wanted to force her into early marriage but she refused leading to the rape.
- New vision of 15th Dec 2008, a 26 year old Esther Ameso admitted in Soroti hospital after she was battered by her husband Juventine Emaju with a hoe handle and stabbed her several times with a kitchen knife. Ameso who is a mother of five children is unable to dress or feed herself. Her husband is currently on the run.
- New vision of 14th Dec’2008 on the front page; three women killed in five days. A drunken man called Kasssim Ulekua punched and killed his wife in a domestic quarrel in Lefori sub-county Moyo district. He is currently on the run.
- In the same paper, a 29 year old Asian man of Indian origin, Patel Alpesh Kumar Mahendrabai charged with the murder of his wife, Krishna Patel in Buwenge Eastern Uganda.
- Monitor of 13th Dec ‘2008 on page 30 reported that Inzikuru’s husband was arrested and detained at police for assaulting her and threatening violence.
- The Red Pepper dated Monday 3rd November 2008 at page 4 in Wankulukuku, Rubaga Division, dad remanded over defilement of 10 year old daughter and at page 5 of the same paper 50 year old man arrested for defiling 2 year old child in Mukono District.
- The Red Pepper dated Friday 7th November 2008 at page 5 in Ntinda, Nakawa Division a man is nabbed for incest and at page 6 of the same paper in Busia headmaster ballons a p.6 pupil aged 15 from his office.
- The Red Pepper dated Monday 10th November 2008 at page 6 in Mbarara a man is jailed for defiling a 7 year old child.
- The Red Pepper dated Wednesday 3rd December 2008 at page 5 in Kawempe a top city hajji defiles student aged 14 years and at page 6 in Mityana tycoon sacrifices own child for riches while at page 7 pupil aged 11 years is gang raped, strangled dead in Kinoni village Rakai District.
- The Red Pepper dated Monday 15th December 2008 at page 7 in Kasese 2 girls are kidnapped while a witch doctor aged 42 defiles a child in Mukono District and at page 8 a man kills a 5 months old baby in Masaka district, Butenga sub county
Civil Liberties
Women’s civil liberties are restricted in Uganda. Their freedom of movement is curtailed by the need to have the written consent of their husbands before obtaining a passport or travelling outside the country. There are no reported limitations on their freedom of dress.
Ownership Rights
Ugandan women’s ownership rights remain extremely limited. Access to land is governed by customary laws. In theory, women have access to land. Decision-making powers, however, are typically granted to men and most female landowners have no power to administer their land holdings. Traditional practices persist despite the government’s recent adoption of a new land law designed to improve women’s access to land and grant them the right to manage their property. The Constitution upholds women’s rights to have access to property other than land. Theoretically, women are free to administer their property without their husbands’ consent. This is an other area in which customary laws prevent women from exercising their rights.
Access to bank loans is difficult for women in Uganda. Discriminatory practices that prevent women from accessing land are a major obstacle as most commercial banks will not approve loans unless women hold title deeds as a guarantee. Several NGOs operate micro-credit programmes that specifically target women.
Sources
- AFROL Gender Profile, Uganda , http://www.afrol.com/Categories/Women/profiles/uganda _women.htm
- CEDAW (2000), Considerations of reports submitted by states parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; third periodic report of States parties - Uganda, CEDAW/C/UGA/3, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
- CEDAW (2002), Summary record of the 575th meeting, CEDAW/C/SR.575, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
- CEDAW (2004), Summary record of the 576th meeting, CEDAW/C/SR.576, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
- DHS (2006), Demographic and Health Survey 2006, Uganda Bureau of Statistics Kampala, Uganda and Macro International Inc. Calverton, Maryland, USA, http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pub_details.cfm?ID=681&ctry_id=44&SrchTp=ctry&flag=sur
- IPU (2007), Legislation and other national provisions on FGM, Web : http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/fgm-prov.htm, accede le 10 Octobre 2007
- US. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (2006), Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Uganda , Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
- US. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (2007), International Religious Freedom Report, Uganda, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
- VON STRUENSEE (2005), The Contribution of Polygamy to Women's Oppression and Impoverishment: An Argument for its Prohibition, Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law, [2005] MurUEJL2, http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/MurUEJL/2005/2.html#fn100
The Africa for Women's Rights Campaign
Key facts
- CEDAW: ratified in 1985
- CEDAW Protocol: not ratified
- Maputo Protocol: signed in 2003
The Campaign
On 8 March 2009 the "Africa for Women's Rights" Campaign was launched at the initiative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), in collaboration with fove non-governmental regional organisations: the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies(ACDHRS), Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL), Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) and Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA). These organisations make up the Steering Committee responsible for the coordination of the Campaign.
The Campaign aims to put an end to discrimination and violence against women in Africa, calling on states to ratify international and regional instruments protecting women's rights, to repeal all discriminatory laws, to adopt laws protecting the rights of women and to take all necessary measures to wensure their effective implementation.
Country Focus: Uganda
Although Uganda ratified the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1985, it is yet to ratify its Optional Protocol and has not ratified the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol).
The Coalition of the Campaign is particularly concerned about the following continued violations of women’s human rights in Uganda: persistent discriminatory laws and customs; physical violence; unequal access to property; and limited access to justice.
Sources
- Focal Points: FHRI, FIDA-U
- Recommendations of the CEDAW Committee, August 2002
- AFROL, Gender profile
- Inter Parliamentary Union
The Women, Business and the Law
Where are laws equal for men and women? 
The Women, Business and the Law report presents indicators based on laws and regulations affecting women's prospects as entrepreneurs and employees. Several of these indicators draw on the Gender Law Library, a collection of over 2,000 legal provisions impacting women's economic status. This report does not seek to judge or rank countries, but to provide information to inform discussions about women’s economic rights. Covering 128 economies, Women, Business and the Law provides data covering 6 areas: accessing institutions,using property, getting a job, dealing with taxes, building credit, and going to court.Read more about the methodology.
For detailed information on Uganda, please visit the Women, Business and
the Law Uganda page.
