The Ugandan government has been urged to ensure that girls and women are involved in a number of decision-making processes for the country as one of the ways to ensure gender equality in all spheres of life.
Addressing journalists yesterday, three Dutch funded programs including Power to Youth Uganda, She Leads and We Lead said there have not been deliberate efforts to see that women and girls take part in key decision-making processes, moreover those affecting them.
Dianah Nanyange, the Programme Coordinator for Power to Youth said this is due to the deep patriarchal norms and culture, power relations, misconceptions and views on sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence and HIV which affect girls and young women.
She named the demographic indicators as high school dropout rates for girls and young women, low and unequal access to gender sensitive service delivery among others.
She however noted that where participatory initiatives have been carried out in a meaningful way, the benefits of enabling young women’s views to be heard have been visible.
Nanyange insisted that the denial and limited actions in addressing issues affecting girls and young women impede the achievement of the national development program and the global goals
The three CSOs urged government to invest in adolescent girls and young women in all their diversities development, including strategic investment in health, education and social protection programs while creating an enabling environment for sexuality education and sexual reproductive health.
