The document summarizes key points from Uganda's national budget for FY 2012/13, including: 1) The agriculture sector budget was increased to support priorities like ensuring food security, but past promises to complete irrigation schemes have seen little progress. 2) Proposals to reduce business licenses and establish one-stop centers should reduce costs but need to include agricultural market information. 3) Limited health and education budgets remain challenges despite sector priorities like increasing access to healthcare and improving education quality. 4) Revenue generation is hampered by factors like a large informal sector and tax incentives that reduce compliance, while supplementary budgets undermine spending priorities.

1. F O R U M F O R
WOMEN IN DEMOCRACY
FOWODE
Uganda@50
E-NEWS
5 E U S SI , 2 1 0 2 E N U J- LI R P A
FINANCING
GENDER EQUALITY
A PREREQUISITE
FOR UGANDA
♀ Making the FY 2012/13 national budget people-centred
♀ Denying women land is denying women life-but what a
shame
♀ Social political corner: the rain drop
♀ Women in Uganda’s villages influence local budgets and
policies
:koobecaF .gro.edowof.www :beW gro.edowof@edowof :liamE .dR awakaN adnitN ,esolC aybuV 51 tolP | adnagU alapmaK ,6717 XOB O.P ,SWEN-E EDOWOF http://facebook.com/FowodeUganda

2. Making the FY 2012/13 national budget people-centred
budget Government’s target
• Government resources increased from9, 630bn FY
In June this year, the Minister for Finance, Agriculture 2011/12 to Shs11, 157 billion FY2012/13.
Planning and Economic Development released In FY 2011/12, the agricultural sector recorded
the national budget for the Financial Year an annual growth of 3.0% which is attributed to • 75% of budget will be financed from domestic
(FY) 2012/13 with the theme “Priorities for the increased cash and food crop production resources.
Renewed Economic Growth and following favourable rains in the first planting
Development.” In this edition, the highlights season of the last year. To further support the • 25% of the National Budget will be from Grants and
of this budget and the key recommendations sector which employs over 80% of Ugandans, Loans.
for government’s consideration are shared this FY 2012/13, Agriculture is set to receive
with you. 5.2% of the national budget i.e. 585bn in the FY • Revenue collections for next financial year are
2012/13 an increase from 447bn for the FY projected at Shs7, 251 billion.
This time the national budget was released at 2011/12, to support its priorities of ensuring
a time when inflation was high (18%), youth food security, providing raw materials and • Total debt service including interest payments are
Unemployment was at 32.2%, the central bank enhancing export revenue. projected to amount to Shs1, 101 billion in financial
lending rates was at 21% and commercial year 2012/13.
banks lending rates were at an average of 26- Government is credited for adopting the
27%, there was general decline in purchasing commodity based approach to complement
power and a depreciating Uganda shilling. Government’s Agricultural Zoning Strategy. The of 12% and short grace period of 3-6 yet
approach will concentrate on eleven (11) agriculture is long term investment.
Inflation and Interest Rates selected agriculture commodities and to
implement this successfully, government will Key concerns
Inflation was majorly caused by increase of focus on the provision of improved seed and • The commodity based approach is a
food prices (50.4%). The Bank of Uganda farm inputs and implements, supporting seed welcome venture as it will give small scale
identified inflation as a key macroeconomic industry and provision of improved breeding farmers an opportunity to benefit from
problem and placed emphasis on keeping stock for the selected commodities; and government assistance. The major concern
inflation low, raising interest rates limiting completing the ongoing rehabilitation of however is that irrigation schemes have
aggregate spending which makes credit less irrigation schemes and embarking on appeared in the last three budget speeches
affordable to borrowers and brings about establishing of new ones. It is anticipated that but there has been limited action and
negative impact on growth and investment. this approach will help Uganda produce progress.
This implies that the cost of borrowing will sufficient quantities that will support domestic
continue to be prohibitive especially for the and regional trade, as well as agro • Under MAAIF, only 10% of civil works for the
small scale business enterprises largely owned industrialization to add value and create non- rehabilitation of Doho irrigation scheme
by the poor and women. In 2011/12, growth farm jobs required for the youth. In addition have been finalised, while 15% of works for
in industrial production slowed to 1.1% during concentrating in a specific zone will allow the Mobuku irrigation scheme had been
the year, and the hardest hit industrial sub- efficient provision of relevant services such as undertaken by end of half of the FY
sector was formal manufacturing sub sector, extension services, roads, electricity and 2011/12.
where growth contracted by 4.4%. financial services.
Trade and Private Sectors
Key recommendation Furthermore, Government maintained the To simplify requirements, reduce discretionary
• Bank of Uganda should identify the real Agricultural Credit Facility to finance post- powers, and eliminate redundant procedures,
social economic problems and address harvest activity and the purchase of equipment. Government will in FY 2012/13, eliminate
them rather than the consequences. However, the facility faces some key about 27 licenses all of which were found to be
constraints in that although over 37.5 billion either obsolete or redundant and establish an
• If government is to effectively deal with had been disbursed by Bank of Uganda to electronic licenses registry that will serve as a
inflation, an increased investment in commercial banks, only 5.5 billion UGX (15%) repository for all approved business licensing in
agriculture and target food production has been borrowed by the farmers in FY Uganda. Government also plans to establish a
rather that inflation targeting is highly 2011/12. Secondly, was the high interest rates One Stop Centre to provide online registration
services for the various licenses required to
start a business. In addition, a Small and
Medium Enterprise (SME) Business Guide has
been developed to provide SMEs with
information on available financial, business
development services (BDSs), and business
licensing information.
Key recommendations
• These proposals have been overdue and will
contribute to reducing the cost of running
business. It is however proposed that these
services should be decentralized to allow
local companies to benefit from the
initiative. We also want government to
include agricultural market information and
prices in the business guide.
Creating Employment Opportunities
In this financial year, government intends to
allocate an additional 3bn to the Youth Capital
Venture Fund although in FY 2011/12.
Additionally government is to establish the
Graduate Venture Capital Fund with an
allocation Shs. 16 billion to address the needs

3. A doctor examining a child in a local health center
• Limited resource allocation to the sector
as shown in the figure below remains a
challenge to service delivery. The sector
has a long way to go in supporting primary
growth across other development sectors
as hoped in the Uganda’s National
Development Plan.
Education sector
In its efforts to continue enhancing the quality
and relevance of education at all levels, the
education sector budget has increased to
1.6bn. Government is commended for its
pronouncement to improve the quality of
education by: training inspectors of schools
(2bn), monitoring UPE (1.1bn) monitoring USE
(1.3bn).
Key recommendations
• The completion rate for school going
children is at a low of 25%, the classroom
pupil ratio is at 85:1 against the
of graduates who have bankable project Government should establish a maternal health recommended national standard of 55:1.
proposals but lack the requisite funding. fund to deal with maternal and infant 92% of P3 pupils tested could not correctly
mortality concerns. read a P2 level English story, 78% of P3
The major concern is the current performance pupils could not solve numericals of P2
of the Youth Capital Venture fund, which is Water and environment level, and according to the Budget
very low. Out of 25 billion UGX, only 8bn has Government’s focus under this sector is to provide Monitoring Report 2011, the ministry wastes
so far been accessed by only 3000 youth water for production and CSBAG applauds 25bn UGX a year in ghost schools, ghost
(youth constitute 65% of the Uganda government efforts of increasing the water sector pupils and ghost teachers. Civil society calls
Population). budget from Shs. 271 billion in the last FY to Shs. for the finalization of the probe into the
355 billion FY 2012/13 a factor that resulted from misuse of universal primary and secondary
Key recommendations transferring the water for production budget from education funds by the Judicial Commission
◦ Government should develop operational Ministry of Agriculture to water and sector. To of inquiry and implementation of its
modalities and clear guidelines on how the date the rural population has 65% access to clean recommendations.
youth should access the fund. And this water and 72% have access to adequate sanitation,
should not be left to the private sector. however the rural sanitation coverage has wide • Government should increase allocations for
Such ventures should be proposed based on disparities with some districts like Amudat school inspection to enable School
clear policy frameworks. District (2.0%), Kotido District(11.5%), Moroto Inspectors effectively inspect and monitor
◦ Government should broaden the job District (6.6%), and Nakapiripirit (2%) recording school progress. The sector is registering
creation schemes and ventures to coverage that is far below the national target. high levels of absenteeism among the
employment programs. teachers and pupils, conflicts in schools,
According to the Water and sanitation sector teachers' under performance and low
Health Sector performance report 2011, Uganda’s target 50% syllabus coverage hence poor performance
Despite increases over time, a decade after hand washing by 2015 but the current coverage is due to poor inspection.
the Abuja Health financing commitment, the at 23%
average percentage share of government • Girl child education needs to be made a
allocation to health is still below 15%. In FY Key Concerns priority and the Gender in education policy
2011/12, the health sector was reported to needs to implemented.
• Government’s proposal to reinstate VAT on
have achieved progress by increasing water at 18%, although estimated to generate
availability of basic medicines, achieving Improving Government Effectiveness
Shs.21.7bn might hamper its efforts and reduce
immunization rates of children against major access to clean and safe water. In most cases
killer diseases of 90% and reducing infant and This is an area that needs government’s
water points have been privatized and in a adequate attention, there is too much
maternal mortality rates from 62.47/1000 to situation where a 20-litre jerry can of water
54 per thousand persons and 352 per hundred wastage of government resources and service
was costing between Shs 150 and Shs 200, the delivery continues to suffer. The cost of
thousand persons, respectively. The sector user fees might double or go higher. It is feared
however is still faced with key challenges of running government business is increasing, in
with this increase, water prices will rise and FY 2012/13, for example close to 2 trillion
low access to quality basic health care for all, institutions like schools, manufacturing
maternal and child mortality, the sector’s Uganda Shillings will be spent on running
industries might end up transferring the burden government Accountability (590.76bn), Public
failure to deal with emerging diseases such as to the final consumer by increasing commodity
the nodding disease and its poor staffing Administration (234.88bn), Public sector
prices and this might push the poor to use management (1,020bn) and the Legislature
capacity currently at 50% unsafe and contaminated water.
Key recommendations
The health budget has gone down from Shs
804bn to Shs 752.5bn. This allocation
(8.2%) is still below the NDP target of
11.3% and with the NMS budget remaining
constant, the challenges of drug stock out
will be difficult to achieve. Government
needs to significantly increase the
percentage allocation to health if it’s to
meet the Abuja target of 15%.

4. Improving service delivery
Improving service delivery is one of the key focus areas and as
such it has featured in the previous five budget themes.
The concern however is that although the national budget
allocations are highly focusing on social and productive sectors, Comparisons between the Public
most of the funds are concentrated at the centre with Administration Budget with other
ation
government ministries and agencies, rather than at front line sectors (FY 2012/13
service delivery points (which are mainly at local government
ocal
levels). In addition, service delivery has been affected by the
ervice
unprecedented district creation in Uganda a factor which has
allowed districts that are unviable to operate.
The other challenge is that Service delivery is greatly being
affected by the declining non
clining non-wage recurrent budget.
rent
Unfortunately, the problem seems unlikely to be addressed in
the coming FY 2012/13, as government intends to maintain the
current level of allocations.
There are too many government agencies that are duplicating
services and this has rendered the ministries redundant and our
es ministries
recommendation is the proper coordination of these
institutions. We also call for the review of multiplication of
s.
new sub counties and districts. Revenue Generation
Domestic revenue for FY 2011/12 is expected to experience
Supplementary budgets shortfalls due to slow economic growth and persistent inflation
The credibility of the budget has continued to be eroded by pressures. By the middle of FY 2011/12, revenue in real terms had
f
increasing supplementary budget appropriations, which reached declined by 7% compared to the previous half of FY 2010/11.
a record high of 38% in FY 2011
2011/12. Although supplementary
.
spending is unavoidable, these appropriations continue to The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated between 12% 13% due to a tax
12%-13%
Distribution of the Supplementary Schedule 1 FY 2011/12 system that is not responsive to GDP growth. Reasons for the
Reasons
Local Governments
stagnation of the revenue effort include the following; low
effort
1% voluntary compliance, the large informal sector much of which is
not taxed, and tax incentives to promote investment
Security
9% Key recommendations
Trade and Education
Industry 9% • The increase in PAYE threshold is welcome if it’s to contribute to
ncrease
3% resource redistribution and addresses the gap between the poor
and the rich. However the wealth redistribution should not be
Justice Law & limited to only the employment sector. The same principle
Public should be applied to other sectors such as trade and investment.
investment.
Order
14% Administration
• The government is only recycling tax policies and imposing
64% simultaneous taxes on the same taxable people There is need to
people. here
expand our tax base to include the informal sector which is
engaging in import and export business.
• Government should review and streamline tax exemption
review
policies and practices if it’s to increase revenue generation.
Tax compliance and administration
The porous borders and very small business which have failed to
register have failed URA in enforcing tax compliance. Smuggling
Smuggling
benefit public administration and security sectors depriving goods across the borders cause unequal competition among business
spending on social and productive sectors. It has also become a and breeds corruption. The country is witnessing traces of
culture of the executive to use supplementary budgets as a tool corruption in the tax system e.g. specifically under the Oil business.
specifically
to divert budget expenditure priorities.
Conclusion
Recommendation Government is commended for its budget proposals that aimed at
overnment
• The legislature (Parliament) should amend the law on improving economic growth However in the implementation of this
ing growth. owever
supplementary budget to strengthen the oversight budget, government needs to avoid supplementary requests and
function of parliament and remove the provision for maintain sector allocations as budgeted especially for discretionary
retrospective approval of supplementary spending which
approval items or non priority sec
sectors, not to disrupt budget implementation
o implementation.
should only be for critical and emergency cases suc as
such With regard to service delivery at the local government level, given
epidemics, security and natural calamities. the budget constraints in the next FY 2012/13, government
get
Ministries and Departments should provide the required backup to
Departments
JLOS &Accountability local governments in respec ive sectors to ensure services are
respective
Uganda is experiencing high levels of corruption and despite delivered to the population.
this trend there are minimum efforts in allocating resources to
fight corruption. The small budget line in the JLOS Sector is
Secto For effective budget implementation, government institutions and
government
dedicated to human rights observers yet JLOS institutions are CSOs should actively get involved in monitoring of the budget to
among the top human rights violators in Uganda.
uman It is avoid wastage, laxity and corruption. It is further recommended
corruption. ed
recommended that government should focus on strengthening that mainstreaming of gender and equity issues in sector budgets
the inspectorate system of government as a means of curbing should become a prerequisite for approval of institutional budgets
corruption in Uganda. in the next FY 2012/13 budget.
xt

5. Winnie Byanyima: No ordinary woman
Instead, she lived the very opposite of such type- redress historic imbalances. In 1995, she
cast roles; magnetised to politics by her father’s became a founding member and first chair of
example, studying engineering at university mainly the Forum for Women in Democracy
to defy society’s expectations of girls and (FOWODE), which grew out of the caucus.
excelling at it and winning a scholarship. She FOWODE extended the caucus’ scope by
refused the token seat and beat men in hotly- promoting gender equality in all decision-
contested Women member of Parliamentary making through advocacy, training research
elections, spearheading censure of the corrupt, and publishing.
actively contributing to a guerrilla war effort
when she was aged 22, being vice chairman to a After two terms as Mbarara Municipality’s
group in opposition to the government she once representative in Parliament, she voluntarily
worked for and founding, and directing, stepped down in 2004. Hers is an example
organisations devoted to bettering the very immediate as Uganda currently debates
circumstances of women. the presidential term limits.
Leading by example Ironically, she has expressed interest in
The impact on Ugandan society and women in standing for President, come 2016. If she
particular is as wide-ranging as the various facets does, she will be the third woman, after
of her personality. Where her father was once Miria Kalule Obote in 2006 and Betty Kamya
At a time when even colleagues in her National Chairman of the Democratic Party, she in 2011, to stand for president.
political party regarded the idea of a ended up being the third Vice-Chair of the Reform
woman running for office as political Agenda, before it evolved into the FDC. She aided Popular opinion maintains she might be the
suicide, she did not only run but won its transformation from an Elect Kizza Besigye first one with a serious chance of succeeding
a parliamentary seat. It was only one Task Force into a party formed on July 12, 2002, where even her husband has yet to.
of her daring acts that proved to aimed at achieving political reforms for good
women and Ugandans at large that all governance, sustainable national unity, democracy
was possible, writes Brian Magoba. and national development.
Published by the Daily Monitor
Her election in 1994 to the parliamentary seat for
Imagine a picture captioned with “Mrs. Mbarara Municipality was one small step for her,
Winifred Besigye, aeronautical engineer but one giant leap for Ugandan women. At the Education:
for the Uganda Space Programme, time, she was one of the few women who stood Mt St Mary’s College, Namagunga. Has a degree
conducting orientation for entrants to the for direct election when others were content with in Aeronautical Engineering, the first female
Flight Engineers Training Workshop”. the seats available to them on government’s Ugandan to become an Aeronautical Engineer.
Feels strange on the tongue and mind if affirmative action.
you are Ugandan, doesn’t it? Profession Background: Aeronautical
“The day I was first elected, women ran out on engineer, politician and diplomat. Byanyima
It gives the impression that someone other the streets, sat in the middle of the road, they worked as a flight engineer for the now defunct
than Winnie Byanyima, Ugandan politician climbed on top of the cars, ululating and even Uganda Airlines. She has served as the Director
and women-rights activist, is the subject. taking off their tops”, she recounted in a 2004 of the Gender Team in the Bureau for
Perhaps this is as it should be, because for interview with the magazine Feminist Africa. Development Policy at the United Nations
a long time, Byanyima has been Development Programme (UNDP) since 2006.
phenomenal in proving that it is only Partly, the euphoria was because she was on the
challenging, not impossible, for a woman road to fulfilling her pledge to campaign for equal
to score successes while working with or Political Background: Byanyima is a
value in government policies for women and member of the FDC party, although she has
against patriarchal structures. children. Partly, it was because she had dared significantly reduced her participation in partisan
Ngoma Ngime, an incumbent Constituent Assembly Ugandan politics since she became a Ugandan
Besides rather than behind delegate, on President Museveni’s own home turf.
In hindsight, it seems like a deliberate diplomat in 2006.
branding strategy on her part for never Political jobs she has held over the years:
But more than dare, she actually had beaten a
overtly using her husband’s name to get sitting National Political Commissar who had the
ahead, since her 1999 marriage to retired • She was a member of the Constituent
resources of the NRM’s machinery at his disposal
Colonel Kizza Besigye, leader of the Assembly that drafted the Ugandan 1995
while her strongly feminist platform seemed like
opposition party Forum for Democratic Constitution
political suicide and won her no favours from her
Change (FDC). Her example proves that • She served two consecutive terms as a
party, despite her longer track record and
women can be besides successful men, Member of Parliament, representing
achievements.
instead of behind them as the popular Mbarara Municipality, from 1994 until
adage maintains. 2004.
Leveling the political ground for women
In Parliament, she formed the Women’s Caucus, • Appointed Director of the Directorate of
She could have scripted her bucket list which was instrumental in creating a Women, Gender and Development at the
like most girls: understudy other women constitutional basis for a Uganda where the headquarters of the African Union in
for the role of wife and mother; study genders were equal. The women’s caucus helped Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2004. She left
“soft” courses if the family was either shape the writing of the 1995 Constitution in this for appointment at UNDP.
willing or able to send her to school and gender-sensitive language.
have many babies really quickly. She fullwoman@ug.nationmedia.com
could have settled for talking about and It sponsored the inclusion of an explicit statement
leaving women’s issues at the village well, of equality before the law, which invalidates all
never dabbling in politics beyond voting other laws, cultures, traditions or customs that
passively, and generally being satisfied undermine the dignity and well-being of women,
with whichever dream, life or her and provides affirmative action for women to
husband, allowed her to chase.

6. Denying women land is denying women Caucusing for increased
effectiveness in
Lif e-but what a shame!
advocacy
“I got to learn that some of them at the age of 80, After the 2011 general elections, FOWODE
had never had a piece of land to call their own, yet trained 320 councilors from 12 districts in
they had ideally produced food to feed hundreds” effective legislative engagement,
advocacy and gender. The trained
councilors most of whom were new to
these positions were encouraged to form
caucuses in order to more effectively
advocate for their special interest groups
within their communities. To date the
women’s caucuses are increasingly
becoming more effective in their advocacy
for gender equality and women’s rights.
For example, a Woman councilor, also a
Gulu caucus member moved a council
motion for a borehole construction which
was passed. In Patiko a councilor moved a
motion to construct a maternity ward with
toilets and bathrooms and, with support
from the PRDP program construction of
the maternity ward is under way.
The Kibuku caucus was able to monitor
health facilities in their district and
presented their findings of understaffing
In 2011, I had the opportunity to visit Well, since human beings seem to thrive best and poor infrastructure to the sectoral
different districts in Uganda to assess the on laws, the issue of women’s land ownership committee for social services. The Kabale
situation of women and their rights to land. was clearly captured in Policy Statement caucus prioritized issues of women in
From Pader to Apac, Gulu to Kyenjojo, Hoima number 66 of the Draft National Land Policy detention, girl child education, early
to Kabarole and Jinja, the message written on marriage, and justice for child abusers and
the women’s faces was simple and clear, “We Statement number 66 of the Draft National
to mark the 2012 women’s day they
are tired of being marginalized”. Land Policy, spelling out government’s
organized resources and provided items
commitment to ensure that inequalities
like soap and clothing to women in
Almost wherever I travelled, I could see against women over land are stamped out.
detention.
mostly women tilling the land. As I visited However, Ugandans must recall that our
different homes, I saw women arriving from country is often said to be one of those with
The caucuses have contributed to giving
the fields with food stuffs on their heads and very rosy legislations but very little to show in
women a unified voice and FOWODE plans
children on their backs. Little wonder it’s said terms of implementation. Already the
to continue strengthening this structure in
that over 80% of all the food consumed in National Land Policy still drags on and has not
order to increase women councilors’
Uganda is produced by women. This been approved one year after the final draft,
effectiveness while in leadership.
notwithstanding, as I discussed with the and this could already tell of what to expect
women, I got to learn that some of them at long after it has been passed. What Ugandans
the age of 80, had never had a piece of land need to do at this point in time, is to surpass
to call their own, yet they had ideally the law and implore human conscience over
produced food to feed hundreds across women’s right to own land-only this way shall
generations and lineages. we achieve natural justice.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Perhaps it’s also high time that every
(UDHR) and other international and national individual family assessed its status over
human rights legislations including the Uganda respect for women’s land rights before we can
Constitution spell out clearly that all human demand government for any action. These
beings are equal in everything including women certainly are our wives, our mothers,
property ownership. As such, denying women our sisters or aunties-what have you done to
a chance to own land on mere accord of being ensure security of their right to land in your
women, is inhuman and must not be allowed household? At least for me, my wife can rest
to happen in the 21st Century. It’s a question assured that whatever land we own shall be
of simple logic that does not even necessarily hers to own and utilize for the benefit of our
need legislation for anyone to observe that family unit.
she who feeds the country deserves to own
By: Tumusiime Kabwende Deo In August this year, 89.5 SPEAK FM a
land as a key resource for production.
Uganda Land Alliance
community radio based in Gulu will be
marking one year in operation. To mark
tumusiimedeo@hotmail.com this great stride, FOWODE will officially
Check out the fowode website launch the radio in Gulu district.
The fowode website www.fowode.org is regularly updated to meet your information needs. There is everything including information about our programs, researches and
assessment reports on gender equality, upcoming events, news etc... Check back often as there is always new information posted.

7. Government urged to focus on a pro-poor and gender sensitive
budget
Pupils of Rubona Primary School in Kabale
.
FOWODE is the current chair of the Civil Society
Budget Advocacy Group (CS BAG) a coalition
formed in 2004 to bring together CSOs at
national and district levels to:
Influence Government decisions on
resource mobilization and utilization for
equitable and sustainable development;
Advocate for increased transparency and
accountability in national priorities,
financing and public spending at all levels;
Promote transparency and accountability in
the formulation and implementation of
national policies, policy processes and
programmes;
Promote national, regional and
international fiscal and monetary policies
that are pro-poor, gender responsive and
livelihoods oriented
The Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group Demanding more funding for health, Demanding for farmers’ bank
(CSBAG) which is a consortium of non
education.
government organisations held a pre budget Civil society organizations asked government to
dialogue under the theme “Making the open an agricultural bank to facilitate farmers,
national budget pro-poor, gender sensitive A Consortium of civil society organizations who are in need of financial services but cannot
and equitable” on April 19 2012. are pushing for government reforms in the get them easily and at affordable terms.
health and education sectors to among
During the public dialogue in Kampala, Julius others have the percentage of government The CSOs made the demand during the pre-
Mukunda the Senior Programme Director for allocation to the health sector increased to budget dialogue held in Kampala in April
Forum for Women said public expenditure meet the Abuja Declaration target of 15 per 2012. They said an agricultural bank will focus
should be skewed in the direction that would cent. on farmers’ credit needs, hedge against risks
meet the needs and interests of the poor. He such as crop failures and volatilities in the
urged government to focus on the most Boosting education prices of agro-products.
priority sectors which benefit majority of the
public. Mukunda further said unless Presenting their position paper before Mr. Julius Mukunda, the Senior Programme
government puts in place strict measures, it Parliament’s Social Services Committee Director at Forum for Women in Democracy,
will continue spending lots of money but with recently, the Civil Society Budget Advocacy said most farmers fear to get loans because of
little output. He cited the many government Group (CS BAG) led by Mr. Julius Mukunda of the harsh treatment defaulters get, but also
expenditures on a number of government Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) the repayments period do not coincide with
institutions which have duplicate duties, yet a recommended a 20 per cent budget allocation the harvest season.
lot of money would be saved if some of these to boost the quality of Universal Primary and
institutions were merged. Secondary Education. The group that “A bank that understands the seasons, plight
advocates for pro-poor budget policies in the and language of farmers, can be the only
CSBAG also advocated for the formation of country, also called for the review of solution,” Mr. Mukunda said. Many farmers
regional governments in place and cutting on teachers’ salaries to Shs400, 000 from the have fallen prey to loan sharks, who lend
the number of parliamentary representatives current Shs270, 000. them money at high interest rates, which also
so as to cut on public expenditures. frustrates most farmers who have no
Health sector collateral recognized by commercial banks.
Kenneth Mugambe the Commissioner Budgets
in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Mr. Mukunda informed the parliamentary Mr. Richard Mugisha, an advocacy officer at
Economic Development during the public committee that, looking at the Budget Participatory Ecological Land Use Management
dialogue said that government has achieved Framework Paper, government allocated (PELUM), said access to credit to farmers is
some success bringing services near to people. Shs800 billion to the health sector last one of the reasons the agricultural sector has
He says the key strategic issues that the financial year but this figure had been been dwindling for the past years.
government is working around include reduced it to Shs761 billion next financial
maintaining micro-economic stability, year. While the government has endeavored Since 2000, the agricultural sector growth has
increasing agriculture productivity, improving to set up health facilities across the country, declined from 7.9 per cent to 0.9 per cent.
service delivery and managing government a 2009/2010 report, the Uganda Local
contracts. Government Councils Score Card, by
Advocates Coalition for Development and Published in the Daily Monitor Newspaper and
Environment, shows that improvements are the Independent magazine
Carol Namagembe the FOWODE
only in infrastructure, especially in CSBAG members:, FOWODE, Action AID, Uganda Debt Network, SEATINI,
Communications Officer mentioned that the
construction of health centers, but the major PELUM Uganda, VEDCO, Uganda National Union of Women with Disabilities
purpose of the dialogue was to get views from problems such as shortage of drugs,
of Uganda , The Council for Economic Empowerment for Women of Africa-
Uganda Chapter, Development Research and Training, The Eastern and
the public and integrate them in the civil understaffing, shortage of equipment, Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum , The Human Rights Network
society alternative budget proposal that will Uganda, The Centre for Women in Governance, Uganda Road Sector
absenteeism of health workers, and weak Support Initiative, Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment,
be presented to Parliamentary committees accountability mechanisms still exit. Environmental Alert, The Uganda National NGO Forum, African Centre for
Trade and Development, Uganda Women’s Network, Action for
when reviewing the budget framework paper. Development

8. Women’s
Struggle to
Own &
Control property
Former MP Susan Nampijja suffered a tragic most societies do not recognise that women resources and undermines the potential of
experience when her former companion can own property because they are considered women’s hard work and their ability as
inflicted deep cuts to her head. Believing she transient citizens. The patriarchal society in entrepreneurs.
was dead, the estranged Geoffrey Mukisa which we live has only worsened matters. The
attempted to commit suicide. All because he The World Development Report 2012, states
ineffective mechanisms for the enforcement
could not let Nampijja keep property she had that the lives of girls and women have
of women’s rights have also resulted in the
reportedly acquired when their relationship changed dramatically over the past quarter
denial of basic rights for millions of women in
blossomed. century, the report mentions areas that need
the country. Statistics show that 97 percent of
to be worked on to ensure gender equality
women have access to land, but only 8
Nampijja is a daughter of Rubaga South MP and development.
percent of women own land and only 7
Ken Lukyamuzi. Together, they can petition
percent have property rights. The report points to the need for property
the powerful and when tragedy befell her, her
rights for women which constrain their
father gave an impassioned speech in “This year, Uganda will mark 50
Parliament. Many came to her defence. bargaining power and the need to strengthen
years and property ownership for
the laws that provide for the right to
Police was quick to act; a search was
women is one of the most stinging
ownership of property.
immediately set for the culprit. Though
issues whose solution has no not
Mukisa was found unconscious, police stayed
yet been found” Ann Kampire the Coordinator women’s Land
guard at his room at Mulago Hospital lest he Rights at Uganda Land Alliance says women’s
Byamukama says at the family level girls and property rights are limited by social norms
gained strength and tried to escape
women are not given property because of the and customs which make it hard for women to
prosecution. He died on his hospital bed.
belief that they will leave home and get access property. She says the most affected
“This year, Uganda will mark
But what if Mukisa had tried to usurp married in other families where they will have group are those who are widowed, separated
50 years and property
property from an average Ugandan woman? access to property but this is not true. Usually or divorced and those who have born only
ownership for women is one
Isn’t it instructive that when Dorcus Inzikuru, once these women are married off they are female children often have little or no access
of the most stinging issues
she of the Olympic Gold Medal fame, caught only allocated pieces of land for crop to ownership of property.
whose solution has not yet
her husband with another woman in her prize cultivation strictly.
been found”. Namagembe says such factors which constrain
house in Arua, all she could do was to enlist
Carol Namagembe, the Communication officer women make it hard for them to prosper in
the support of town youths to unroof the
of Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), their own right and it dents efforts put in
house? She must have felt she had no power
says while women own about 40 percent of place to help women enjoy equal rights as
to drive the man out of her house. Yet if the
private businesses in Uganda, their role in their male counterparts.
man had caught Inzikuru cheating in his home,
socio-economic development is still seen to be
the story would have been a different one.
peripheral. They still have unequal access to In Mukono district only, a survey carried out
Fortunately for Nampijja, the sole ownership
and control of productive assets like land with by International Justice Mission (IJM) between
of the disputed property is now in her hands.
only 20 percent of registered land owned by 2005 and 2007 reveals that out of 115 widows,
But not many are as fortunate as her.
women according to the 2010 National 41 percent have experienced property
Dora Byamukama, the East African Legislative Development Plan yet they contribute 70-75 grabbing, and this percentage increases to 51
Assembly representative says although the percent to the total agricultural production percent if attempts/threats of property
1995 Uganda Constitution provides for equal (Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2005). This grabbing are included. Continues on pg.10
ownership of property for women and men affects their ability to access other productive

9. Women in
Uganda’s
villages
INFLUENCE
local budgets
and policies
“Now that I am aware of my rights as a and responsibility to attend the village budget Along with health education and economic
citizen, I feel so empowered”, said Aber meetings so as to determine what services are empowerment, the Village Budget Clubs are
Evalyn a 51 year-old woman from Uum village to come to us as citizens and especially as bringing dignity and ownership for many
in the North of Uganda after participating in women”. women. As Evalyn, who today serves as the
trainings held by the Forum for Women in trainings Chairperson of several community
Democracy to increase women’s involvement Evalyn now attends all the meetings and groups, explains, “Before the Forum for
in the decision-making processes at the contributes to debates and discussions to Women in Democracy’s trainings, I was a
community level. solve collective issues. ‘nobody’ in my community. I could not speak
Like Evalyn, many other women in the villages in any community meetings or raise any
A grantee of UN Women’s Fund for Gender of Uganda are now taking part in the pertinent questions that affected me and
Equality, the Forum for Women in Democracy dialogues on local budgets. other women. The leadership role for me has
trained women in 16 communities in Uganda
been possible because of the trainings that
to form Village Budget Clubs. These clubs are In Kasaala Parish village, Luwero District,
opened up my eyes and showed me that my
working to ensure that women are actively Nakazi Edisa, a mother of four young children,
views are required in the development of my
involved in budget allocation and decisions also attended the Forum’s trainings. “For the
community”, she concluded.
regarding gender-sensitive policy measures at last two years, my children have not been
the local level. Aber Evalyn is one of the 320 receiving adequate de-worming tablets, nor Along with the work at the village level,
people who benefited from a three-day had they been immunized for measles, polio, FOWODE has trained legislators and
training session designed to empower etc. It was very difficult for me to take the government officials in Uganda to ensure that
communities to demand accountability and four children to Kasana Health Center over gender-responsive programming is also
the provision of better services from public five kilometers away, and private clinics in my effected at the national level.
authorities. village are too expensive”, she explained.
Submitted by FOWODE Gender Budget Program
According to the 2006 Uganda Demographic Last year after the trainings, Edisa and the
The VBC approach increases community activism,
and Health survey (UDHS), while 35 per cent women of the Village Budget Club lobbied the
checks corruption and brings leaders to account
of women make decisions regarding small District Councilor to set up a health facility in for their actions.
daily household expenses on their own at the the village, along with petitioning the Chief
household level, a striking 85 per cent have to Administrative Officer regarding drugs UPCOMING EVENT:
consult their husbands about any major shortage at the Kasana health unit. The
THE UGANDA FEMINIST FORUM
household choices. “After the training mobilization was successful and eventually
the local authorities decided to build a health Theme: "Spreading our Wings"
sessions, women are now aware of how our
taxes on soap, cooking oil and many other centre in the village, which provides Date: 1st – 4th August 2012
things, can eventually bring developmental immunization and essential medicine for
children, free of cost.
Host Secretariat: FOWODE
activities to our communities”, said Aber
Evalyn “We also know now that it is our right

10. SOCIAL
POLITICAL
CORNER:
THE RAIN DROP
The look on the faces that surround her .‘she thinks of how a raindrop falling Is it really worth it? Risking my life in the
pushes her feeling of triumph to the edge aimlessly from the sky, landed on the roof presence of loved ones... the thoughts go
of guilt. A tornado of thoughts engulf above meandered along the corrugated roof on.
her; what do they think of me? She till it finds a small unguarded crack in the
Echoes from a dust filled, small black
ponders. These worried faces; do they iron sheets, through which it descended on
television caged in a rusting metallic box
want me to stop? Is it worth it? Am I the ceiling below. It is unbelievable! How,
just below the top corner of the hospital
being selfish, putting my friends and what began as a single raindrop has stained
ward interrupts her thoughts.
family through this? The questions cannot this ceiling above? It is inconceivable that a
stop, like an unending loop of a nagging single drop of rain left untouched has caused Breaking News!- IPC Women Riot against the
song they whirl on, through her head. She this ceiling to moulder. It is a shame that no Electoral Commission, She sees herself on
does not know where they are coming one has done anything about this. It is only a TV, being hurled, stumped and slapped, her
from and she cannot stop these matter of time before the whole ceiling dress is torn as she is roughed-up tossed and
questions. moulds and falls in. She thinks of the ceiling battered. She sees a body in uniform
Her eyes sting with ripples of pain and how it will soon render this hospital spraying something in her face! She suddenly
comparable to none ever hosted in inhabitable, how one tiny raindrop can cause collapses, dragged and dumped on a police
nerves. In the inevitable instances when such visible decay. truck. Seeing all this breaks her heart, she
she has to blink, her heart skips a beat as can barely hold it, an icy liquid rolls slowly
She thinks of this nation and sees how it is
though to take a bow for the surge of from her eyes down to her bruised cheek,
decaying, just like the ceiling. The dirty
pain that will follow. She can swear there she sees the same on the faces around her.
smelly roads scattered with litter, silt and
are a thousand tiny sharp needles lodged She thinks of the raindrop, and how we
sewage clogged gutters; the system
underneath her eyelids. She has to keep cannot let it in. She wipes her tears and
her eyes open for unnatural paces of waits to strike again, another day.
time. The look on her face can pass, with here is failing and
flying colours, any interview for being an falling, the one tiny
Askari, yet here she lies in pain, a raindrop found its way
mother, possibly poisoned, confined to a in. The one drop of
hospital bed. greed, finding its way
through faint hearts,
May be I am an Askari, a Vote Askari? She once innocent minds
contemplates. Her lips part to unfold a falling to the drop of
babyish smile, probably a toast to the temptation, of juicy
weird thoughts in her head. “How can I fat deals, palm
smile with all these worried faces around greasing and kickbacks,
me?” She seems to ponder as her smile causing these patches,
vanishes almost unnoticed. She stares at these potholes,
the brownish, ring-like stain patches on
this damn electoral clique! She thinks of
the once white soft-board ceiling above,
By a member of the FOWODE Young Leaders Alumni
herself having to wait in a line to vote when
her mind wanders and she is soon lost in Association (FYLAA)
she knows her vote may be corrupted.
yet another whirl of thoughts...

11. Women; why put your property in a
FOWODE BRIEFS
man’s name? Continued from pg.3
Scott Adams a Media Relations Fellow at IJM Uganda an
organization that helps widows retain their property says
some of the outstanding challenges to women’s and
widows’ land ownership include the myths about land law
and the belief by most women that they cannot own
property. The complicated land administration processes,
weak laws and the laxity exercised in handling property
grabbers make it hard for women to pursue their right to
own property. Most times these women keep silent as
their property is grabbed from them because they have no
bed
forum to voice their views.
This year, Uganda will mark 50 years and property
ownership for women is one of the most stinging issues Kabale District Technical staff, Hon. Katoto, Hon. Lucy Ajok and Hon. Ninsiima, members of the
whose solution has not yet been found. parliamentary Gender Responsive Budget (GRB) champions during a monitoring visit in Kabale district.
The parliamentary GRB champions’ visits organized by Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association and
Byamukama says unless women are more enlightened
FOWODE were conducted in Kabale, Lira and Busia districts to support efforts of increasing visibility on
about their rights, women will continue being denied this
the importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting and also enhance the oversight function of Members of
right. She says women who are able to acquire property Parliament in promoting gender equality in Uganda. In 2011, FOWODE together with the Office of the
Uganda.
on their own should move away from the habit of Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and UWOPA identified gender responsive budget champions in the 9th
registering that property in either their husband’s or Parliament to champion the Gender equality campaign within the parliament.
male relative’s name because this only proves the myth
only
that property can only be owned by the men.
Patricia Munabi Babiiha the Executive Director of FOWODE
says the uneven, gender inequalities which continue to
hinder the advancement of women only prove that women
have to fight harder because they have not reached their
comfortable zone yet.
Legislators are proposing amendments to the Succession
uccession
Act to help women own property. The long awaited
Marriage and Divorce bill that recognizes joint ownership
of property is yet to be passed if affected into law it
passed,
would help many a number of women.
By Rukiya Mukama, The Independent Magazine
Richard Sunday, FOWODE field officer in Luwero explaining the village budget club model during the
2nd edition of the National CSO Fair, held in June 2012. The fair gathered over 5000 members of Civil
Society1 under the theme “Act Together, Shape the Future, Civil Society in Uganda at 50,” in an effort to
Civil
showcase the important role played and contribution that civil society organizations have made and
continue to make towards development over the past fifty years and into the future.
The Young Leaders’ Camp was held for 30 young who underwent
fun packed training on alternative and transformative
leadership. The training focused on raising the young leader’s
consciousness of gender equality and social justice. It further
inculcated in the young leaders the values of equity and equality
A district Councilor during a gender budget training in Kitgum in April 2012.
between men and women in Uganda in a bid to make them
FOWODE in partnership with Diakonia launched an 18 months program in April 2012. The project titled
.
socially conscious and responsible leaders.
“Strengthening Communities and Civil Society to Promote Democratic Governance and Social
Strengthening
Accountability” is funded by the European Union through t Democratic Governance and A
ed h the d Accountability
Programme Uganda (DGAP and is implemented in Kitgum, K
AP) , Kotido and Abim districts.

12. A Victor with Purpose
Mary Kemirembe, like many girls in people’s lives by living positively and
Nyakishenyi village in Rukungiri district, relating well with people in whose
dropped out of school at an early age, midst I live. I feel more loved and
while her brothers continued. She was useful to society now. Through the
married off immediately and by the age trainings I attended, I have become
of 21 she already had four children. She aware of my rights and deserve fair
was later diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and in treatment from all. In fact, I now
2005 her husband succumbed to the counsel others and encourage them to
disease leaving her with four children to be happy and focused. I will continue
fend for. She inherited debts from her engaging in income generating
deceased husband and was compelled to projects like piggery and making local
take refuge in another village because of banana juice (Eshande / mubisi) from
the difficult terms for debt payment since which I earn income.
her income status was already very low.
To fend for her family, she regularly I am grateful that we now have a
forum as women where we meet and
worked on people’s farms to earn a living.
discuss factors for improving our
Whilst sharing her life story, Mary says “I livelihoods.
used to feel so stigmatized by the reality
Mary is one the women from Kabale
that my days are numbered because of my
and Rukungiri districts who at the
HIV/AIDS status. When FOWODE began its
beginning of this year were organized
trainings for the vulnerable women, I
by FOWODE and equipped with skills in
realized that I needed to appreciate
life skills, leadership and
myself more and to work hard for a better
entrepreneurship development. The
Lauriano (centre) making banana juice which she sells for future.
women later formed groups through
income
I also appreciated the fact that as a which they work to improve their
woman, I can also make a difference in economic status and wellbeing.
HELL LET LOOSE!!
So the question is, if these beings are quite (www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/664815).
unique and amazingly special: Why then is Hon. Godi Akbar, an ex MP for Arua
Domestic Violence on rampage? Why is it that Municipality in Northern Uganda was in on
the things we love actually kill us? Globally, charges of murdering his wife in 2008. He
one in three women and girls experience reportedly shot her twice using his pistol. He
physical and / or sexual violence. 60% of complained of having read a text message on
women in Uganda and 59% of married women his wife’s phone from her lover. Can we know
have experienced physical violence since the whence this uproar, barbaric and
age of fifteen mostly perpetuated by their excommunicated act comes and whence we
husbands or partners according to an Isis- are heading?
WICCE Report on Domestic Violence in
Uganda. Poverty, absence of any sound religious
background resulting into continuous mistrust
Great men, women and several distinguished with alcohol as the catalyst; are all
people, commonly referred to as ‘Humans’ contributors to life being so futile thus the
have one fear, do you know what that is? No, I Hell in the homes!
bet you don’t! The fear of the unknown! This
is the sole cause of all hell breaking loose in How do YOU get rid of this craze of treating
homes today. No one seems to know what the women like football?
future holds which can at times lead to
monotony of life resulting into mental Well the easiest remedy I can render is for
retardation causing so many men to bit their both men and women to be respectful to one
women. another, for them to preserve private time for
their family, learn to control and manage
‘‘Women have strengths that amaze me; There are chilling stories in the media and anger, to keep promises, to make fair
They bear hardships and they carry Uganda’s entertainment industry detailing judgment, learn to work with emotional
burdens, such incidents; for instance, the story; ‘Man intelligence, be innovative enough to provide
But, they hold happiness, love and joy. Kills Wife over Love SMS’ which was in ‘New for the family, pray to God always and
They smile when they want to scream.’ Vision, Monday 15th December 2008’. Abdul communicate with each other.
Karim Ssengendo describes a man who "There is no THEM, it is all US. It is just ‘US’ – we are
the world." Michael Jackson
smashed the head of his wife causing her
death because he had allegedly read a love
SMS on her mobile Story by Flavia Kalule
Image by Racheal Tobias, former Intern FOWODE

13. VISIT THE FOWODE RESOURCE CENTER
E library is powered by an
The FOWODE resource center is a ONE STOP CENTER, where you can access over 1000 information materials relevant to the FOWODE Thematic areas of Gender,
___________________
Governance, Democracy, and Human rights. You can also access internet, photocopying and printing services. Please visit the FOWODE website, www.fowode.org or the
FOWODE resource center at our offices in Ntinda publications below and many more.
The policy brief on Health analyses the gender
dynamics within the health sector in Uganda. It
highlights key gender issues in the health sector,
attempts to address gender issues within the
health sectors, health care constraints and key
policy recommendations that need to be
addressed to enhance performance as a means
of contributing positively to promoting women’s
health.
___________________
___________________
The Agriculture Sector policy brief presents an
analysis of gender issues in the agriculture sector
in Uganda; highlights the efforts so far taken by
the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and
Fisheries (MAAIF) in addressing these issues;
constraints that hinder engendering of the
agriculture sector and makes policy
recommendations for improvement.
___________________________
____________________
This Policy Brief mainly focuses on primary and
secondary education as they are the foundation
for education. The gender issues being discussed
here are identified using comparable data from
the National Service delivery Survey2004, and
Uganda National House hold survey 2005 /06
and other available literature. The major issues
include access to primary education, dropout
rates in primary and secondary schools;
completion of primary education and performance
both at primary and secondary levels
The FOWODE library has an online public access catalogue (OPAC) which is
powered by web 2.0 technology. To view our e-library visit the following link:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/fowoderesourcecentre