Minister Babalanda Calls for Unified Effort to Shield Busoga's Women and Girls

Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babalanda, has lauded the government’s progress in empowering women and promoting gender equality, but stressed the urgency for a unified front to tackle ongoing issues impacting women and girls in Uganda, with a specific focus on the Busoga sub-region.

Speaking at Jinja District’s Women’s Day celebrations, Minister Babalanda highlighted Uganda’s significant strides in female political representation, noting the nation’s global rankings in women’s participation within executive and parliamentary bodies. She attributed these achievements to President Museveni’s consistent commitment to gender inclusion since the NRM’s ascent to power.

The government’s dedication extends beyond political spheres to economic empowerment, with initiatives like the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and the GROW Project providing avenues for women’s meaningful engagement in socio-economic development. Affirmative action policies in education, healthcare, and youth programs further aim to broaden opportunities.

Despite these advances, Babalanda pointed out that Busoga faces critical challenges, including alarmingly high rates of adolescent pregnancies (28.4-34%) and persistent poverty (around 12%). These issues leave women and girls vulnerable to exploitation, gender-based violence, and educational disruption.

Minister Babalanda urged a broad coalition of stakeholders – including leaders, parents, religious and cultural institutions, civil society, and citizens – to actively participate in safeguarding women and girls. She framed the fight against corruption as intrinsically linked to women’s empowerment, arguing that resources lost to graft could otherwise fund education, healthcare, and economic support for them.

She called upon communities to actively leverage the existing government policies and programs designed to uplift women and girls. The Minister encouraged women to maintain self-belief while imploring men and leaders to become staunch advocates for gender equality, working together to create a society free from discrimination, violence, and poverty.

Source: Nile Post