news 30 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
UMWA Advocates for Increased Women's Voice in Ugandan Media
The Uganda Media Women's Association (UMWA) is calling for greater representation of women in Ugandan media, highlighting that despite comprising over half the population, women's voices are significantly underrepresented. UMWA points to a persistent gap, with women accounting for only 20-24% of quoted or featured individuals. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/umwa-calls-for-more-women-representation-in-media-5576672
Despite constituting the majority of Uganda’s population, women remain significantly underrepresented in the nation’s media landscape. The Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) has voiced concerns that women are consistently allocated less space, with research indicating they only make up between 20 and 24 percent of voices quoted, seen, or heard across media platforms.
This disparity was a key point of discussion during the 25th-anniversary celebrations of Mama FM, a radio station operated by UMWA and focused on women’s issues. Ms. Margaret Ssentamu, UMWA’s executive director, questioned the continued marginalization of women, especially given their substantial contributions to national development. She noted that despite efforts to train media personnel on gender-responsive reporting and to empower women to engage with the media, the imbalance persists.
Ms. Ssentamu asserted that achieving equitable representation requires more than just training; it necessitates government intervention. She criticized current media laws for being unresponsive to gender concerns and pointed to the inadequate implementation of gender policies and a lack of resources for gender equality institutions as significant barriers to progress.
Echoing these sentiments, Ms. Safia Nalule Juuko, chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), urged UMWA to bolster collaborations with government bodies. She suggested partnerships with entities such as the Uganda Communications Commission, the Ministry of Gender, and the EOC itself. Such collaborations, she believes, could help ensure gender equity compliance and effectively boost women’s representation in the media.