As Uganda Celebrates 60years of independence on the 9th of October, this year 2022  with the theme  ‘A declaration of African Interdependence and our shared destiny.’ · 

Uganda still needs women economic reforms even though their are progress made in interventions such as increased women in the legislation process, governance, with affirmative actions in education, legislation, development, and  economic empowerment among others as reflected here https://genderdata.worldbank.org/countries/uganda/.

The Government  of Uganda has established specific focus ministry to uplift the women and address specific gender needs of the country.  https://mglsd.go.ug/gender-and-women-affairs/#

Even with progress made their are still economic reforms needed to remove women pediment to the realization of women economic empowerments. 

Why?

Uganda ranks highest in Africa in terms of women-owned businesses. World Bank data (March 2022) shows that 40% of the businesses in Uganda are women-owned. Despite this, only 9% of bank credit goes to women-owned businesses. This means that most women-owned businesses run with minimal credit, thus minimal opportunities for growth and expansion. In the agricultural sector, women provide 70%-75% of agricultural labour, but only 16% own land in their own right. Women till the land they don’t own. It means that they cannot engage in meaningful economic activities beyond the subsistence farming where they grow food crops. The business environment, both in legislation and practice, is still male-dominated, thus the need for affirmative action towards women owned and women-run businesses, thus women economic empowerment.

Uganda is on the verge of an oil economy and for the sector to benefit all Ugandans, local content has been deliberately legislated, with specific sectors and services ringfenced for Ugandans. Women form 51% of Uganda’s population. Yet there is no specific affirmative action provision to ensure women take a substantive portion of the local content businesses in the Oil and Gas sector. With the many opportunities arising, gender-sensitive policies and legislation, gender-lens investments and affirmative action in favour of women will be vital at every stage and level, including investments in cooking energy sources which ease women’s chores.

Beyond the national business environment, regional integration is another sphere where women economic empowerment requires special attention. In the case of Uganda, there is the East African Community https://www.eac.int/, (now expanded to include the Democratic Republic of Congo) which offers more business opportunities that call for affirmative legislation, skilling and awareness for women to fully participate in the economy. These range from access to information, notably provisions (Rights and Freedoms) of the Common Market Protocol and how women can benefit from them, notably the free movement of labour (access to quality and inclusive jobs for women).

Of particular significance is cross-border trade, which forms 60% of intraregional trade. Women constitute the bulk of entrepreneurs in informal cross-border trade, where they take up 80% of this trade. And most of this is in foodstuffs, household articles, handicrafts and other consumer goods. Affirmative action in terms of regional legislation and facilitation will be essential both for the petty traders as well as enabling women-owned businesses access regional markets in the formal sector.

The Africa Continental Free Trade Area https://au-afcfta.org/ is another business environment where women economic participation requires affirmative action. Women-owned businesses will need empowerment in market information access; documentation; quality certification; language branding; import-export financing; import-export agency; participation in exhibitions and trade fairs, business conferences and symposia, and other related avenues for women business advancement and economic empowerment.

Besides the external business environment, the internal, intra and inter-business(B2B) environment is equally vital in enhancing women economic empowerment. Corporate governance, business skills and business synergising including value chain management, are some of the key elements essential to the success of women in business, both as owners, employers and employees.

photo credit: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/10/21/19/32/uganda-1758988_960_720.png

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