Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Tired of seeing their holy texts used to justify the subjugation of women, a group of feminist theologians from across the Protestant-Catholic divide have joined forces to draft “A Women’s Bible”. As the #MeToo movement continues to expose sexual abuse across cultures and industries, some …
Read More »Mulago’s referral system failure
New specialised women’s hospital sinks back to the old ways Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | On Oct.16, a week after President Yoweri Museveni officially opened the new Mulago Specialised Maternal and Neonatal Hospital in Kampala on Oct.09, The Independent visited the facility. The expectation was to see an efficiently run …
Read More »US fails at UN to weaken measure on sexual harassment
United Nations, United States | AFP | The United States failed on Monday to water down a UN resolution on combatting sexual harassment and violence against women despite backing from Russia, China, India, several Muslim countries and the Vatican. President Donald Trump’s administration sought to scrap language in the non-binding …
Read More »FOWODE trains new crop of ‘Matembes’, ‘Byanyimas’
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | “This camp has taught me how to be more positive in life….Winnie Byanyima inspires me and I would like to be an MP one day,” said Judith Ninsima from Mbarara, when she was called in to share her experience at the end of a leadership …
Read More »New app to boost market women
Busy customers will no longer have to drive to markets for foodstuffs Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | A new app to be launched next month will boost the fortunes of market women who operate in areas like Nakawa, Kalerwe, Ntinda and Nakasero. The app is meant to eliminate the role …
Read More »Study finds ‘significant decline’ in genital mutilation rates in girls
Paris, France | AFP | Rates of female genital mutilation among girls under 14 have fallen sharply in most regions of Africa over three decades, according to ground-breaking analysis cautiously welcomed by aid groups. The age-old ritual of cutting or removing the clitoris of young females has been decried by …
Read More »How to bring women, youth to formal economy
Closing the financial inclusion gap will require government, private sector and development partners. Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | How can women and youth population participate in the country’s formal economic activities? This is what formed part of the discussion at a breakfast meeting organised by Financial Sector Deepening Uganda (FSDU) …
Read More »FIFA announce increased prize money for women’s World Cup
Kigali, Rwanda | AFP | FIFA are to double the prize money on offer at the women’s World Cup in time for next year’s tournament in France, president Gianni Infantino confirmed on Friday. Speaking at the end of a FIFA Council meeting in the Rwandan capital Kigali, Infantino confirmed an …
Read More »Ethiopia’s Zewde, Africa’s only female president
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopia on Thursday appointed a woman to the largely ceremonial position of president for the first time, further increasing female representation in the government of Africa’s second most populous nation. In a unanimous vote, Ethiopian lawmakers picked career diplomat Sahle-Work Zewde, 68, to replace …
Read More »Women activists list seven demands from government
Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Women activists from 17 non-governmental organisations and nine individuals under their umbrella organization, Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) have listed seven demands they want government to pay attention to in a bid to improve the social welfare of girls and women in Uganda. This comes amidst …
Read More »