KAMPALA – The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has reported that about 106 billion shillings has been disbursed to various women groups under Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP), a programme that provides revolving funds and has increased access to affordable capital for the vulnerable woman.
While presenting the sector’s performance, the State Minister for Youths and Children Affairs Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi said that 94% has been achieved under UWEP.
“Currently, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has disbursed over 106 billion shillings to various women groups for 10,932 projects across the country benefiting 135,872 women,” she said.
She added that 368 women groups have received 100% of the money.
According to Nakiwala, her Ministry developed and implemented the National Action Plan on the elimination of Gender-Based Violence 2016 to 2021, National Action Plan on women, peace and security 2020 to 2025.
“Under this, we have achieved 90%. We have developed the National Action Plan for women, girls, gender equality, and HIV/ AIDS 2016/17 – 2020/21.”
She said that challenges such as child marriages, teenage pregnancies, Gender-Based Violence, and Female Genital Mutilation have been solved under the plan.
Commenting on the pledge to harmonize domestic policies with regional and International frameworks that seek to enhance the status of women, the minister noted that they have revised Uganda Gender Policy 2007 to align it with the international and regional framework.
“In particular, the Sustainable Development Goals and to the East African Community Gender Policy and National Development Plan II. 90% has been achieved,” she said.
According to the minister, the gender ministry disseminated the male engagement strategies and the Gender-Based Violence Action Plan to the Local Governments and other stakeholders.
“We have also been implementing a national strategy to end child marriages and pregnancies 2015 to 2020, elimination of violence against women and girls with support from European Union,” she added.
On child protection, Nakiwala revealed that 88% has been achieved as they formulated a National early childhood development policy and action plan.
“We have established a family inspection system to ensure that children are not harmed or abused.”
She noted that the ministry is paying school fees for 41 children in primary, secondary, and university institutions.
She further said that they have built 2 new regional remand homes in Arua with a capacity of 80 children and Kabale remand home with a capacity of 80 children for children who break the law.
878 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have been trained in vocational skills to enhance their employment opportunities said Nakiwala.
“In 2019, 244 PWDs were trained, in 2018 (248), 2017 (196), and 2016 (190).”
