Women’s Day in Uganda

In Uganda, Women’s Day is a national holiday celebrated on 8 March. On this day people acknowledge women’s contributions to their families and societies and alsostress on the requirement for improved treatment and rights for women. Women get together, enjoy and wish each other. Often Government officials hold gatherings where they encourage women to move forward in life and make them aware of the facilities the Government is granting them. They inspire the women to go for higher education and to do something with their lives.

In rural and suburban areas, Ugandan women take up responsibilities that are related to both household and money-making for sustenance. Daily chores are naturally doneby them,sometimes with help from their children. In addition, women also engage in cultivation work and water-fetching both of which require long hours of walking to and from the farms or the wells.

The gender position of women in Uganda is often considered inferior to those of men. Ugandan women have significant financial and societal errands across many societies of Uganda. Ugandan women come from a range of financially viable and educational background. However, domestic violence and sexual assault are still widespreadhere. And in most cases poverty is concurrent with the presence of domestic violence. In fact, cases of violence are more common with women plagued with poverty. Estimates say that more than 50% of Ugandan women have endured domestic violence at the hands of their partners.

Uganda has takenmajorsteps forward in promoting and safeguardingthe rights and dignity of women. Yettraditionalcustoms among the Ugandan people contradict the country’s laws against bigotry and violence towards women. Enforcement of the laws is sloppy and the inherent patriarchal traditions are abiding. Even though many recent laws were enacted to curb domestic violence, it hashelped very little to change women’s state of affairs.