Activists call for taking into account the gender aspect in shaping public policies

Activists are calling on the government to mainstream gender into public policymaking to realize economic transformation and sustainable social development.

The need to mainstream gender into public policymaking was discussed at length during a policy dialogue at Makerere University on 21 May.

Safia Nalule Jjuuko, chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission, said the government should prioritize gender mainstreaming when enacting social and public policies so that Ugandans can benefit from government projects.

“Gender is not limited to male and female. It covers different categories of people in societies such as people with disabilities, the poor and all government institutions should take all these issues into consideration to properly plan for Ugandans by putting in place policies that work in the best interest of citizens,” Ms Nalule said.

She added that the government can plan activities for the people accordingly if it knows the specific details and interests of different groups in the country.

Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom, who also serves as Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, said gender should be considered as the fundamental anchor on which all efforts to achieve social and public policy goals for a sustainable society rest.

“Institutions should have gender mainstreaming units to address societal challenges,” Dr Muvawala said.

He added that social disparities should include gender as a development agenda.

“When it comes to employment, we look at it from a gender perspective and that says a lot about social progress.”

He added: “Failure to consider gender as a key role in shaping public and social policy risks missing out on the diverse goals, experiences and realities of individuals across the spectrum.”

He praised Makerere for its call for dialogue and said gender exclusion limits the ability to comprehensively address complex social challenges.

Dr Anna Ninsiima, from the School of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University, said the enemy of gender equality was institutional failure to provide good quality services.

“We need good quality services, but we do not forget about gender dynamics. For example, girls drop out of school because they do not have the sanitary pads they use,” Dr. Ninsiima said.

She also called for policies to be translated into action, saying most policies remain on paper.

The dialogue also raised concerns about gender-based violence (GBV) as another key area for ensuring successful gender mainstreaming.

Representing the Uganda Police Service, SSP Irene Adibaa said domestic violence was mainly reported by women because they, compared to men, have direct responsibility for caring for children.

SSP Adibaa said men usually report to the police when situations get out of hand.

“Some women cause trouble in their own homes, which is why we see a high number of money cases related to domestic violence,” she said.

She asked men to stand up and support the fight against gender-based violence for peaceful homes and society.

“We have started recruiting men to the Child and Family Protection Unit to also talk to other men because they are not open to us women,” SSP Adibaa said.

According to the 2023 Police Crime Report, 14,681 cases of domestic violence were reported to the police across the country. By the end of 2023, 1,520 cases had been submitted to the court, of which 10,792 were adult women, 3,243 were adult men, 505 were male minors and 644 were female minors.

Similarly, 242 cases of murder resulting from domestic violence were reported to the police across the country. Of these, 122 cases went to court, 16 were not resolved and 104 cases are still pending.

The police crime report shows that the highest number of cases of domestic violence were recorded in North Kyoga, followed by Aswa and Rwizi regions with 28 cases each.

Professor Eria Hisali, director of the College of Business and Management, said parliament had taken steps and passed laws to ensure inclusive politics in the country.