Women Leagues from 9 political parties have signed a cooperation agreement and have established a joint platform- Interparty Women Leaders Platform (IWOP) to carry out collective advocacy on issues affecting women and to have better leadership in the country.
IWOP will also provide a platform for women from all registered political parties in Uganda to have a familiar voice on issues that affect their participation in political parties and politics in Uganda.
Speaking during the launch facilitated by the International Republican Institute and the Women Democracy Network Uganda Chapter at Sheraton Kampala on Thursday, the former Minister of ethics and renowned women activist, Dr Miria Matembe emphasised the need for the women to work together to overcome challenges they continue to face given the current political environment in the country.
“First of all I congratulate the women politicians in this country for finally being able to finalize this platform, as you are aware they have many platforms that don’t favour women, and that is why they have formed this IWOP so that they come together and have one common voice all the issues that really concern and affect women,” she said.
“Women in these political parties to come together is a strong move because without women empowerment this country is going no where.”
Dr. Matembe however warned them that given the current political situation in Uganda characterized by self-centeredness, corruption, a mentality of materialism, militarism and violence, they must remain strong and decide to be different by standing up for integrity, humanity and honesty.
The chairperson of the NRM women’s league Lydia Wanyoto urged women to work together and protect the gains that have so far been made on the political front. She also cautioned them against complacency and embraced healthy political competition.
“This platform is going to help us forge ahead issues of common interest to women in political parties, yes we compete with other sister parties but there are those common issues that we would like to advance as leaders of women in political parties, such as unemployment, and maternal health. We also have challenges of attaining political strength because of resources,” she said.
Ms. Wanyoto also added that IWOP is to provide a platform to build an effective inter-party women platform to influence the political culture and politics for a harmonious, just and holistic well-being of society.
The IWOP further seeks to enable women leaders to lay strategies and advocate for changes to enhance the participation of women in political parties and politics in Uganda.
Among other objectives of IWOP is to increase the capacity of women leaders that will influence decision-making within their respective political parties and national policies and practices on common issues that affect the women of Uganda.
To hold quarterly impactful dialogues on common issues that affect women of Uganda and to conduct collective advocacy on common issues that affect IWOP members and women of Uganda.
Members urged that although women comprise over 51 per cent of the total population of Uganda according to the 2014 population census by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), social, political and economic factors continue to marginalize women in public and political leadership in Uganda thus the formation of IWOP.
Meanwhile, IWOP currently comprises women from nine registered political parties in Uganda including Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Democratic Party (DP), Ecological Party of Uganda (EPU), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Justice Forum (JEEMA), National Resistance Movement (NRM), Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP), Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA) and the Uganda Peoples’ Congress (UPC).
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