The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The spouses of the leaders attending the 19th Non-Allied Movement Summit in Kampala exchanged ideas on empowering girls and women in their home countries.
The meeting that took place on the sidelines of the Summit which opened on Friday was hosted by Janet Kataha Museveni, the First Lady of Uganda and Minister of Education and Sports.
Mrs. Museveni, accompanied by her daughter Patience Rwabwogo highlighted her commitment to empowering those in need.
Before her address, a short documentary was played to showcase what the First Lady of Uganda has been doing to empower the girl child and women in Uganda since her husband assumed power in 1986.
“These were the days when the AIDS scourge was ravaging Uganda, resulting in the tragic loss of parents and leaving behind many orphans,” conveyed the Master of Ceremonies for the day, as poignant images unfolded on the screen.
In the documentary, The First Lady expresses how she got involved in uplifting the lives of women and girls. Mrs. Museveni was the founder of Uganda Women’s Efforts to Save Orphans (UWESO) at the time, the HIV/AIDS pandemic was raging in Uganda.
The video further delved into the works of Janet Museveni during her tenure as the Minister in charge of Karamoja Affair. It shed light on what was said to be a notable impact of her presence through various projects in the region.
The story finally culminated with her subsequent appointment as the Education Minister in the Ministry of Education. The success stories shared during this period primarily centered on the sports sector, bringing in various medals and groundbreaking bid to host AFCON for the first time.
Janet Museveni then returned to her address. She said each time she visits a community where her programs have been implemented, she witnesses the enthusiasm on the faces of motivated individuals. She said such moments remind her of the early stages of the development of those programs.
The First Lady of Burundi, Angeline Ndayishimiye, also shared her experiences at the poorly attended event. Ndayishimiye was last year awarded the UN Population Award for her work in advancing the welfare and empowerment of Burundi’s population, particularly in areas such as education, healthcare, and social progress.
A video showing her advocacy in areas was screened. It highlighted interventions in feeding programs. It particularly emphasizes the need to provide lunch at schools as a means of supporting girls to stay in school.
Mignon Bowen-Phillips, the wife of the Prime Minister of Guyana, a small South American country bordering Venezuela, expressed admiration for the works of Janet Museveni.
As a retired public servant, she mentioned being relatively new to public life but emphasized that the video had inspired her and that it prompted her to reconsider her involvement, aspiring to contribute to positive change in their home country.
Sadieh Shahel, the wife of Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister, also shared the story of Singapore’s dedicated efforts to empower girls and women for success. Shahel highlighted that well before gaining independence, Singapore established a Women’s Charter in 1961, a pivotal step that has contributed to up lifting women to an extent that their country now is ranked 7th globally in terms of gender equity.
She advised those in attendance that achieving that progress was a gradual process that involved bringing together various stakeholders. Only one First Lady of the visiting Presidents attended the event.
Two wives of prime ministers and a handful of spouses of foreign affairs ministers attended. Several leaders and representatives from Women activist groups and the civil society from Uganda participated.
Janet Museveni spoke about the poor attendance by the spouses of the visiting leaders.
Meanwhile, the “We Are Equal campaign” campaign was launched at the event. It is an initiative by the Organization of African First Ladies for Development- OAFLAD aimed at bridging the gender gap in Africa. Nardos Berhanu, the OAFLAD Executive Secretary called upon leaders, global partners, and all stakeholders to actively protect and advocate for the rights of women and girls across the continent.
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