Tag Archives: women

 Somalia’s recent commissioning of its first-ever female defence cadets is a reflection of a wider development that is progressively bringing more women into command, peacekeeping and reform in national militaries across Africa. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Somalia has, in the past week, commissioned its first-ever female defence cadets. …

For decades, women’s protection has remained largely tucked under family insurance plans. Insurance companies in Africa are changing that. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Insurers are rewriting the playbook by introducing women-first covers to test whether gender-specific solutions can raise uptake and narrow financial inclusion gaps. They are changing …

Women are transforming the economic landscape of an entire region, bringing energy, skills, organisation – and a sense of future – to a haphazard, dangerous trade. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Faith’s hands are calloused, her nails stained with soil and ore. But when she smiles, there’s something golden …

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Women market vendors, the backbone of Uganda’s food supply and local economies, are demanding urgent action to address unsafe working conditions, financial exclusion, and weak governance in markets across Arua City. A new study by the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of …

ANALYSIS | BOAKAI FOFANA | The Gates Foundation has pledged its largest ever fund for research work into “chronically underfunded areas” of women’s health. The Foundation announced its commitment on Aug.11 saying the U.S. $2.5 billion for health research and development will support more than 40 innovations, particularly those affecting women …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Up to 600 village-level women groups across Uganda are set to benefit from the new Women’s Economic Empowerment for the Green Transformation Project (WEEG), aimed at strengthening women-led enterprises in environmentally friendly sectors. The initiative is implemented under the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP). …

Experienced women leaders are rising up to mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and change-makers across Africa—in a quest to close long-standing gender gaps on the continent. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | A new wave of sector-aligned mentorship programmes is emerging across Africa, targeting women and girls with …

Findings from 10 African countries, including Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya in East Africa ANALYSIS | OBASANJO BOLARINWA, ALI MOHAMMED & CLIFFORD OBBY ODIMEGWU | Even after more than three decades of global efforts to promote inclusive sexual and reproductive health policies, many women with disabilities in Africa still face serious challenges. Their …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Refugee women entrepreneurs in Uganda have called for the incorporation of Islamic banking in the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project. They say doing so would make the program more inclusive and respectful of their religious beliefs, especially regarding interest-free …

Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | BrighterMonday Uganda, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, hosted a key “Women in Work” event in Mbarara, marking a significant stride towards championing female employment and leadership in Uganda. The gathering attracted 211 ambitious participants, predominantly women, and served as a crucial platform to …