Beti Kamya urges women to focus on raising responsible boys to combat abuse
IGG Beti Kamya giving a keynote address at the seventh edition of the Annual Women’s Day Banquet in Kampala on March 25. PHOTO/Busein Samilu
What you need to know:
While delivering the keynote address at the seventh Annual Women’s Day Banquet on Tuesday, March 25, in Kampala, Ms Kamya emphasized the importance of raising children well
The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Olive Namisango Kamya, has criticized feminists who, under the guise of advocating for women’s emancipation, take up arms against men, forgetting that it is women who raise the boys who grow up to become abusive men.
While delivering the keynote address at the seventh Annual Women’s Day Banquet on Tuesday, March 25, in Kampala, Ms Kamya emphasized the importance of raising children well. She argued that boys deserve the same attention as girls to become responsible citizens who respect and value women.
“There is a lot of talk about feminism and women’s emancipation, often suggesting that women must take up arms to fight men in order to claim our rightful place in society. But women, we are the ones who raise the men we later call monsters and then take up arms to fight,” she said.
She added, “We raise the monsters who abuse women. We must raise boys who respect and honor women. We can’t raise them to be monsters and then fight them.”
Ms Kamya, who now leads the Ombudsman office, believes that a well-raised boy will grow into a man who not only values but also respects women, both in his personal life and in society, because he will have been taught the fundamental values of humanity and dignity.
She credited her father for fostering a supportive environment where she and her sisters were treated equally, free from the discrimination many women face.
Her message was in response to the misconception held by a section of misguided feminists who, for years, have taken up arms against men to secure their place in society.
In his speech, read to the gathering by the Third Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Rukia Nakadama, President Museveni highlighted how his government has empowered women to take up leadership roles, closing the gender gaps created by previous administrations.
“The introduction of free education, such as Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE), has fundamentally transformed the status of women in society,” he said.
He added, “Educating and skilling the girl child is an effective method of empowering not only women but society as a whole. Poverty in Uganda is exacerbated by the fact that 38 percent of households are still working for food, which is dangerous because there are other essential human needs. It is no longer sustainable to live outside of the money economy and still expect a happy life. The child of a wealthy family cannot drop out of school because they cannot afford school fees.”
This year’s Banquet was held under the theme: All Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, Empowerment.
The event highlighted Tooke Flour, an innovative product made from green bananas, which has garnered attention for its potential to empower women and contribute to the local economy. Spearheaded by Rev Prof Florence Isabirye Muranga under the Presidential Initiative for Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), it has supported approximately 60,000 female farmers across Uganda.
“For many women in Uganda, the creation and success of Tooke Flour represents more than just an entrepreneurial victory; it symbolizes an opportunity for financial independence. The initiative not only promotes food security but also provides an income for the female farmers who supply the bananas used in its production,” said Ms Muranga.
Speaking at the event, Dr Abbey Mutumba, Head of the Department of Business Languages and International Relations at Makerere University Business School, urged the government to support local ventures, especially those led by women, to not only uplift them but also promote overall development.
“All the big brands in the world, like Toyotas and Tecnos, are products of government support. Big brands take time to grow,” he said.
