US envoy tasks government on gender equality
U.S. ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac
Kampala. The US Ambassador to Uganda has called for the creation of partnerships between women and men to achieve gender equality.
Speaking at a luncheon to discuss women in leadership under the theme: “Overcoming invisible barriers to women’s leadership,” Ms Deborah Malac said governments should devise ways of including women in decision making to highlight issues that affect them and enable them access the same opportunities as men.
“I have noticed here in Uganda that men sometimes complain that if women’s economic and social situations improve, they will suffer. Let me be clear; gender equality does not mean making one gender better than another or putting women ahead of men. It means creating partnerships between women and men to help move countries forward,” she stressed.
She called for a combined effort to spearhead the responsibility to make the necessary changes as a way of reversing trends of inequality.
The luncheon organised by the US Mission Uganda and the Ugandan Women’s Network (UWONET) brought together women leaders across a wide spectrum, including the private sector, education and local communities.
Ms Ritah Aciro, the UWONETexecutive director, called for togetherness of all women to achieve equality.
“There are invisible barriers that impede women’s leadership and I am not talking about political leadership only but leadership in all spaces. Among them is division which needs to be fought seriously. We need to stop fighting against each other and learn to work together,” Ms Aciro said.
Dr Sylvia Tamale, a professor of Law at Makerere University and the first female dean at the School of Law, agreed that women equality is not about one strong woman but rather a consultative effort of women to achieve a common goal.
