Writer: Belinda A Namutebi. PHOTO/COURTESY
There’s a quiet kind of empowerment that comes with choice: one we often witness in the simplest moments of everyday life. Take baby diapers, for instance. Not long ago, in many parts of Uganda, diapers were sold only in full packs, putting them out of reach for many mothers who couldn’t afford the lump sum. For these women, the convenience, hygiene, and dignity that diapers offer was an illusion: a luxury reserved for the few who could pay upfront.
Then came the option to buy a single diaper: a simple yet powerful, choice-driven innovation. Suddenly, a mother no longer had to commit to a full pack or walk away empty-handed. She could buy one diaper for church, a visit to the doctor, a family gathering, or a long journey. It was no longer all or nothing.
In markets like Uganda, where daily survival spending often dominates household decisions, this flexibility did more than ease a burden: it offered respect. It recognised that some days, a mother might only afford one diaper, while on another, she might stretch to half or even a full pack.
It is a choice that meets her where she is, honours her pocket, and most importantly, acknowledges her role as a mother making thoughtful decisions for her child.The same truth is evident in another deeply personal space: fashion.
If we truly want to understand why choice matters so deeply to women, we don’t have to look far. We only need to observe how women express themselves through what they wear: their love for shoes, their growing collections of bags. It is never just about the item itself but about what it represents.
Women don’t own 10 pairs of shoes because they have 10 pairs of feet. They own them because each pair tells a different story. Every bag, every outfit, every shoe a woman picks is a statement: a quiet expression of identity, unique to her, and a reflection of choice in its purest form.Choice is how women shape their identity. It is how they navigate their many roles and express their individuality.
In every purchase and every outfit, there is a quiet but powerful message: “This is me today.” If choice is how women shape who they are, then brands, businesses, and even health providers must ask themselves how they can become part of that identity.
The answer is simple: not by prescribing, but by offering real choices.Women are no longer just participants in the economy: they are becoming its most powerful consumers.
Choice, especially the kind that reflects identity, is the most meaningful way to earn their loyalty. Women reward brands that understand their complexity and offer products and services that align with who they are and what they value.
Every decision a woman makes—what she wears, what she eats, where she banks, how she protects her family—is a reflection of her identity. She is not just buying a product: she is making a statement about herself and how she wants to be seen.
For Uganda, this presents a massive opportunity. The same woman who buys a single diaper today is the one who will decide which bank aligns with her goals, which health plan protects her family, which school shapes her children, and which brands deserve her loyalty. But she will not be moved by prescriptive, one-size-fits-all offers. She wants options: because options give her control.
Control over her money, her time, her image, and ultimately, her future.Globally, women drive 70 to 80 percent of all consumer purchasing decisions: either through direct purchases or their influence over household spending.
From groceries and healthcare plans to major investments like property, women are shaping the global economy in ways that can no longer be ignored. Brands that understand this will not just sell products: they will build relationships. They will earn trust, loyalty, and a larger share of a growing market of empowered women ready to make choices that reflect their identity and aspirations.
Choice is power. And this women’s month, the most meaningful gift brands, businesses, and service providers can offer women is simple: the freedom to choose.
Choice is how women shape their identity. It is how they navigate their many roles and express their individuality. ”
Belinda Agnes Namutebi
