Women’s rights are human rights. But in these troubled times, as our world becomes more unpredictable and chaotic, the rights of women and girls are being reduced, restricted and reversed.

Empowering women and girls is the only way to protect their rights and make sure they can realize their full potential. Historic imbalances in power relations between men and women, exacerbated by growing inequalities within and between societies and countries, are leading to greater discrimination against women and girls.

Around the world, tradition, cultural values and religion are being misused to curtail women’s rights, to entrench sexism and defend misogynistic practices.

Women’s legal rights, which have never been equal to men’s on any continent, are being eroded further. Women’s rights over their own bodies are questioned and undermined. 

Women are routinely targeted for intimidation and harassment in cyberspace and in real life. In the worst cases, extremists and terrorists build their ideologies around the subjugation of women and girls and use them for sexual and gender-based violence, forced marriage and virtual enslavement.

Despite some improvements, leadership positions across the board are still held by men, and the economic gender gap is widening, thanks to outdated attitudes and entrenched male chauvinism.

We must change this, by empowering women at all levels, enabling their voices to be heard and giving them control over their own lives and over the future of our world.

Denying the rights of women and girls is not only wrong in itself; it has a serious social and economic impact that holds us all back. Women’s access to education and health services has benefits for their families and communities that extend to future generations. An extra year in school can add up to 25 per cent to a girl’s future income.

When women participate fully in the labour force, it creates opportunities and generates growth. Closing the gender gap in employment could add $12 trillion to global GDP by 2025. Increasing the proportion of women in public institutions makes them more representative, increases innovation, improves decision-making and benefits whole societies.

Gender equality is central to the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Sustainable Development Goal number five calls specifically for gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, and this is central to the achievement of all 17 SDGs. 

I am committed to increasing women’s participation in our peace and security work. Within the UN, I am establishing a clear road map with benchmarks to achieve gender parity across the system, so that our organization truly represents the people we serve. 

Previous targets have not been met. Now we must move from ambition to action.

On this International Women’s day, let us all pledge to do everything we can to overcome entrenched prejudice, support engagement and activism, and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

António Guterres,
Secretary General, UN.

Ministry should help us on Kitende

Schools today seem to be out to maximize profits at any cost. My first-day experience at St Marys SS Kitende proved this recently. When we reported at the beginning of the term, my child was denied admission just because we hadn’t paid Shs 80,000 for their ‘corporate uniform’.

Never mind that I had just spent over Shs 2.2m in fees the previous week.

The circular we had been given didn’t say that it was a must to have this uniform, which I am told they only wear on Sundays. The teachers and bursar on duty that morning were so rude, refusing to hear our pleas to let us pay the Shs 80,000 at a later date. Amongst us was a lady who had arrived from Arua the previous night!

Is this corporate uniform part of any child’s study? Was the Shs 80,000 more important than the Shs 2.2m I had already paid?
The ministry of education and sports needs to rein in on these private schools that seem to want to exploit poor parents.

Concerned parent.

Doris Akol, the lady URA desires

In Uganda today, when we talk of women who have left an indelible mark in society, Doris Akol barely needs introduction.

At the different women forums she has spoken, Akol shows a combination of respect and awe. Doris has the hunger to see all women succeed. Through the PinkRose Foundation Uganda Limited, a not-for-profit entity, Akol and a team of other women have improved women livelihoods especially in business on issues to do with saving, investment and drafting business plans.

Akol believes menstrual sanitation affects a girl’s stay in school. Together with others, she has always donated sanitary wear to rural schools. As a founding member of the URA ladies forum, a number of lady-staffs can attest to the harvest of this group.

As a way of appreciating one another during the 2014 festive season, she tasked staff ladies to nominate from amongst their colleagues of who inspired them most. All the winners were rewarded with a book titled No Mountain Too High to work on their health challenges.

And that is Akol, our mother, mentor and boss. She is our example of persistence, courage, service, faith, hope, love of beauty and the ongoing quest for truth.

We may not work with her forever, but we feel blessed to work with one of the best bosses.

Immaculate Wanyetse,
iwanyetse@ura.go.ug.

Widen scope on women achievers

Both electronic and print media are conduits through which women’s contributions are shared with the wider public.

At least every local daily newspaper regularly generates a full list of women achievers in light of celebrating March 8, the International Women’s day.

If you are critical enough, media mainly concentrates on urban-based women achievers and leaves out those in the rural sector. This implies that a lot of women’s work, especially in the rural sector, goes unnoticed.

Badru Walusansa,
Commonwealth correspondent.

letters@observer.ug