Kadaga decries unfair treatment of women at workplaces

Kampala, Uganda  | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has said that even when Uganda has registered tremendous success towards gender equality, many women continue receiving unfair treatment at their workplaces. 

Speaking at the launch of the African Women Leaders Network Uganda Chapter at Sheraton Kampala Hotel today,  Kadaga observed a need to ensure that women issues are not only talked about but given priority.

She said Uganda now has more women Member of Parliament making up to 32 per cent but there is need to make society realize why women must be given an equal opportunity.

Kadaga told the meeting about her experience at parliament when she had just become the speaker, recollecting that at the time, three Police women became pregnant and were transferred by the police leadership for allagedly ‘looking ugly.’ 

“I said this can’t happen on my watch, I directed the IGP to bring them back, and they came back. If it wasn’t me in that position, I think they would be gone. So there is need to look out on these issues,” Kadaga said. 

The Leader of the Opposition  in Parliament Betty Aol Ochan too said although women haven’t achieved the gender parity that they are yearning for, they have to celebrate the gains so far made. 

“Women go through different experiences when compared to men. Men are encouraged and the women are usually discouraged. We have a very gender sensitive constitution it promotes women and that’s why we have a woman speaker who cannot close her eyes when it comes to women and children issues,” Awol said. She implored the women to not give up or fear making mistakes. 

Speaking at the same launch, Mme Bineta Dioup, the special envoy of the chairperson of the African Union in charge of Women, Peace and Security said Africa will register tremendous growth if it paid more attention to the plight of her women. 

She said Africa cannot have peace and security if the women who suffer the blunt of insecurity are left out. 

“We must have the right mechanism all over the continent to address gender based issues. We are leaders in our own right and we should support each other to succeed,” Bineta said. 

The African Women Leaders Network brings together women leaders from all walks of life; in politics, business, the academia, sports among others to support each other in order to achieve gender parity, dubbed the engine to Africa’s development.

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