Patriarchal Ideologies and how it has entrenched inequalities in Uganda.

Patriarchy is a system of male authority that oppresses women through political, social, cultural and economic institutions. It is a system which accords men power and privilege and subordinates the women. The following seeks to illustrate to you how patriarchy has been natured, reproduced and sustained in our communities.

Masculinity and the media. The media helps to internalize and reinforce certain gender stereotypes that make the men superior and subordinate the women. The media is a socializing point for the children as they grow up exposed to both print or displayed media. In today’s society parents do not have control over what the children view as they leave them in the hands of house helps or even alone. It is important to note that the news rooms are filled with men; even where the women are they are often given the petty issues like fashion while real issues are given to their male counterparts. There are different roles women and men play in the media houses and the nature of publication is always different. The media plays an instrumental role in placing the men above the women,

Culture and masculinity People do not become men and women in the sterile environment of the womb rather; they do so in specific social and cultural contexts.

The social production of masculinity and femininity is often begun at home through socialization practices, which aim to instill specific personalities and identities into male and female children. Socialization experiences inscribe superiority into maleness and masculinity, and inferiority into femaleness and femininity.

It is important to examine some of these practices and values that are instilled in the male and female children and decide whether in this day and era, we still want to instill the same values. Male children are less likely than female ones to suffer rejection, prejudice, discrimination, and abandonment.

Power relation Patriarchy derives its power base from men’s access to and control over resources. The owner of resources has all the decision making powers in the household and overall economy. In the Household the man is the bread winner which give him

How Uganda can avoid the “oil curse”

Recently, 2.5 million barrels of oil were discovered in the Albertine Graben in western Uganda.  Today, it is estimated that Uganda will be able to support production of over 100,000 barrels of oil per day for 20 years.

For ordinary Ugandans, this news has been welcomed with two distinctive forms; the positive and the negative.  In the case of oil discovery, the positive expectations are truly hopes that the valued resource and the associated revenues will deliver substantial social, economic and infrastructural improvements, whilst liberating Ugandans from poverty by boosting economic growth.

Negative expectations also exist since resource abundance is considered a “curse.” While oil discovery presents considerable opportunities, it also carries a risk commonly known as the natural resource curse - a situation where abundance of

Is it possible to fight “corruption” without being selective?

The impunity with which some human beings want to embezzle what belongs to others is appalling and if the youth do not join hands to fight this evil nobody will.

In Uganda today, corruption, the greatest bottleneck to development has spread and penetrated all institutions including the home and the presumably holiest of places on earth - places of worship. The situation is terrible that if curtains were to be removed, the most respected individuals of society would earn more or the same treatment a witchdoctor does due to corruption.

Whereas injustices must be fought at all cost, they should not be fought in a way tantamount to bias. It is wise to appreciate the courage of people who have boldly criticized “unbecoming behavior” and I appeal for balanced efforts. The strong voice that Ugandans use to denounce homosexuality should be applied to denounce more pertinent issues like corruption.

We need to eliminate corruption but this cannot be achieved if it is not adequately addressed and those found guilty held accountable rather than being shielded by the voices “from above.”

Young leaders should take on the ultimate responsibility of promoting good virtues including integrity, honesty, transparency, and accountability and one need not become a politician to take on this responsibility. The struggle starts with you.

The writer is from FOWODE young leaders

Policy alternatives key in improving maternal and child health!

With Statistics revealing that only 32% of women who give birth in Uganda receive care from trained personnel while the majority gives birth at home or under the supervision of traditional birth attendants, different alternatives and policy proposals need to be explored in this country in order to strengthen the already existing efforts by different state and non state actors to improve the access to maternal health care services in Uganda. 

Drawing lessons from other developing countries and projects which are very applicable to Ugandan context, there is need to strengthen access to more wholesome reproductive health care facilities that target mothers and their partners. This will ensure collective action and concern on issues of maternal health. Additionally, research should be geared towards alternative knowledge on maternal health such as traditional birth attendants to improve their services and in human capital development of community health workers such as the nurses, clinical officers and midwives, besides providing them with an attractive salary package. This in the end will ensure more inclusive policy formulation and as well help in integrating indigenous knowledge into internationally recognized practices. However this calls for a legal framework to regulate the work done by these Traditional Birth Attendants. 

Means of monitoring and evaluating health programs should be devised in order to improve on access to maternal and reproductive health and as well checking on accountability and corruption by strengthening government’s capacity to monitor the effectiveness of programs.

With the above interventions many women and children will be saved.

Written by Kaviri Ali