ISO: UGA *************************************************************************** The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women Secretariat. *************************************************************************** AS WRITTEN STATEMENT IN GENERAL DEBATE BY H. E. DR. SPECIOSA WANDIRA KAZIBWE HEAD OF UGANDA DELEGATION TO THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN BEIJING, CHINA SEPTEMBER 4,1995 AFTERNOON STATEMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA ON THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN BEIJING, CHINA. Madam President: It gives me great honour as leader of the Ugandan Delegation to be among the 1st speakers to address the eagerly awaited 4th World Conference on women. A Conference poised to prepare human kind for the challenges of the 21st century for a better world. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you Madame President and all the members of the Bureau upon election to guide this memorable Conference and I trust that your great wisdom and experience will guide us towards a fruitful conclusion of all the important agenda items before us. On the same note I would like to extend my delegation's sincere appreciation to the Chinese government for all the preparations put into hosting this Conference and the hospitality extended to us since our arrival in this beautiful country. The Secretariat for this Conference has had an immense task in the preparatory process and putting together the draft Platform for Action. I congratulate my sister the Secretary General Madame Gertrude Mongella and her team for all the work put into coordinating and guiding this process. Madam President, My delegation appreciates the on-going trends and initiatives in the UN system towards a more practical and systematic action for the advancement of women. For keeping the momentum through convening a series of global events where women's concerns and indeed developmental issues have been discussed. We note in particular the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which Uganda signed without reservations, that gives appropriate guidelines for member states to address critical issues that affect the status of women. It is my earnest hope that the momentum gained and enthusiasm generated during the past 2 decades will continue until such a time when Equality, Development and Peace are achieved in reality. Profound global changes in political, economic, social and cultural relationships have dominated the nineties and have provided us with new challenges. The rights and responsibilities of individuals and States on a range of global issues have been defined and re-defined in various conferences and conventions. The women's movement world wide, has played and continues to play an increasingly influential role in focusing debates and taking action for the empowerment of women. In all the debates, the message is clear: Nothing short of an aggressive re-dress in gender imbalances will attain sustainable people-centred development. Madam President, This has called for concerted efforts at national, regional and international levels to put into action the goals and strategies laid down in the Forward Looking Strategies which set the agenda for advancing the status of women in 1985. After almost a decade of consolidating its fragile peace, Uganda is now embarking on a process of democratisation and is committed to the protection of human rights and women's rights in particular. Madam President, Uganda's position on the role of women is clear and positive. In recognition of the disadvantaged position that women have held for a long time, the government has pursued a policy of affirmative action and as a result, Uganda has a record of six(6) women Ministers among whom is myself the Vice President and 5 women judges of the High Court. In addition, women constitute 16% of members of Parliament and 19% of members in the constituent assembly: a body that has written a new constitution for our country. We have guaranteed the presence of a minimum representation of 30% of either sex on all local government councils. The women's presence is crucial if they are to be effective watch dogs for their rights. To entrench this further, the constitution has provided for an Equal opportunities commission to monitor and Supervise the implementation of laws made to effect affirmative action in favour of women and other marginalised groups like the youth and persons with disability. In the new constitution, the following provisions which protect women's fundamental human rights and dignity of person have been embedded: 1) women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of person with men. 2) women shall have the right to equal treatment with men and that right shall include equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities. 3) women shall have the right to affirmative action for the purpose of redressing the imbalance created by history and traditional customs. 4) laws, cultures and customs or traditions which are against the dignity, welfare or interest of women or which undermine their status are prohibited by this constitution. In the area of Education, the government of Uganda has taken affirmative action to increase the rates of enrolment at the national University and other institutions of higher learning . As a result, there has been a record increase in female enrolment from 25% to 33% at the University while at some of the colleges, particularly agricultural colleges, 50% of the vacancies are reserved for female applicants and this is to continue until gender parity is achieved. Madam President, I wish to emphasise that this initiative is part of a steady movement towards the achievement of a critical mass of women in the decision making and managerial levels, in the political field and the public service. What we need is not only a few women who make history but a critical mass that effects change at all levels. The decade has also witnessed the review and reform of discriminatory taws, particularly the law on rape and defilement. Madame President, In addition to affirmative action, the Government of Uganda has taken steps to ensure the positive integration of women and gender issues in the mainstream of all development processes. The integration strategy is implemented at 2 levels. At the National level, through the National Gender Policy Framework and at the Sectoral level through Sector Specific Gender Oriented Policy. At both levels, guidelines for mainstreaming gender issues are provided, policy reviews carried out and training in gender analysis skills implemented. These interventions, Madame President are meant to provide a framework which all government structures, and development partners can use to mainstream gender issues in their policies and programmes. At the Community level, Uganda has established local assemblies for women known as Women's Councils. The Councils have a structure from grassroots to National level and provide local fora for women right from the grassroots level through which women are mobilised into civic participation. Madam President, The whole world now eagerly awaits for the outcome of this Conference. While the Conference has provided the international Community an opportunity to reflect on our past achievements and failures with regards to the advancement of women, it should in the same breath endeavour to provide solutions. The challenge, Madame President, is to have the Platform of Action translated into concrete programmes that will achieve tangible results for all women at all levels. We should continue to maternize globally but act locally. The most crucial area is that of functional literacy for the woman in the developing world. To make an illiterate woman history, we must make sure the girl child is guaranteed relevant education to equip her with skills necessary for survival in this competitive world. We must advocate for further affirmative action within an affirmative action for women with disakirty, women among ethnic and religious minorities. All this needs money. Women must have money, money will continue to be an illusion if we promote microprojects for women in groups. Money is power. It is well known that those with economic power control others both at international, regional and national level. The economic emancipation of women will call forces to the balance even at the family level. This may be the recipe for peace. We must have regional financial facilities for women from which similar institutions at the national level will draw funds to finance tangible economic projects in the hands of women. We must not forget the old English Saying that whoever pays the piper calls the tune. Madame President, The taste of the pudding is in the eating. We must stop kidding ourselves that power is given on silver platter all the time. We must not underestimate the political power of women - it lies in our vote- "Eyesitukidde, tanywa matabangufu". 'Mwene Nkovu, namanha bwesiigha". Strategy to end our woes is to vote for capable gender sensitive women and capable gender sensitive men. It is then that we shall stop begging. ALUTA CONTINUA