Checkerboard flower basket
Women In Uganda
Key Issues facing Women and Children:
- HIV/AIDS
- Domestic and Sexual Violence
- Consequences of prolonged violence by Lord’s Resistance Army
Home to numerous ethnic groups and a variety of peoples, landlocked Uganda has struggled to overcome the legacies of colonialism to establish a growing and more equal civil society. Women in Uganda have been a crucial part of the development process, and in addressing social issues including war, HIV/AIDS and the promise of microfinance institutions.
Additionally, strife between the Lord’s Resistance Army, a militant rebel group, and the Ugandan government continues to plague the northern section of the country. The presence of the LRA has forced many children to become “night commuters,” walking miles from their villages to avoid kidnapping by rebel forces during their sleep. Despite growing international attention regarding these human rights abuses and child soldiers, many children continue to be forced to commit gross acts of violence or sexual acts, resulting in severe physical and psychological damage.
Ugandan women formed powerful social networks to help with the most pressing issues facing women in the country today: HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, land rights violations, and human trafficking. Of the 4.1 percent of citizens that are HIV positive, women disproportionately account for the majority of cases.
Uganda was one of the first African nations to be devastated by the swiftness and magnitude of the pandemic, and initial efforts to combat the disease such as the Uganda AIDS Commission have been internationally applauded. Women are held more responsible than men for the prevention of the disease, while simultaneously forced to bear the majority of the consequences and stigma of HIV/AIDS. Women have been essential in the education and organization of projects to bring hope in the fight against HIV. The Uganda Women’s Effort to Save Orphans (UWESCO), for example, has undertaken multiple successfully projects to empower AIDS orphans with life skills. Global Sistergoods applauds these efforts and supports the economic empowerment of Ugandan women.
Fact Sheet:
Female Life Expectancy at Birth: total population: 51.75 years male: 50.78 years female: 52.73 years (2007 est.)
Total Fertility rate: 6.84 children born per woman
Adult Literacy Rate (age 15 and over can read and write):
Male: 79.5%, Female: 60.4%
Per Capita Income: $1,800 (2006 est.)
Product Specifications
About the artisans
Our collective in Uganda aims to provide opportunities for women to educate and empower themselves in their businesses as well as their personal lives. The organization helps identify markets for women to sell their crafts and trains artisans in marketing, pricing and product development. Additionally, it offers health classes and personal counseling to its members. Its mission is to turn cultural values into self-sustaining practices that improve the lives of Ugandan women and their communities.
- Producer group composed of over 100 women
- Emphasis on cultural values
- Fair trade goods made using mostly local, natural materials and dyes
