Politics 13 March 2026 Parliament of Uganda
Legal Experts Push for Greater Investment in Legal Aid to Boost Justice Access for Ugandan Women
At a Parliamentary Women’s Day event, Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bamugemereire and Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo called for urgent government funding for legal aid services to help vulnerable women access justice. Speaker Anita Among also pushed for tax breaks on reusable sanitary pads to reduce school absenteeism among girls. Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/news/4293/invest-legal-aid-ease-access-justice
Legal experts speaking at Parliament’s Women’s Day breakfast meeting on March 6, 2026, pressed the government to boost funding for legal aid. The event marked International Women’s Day, highlighting barriers to justice faced by many Ugandans, especially women.
Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, the keynote speaker, stressed the need for a Legal Aid Act to deliver free or affordable legal help to marginalized groups. She pointed to frequent cases of women losing land due to lack of legal support and urged a focus on merit and gender equity in leadership.
Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo echoed these views, noting that the legal system often feels out of reach for women and girls. She advocated for paralegal programs, community education, and state-backed legal aid to combat unreported violence and impunity.
The National Legal Aid Bill, 2022, faced delays after its 2023 second reading due to high costs—estimated at Shs47.6 billion yearly—prompting further committee review.
Speaker Anita Among addressed menstrual hygiene challenges, proposing tax incentives for local producers of reusable sanitary pads. She highlighted that over 1.2 million girls aged 12-18 lack proper sanitary access, leading to school dropouts, with many resorting to unhygienic alternatives.
Among acknowledged progress in women’s rights but called for reforms in employment, financial inclusion, and justice access. Uganda’s main International Women’s Day celebration is set for March 8, 2026, at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds under the theme of accelerating justice access for women and girls.
Source: Parliament of Uganda