gender 24 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Rona Babweetera Tackles Systemic Failures Against Women in Uganda
Rona Babweetera, head of UGANET's Gender Department, draws from her orphanhood and personal abuse experiences to advocate for women's rights through legal work, community programs, and systemic reforms. She pushes for stronger enforcement, gender equality, and collaboration with men to combat gender-based violence. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/special-reports/babweetera-challenging-systems-that-fail-women-5435488
Rona Babweetera views her role as a calling, not just a job, inspired by her childhood as an orphan and witnessing patriarchal restrictions on women. Her first marriage’s collapse due to abuse and career demands fueled her resolve to enter law.
A High Court Advocate with degrees from Makerere University and the Law Development Centre, she leads UGANET’s Gender Department, focusing on gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS intersections. Early volunteering exposed her to judicial biases against women in divorce and custody cases, prompting specialized, survivor-focused representation.
Shifting to NGOs like FIDA Uganda, she tackled unreported abuses upcountry. Training in SASA Together methodology transformed her approach, highlighting power imbalances and institutional failures behind violence.
At UGANET, she manages 25 staff across 13 districts, prioritizing mental health support amid trauma-heavy work. Her leadership fosters collaboration, engaging men and boys to shift norms, backed by community programs showing attitude changes.
Babweetera stresses data, stories, and aligning with government for reforms. She calls for better enforcement, gender budgeting, women’s leadership, and closing digital gaps.
Uganda Police 2024 report shows women as 75% of 12,400 domestic violence victims; FOWODE notes 33% of households affected, UN Women 56% of married women aged 15-39 abused.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)