Kadaga Shares Insights on Overcoming Hurdles for Women in Leadership

Former Speaker of Parliament and current First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga has shared her journey in advocating for women’s leadership within the legislative body. Speaking at the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) National Women’s Leadership Conference, Kadaga stressed that increasing female representation requires proactive measures rather than passive waiting.

She recalled facing significant pushback when she first became Speaker. An initial list of committee chairpersons submitted for Parliament, which had 22 committees at the time, comprised entirely of men. Kadaga rejected this list, citing constitutional principles of gender representation. Her intervention led to deliberate actions that ultimately increased women’s presence in leadership roles.

Kadaga’s advocacy extended beyond parliamentary affairs to supporting working mothers. She pointed out the critical need for childcare facilities, noting that female Members of Parliament previously had to leave sessions to attend to their children due to the absence of such amenities.

During the conference, Minister of State for Gender, Mary Kuteesa, underscored that while political representation has grown, deep-seated cultural, religious, and economic barriers continue to impede women’s rights. She urged women to challenge discriminatory practices, particularly concerning property inheritance, and called for stronger policy interventions.

UN Women Country Representative Dr. Paulina Chiwangu advised female leaders to forge strategic alliances with men to combat rising resistance to gender equity. She noted the increasing political costs, electoral violence, and online harassment faced by women, suggesting that influence can be achieved even from the sidelines when direct participation is limited.

Meanwhile, Professor Josephine Ahikire of FOWODE observed a substantial increase in women contesting parliamentary seats but expressed concern over the commercialization of politics and targeted violence against female candidates. She emphasized that women’s participation challenges societal perceptions of leadership capabilities, irrespective of election outcomes.

Source: Daily Monitor