Uganda Urged to Increase Funding for Women’s Peace and Security Agenda

Stakeholders gathered at the UN Women offices in Naguru, Kampala, to mark 26 years of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. While participants acknowledged Uganda’s progress in advancing women’s participation in peacebuilding, they warned that inadequate domestic financing, climate-related conflicts, and limited representation continue to undermine the full execution of the agenda.

Dr Angella Nakafeero, Commissioner for Gender and Women Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, speaking on behalf of the State Minister for Gender and Culture Affairs, stated that Uganda’s history with conflict makes the agenda critical for national development. She emphasized that lasting peace cannot be achieved without centering women in conflict prevention and community building.

UN Women Country Representative Dr Pauline Chiwangu noted that sustainable peace requires women’s meaningful participation, citing successful grassroots interventions by women mediators in districts like Yumbe and leadership roles held by refugees in settlements such as Bidi Bidi. However, Chiwangu warned that declining overseas development assistance threatens these initiatives, urging the government to strengthen domestic resource mobilization. She commended 13 districts that have committed at least one percent of their annual budgets to local action plans.

Austria’s Ambassador to Uganda, Dr Katja Kerschbaumer, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to supporting women’s involvement in peacebuilding and humanitarian responses, highlighting Austria’s partnerships in northern Uganda to combat gender-based violence. Meanwhile, Robinah Rubimbwa, Executive Director of the Coalition for Action on 1325, challenged the government to back its policies with dedicated financial resources, noting that only 22 out of 146 districts have developed local action plans with civil society support.

Read more about the event on the Nile Post.