“We should learn to say no to some of our situations as women…”

Back to my Roots

This was the focus of Day 2 on 9 July 2009  of the 3^rd Women in Political Party Structures Training organized by Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) under the Theme: “Dancing to the Tunes of Democracy: Preparing for Effective Engagement in Politics”, held in Kampala, Uganda.  

It was all about getting in touch with reality on day two of the FOWODE training of Ugandan women in political party structures. Many times leaders tend to forget the situations of the people they represent and need the occasional wake-up call. Site visits to Nakiwogo landing site, Entebbe grade B hospital and Kitooro market laid a basis for problem analysis as an advocacy strategy. Sisters of the “Women’s Republic” returned emotional, passionate and angry about what they had seen. One of the key observations made was the dominant presence of women at work in dismal conditions in all three places.

Interviews with people in these places highlighted issues of poor service delivery, high taxes, insecurity and frustration with leaders. The people’s ideal leaders are those who are transparent, accountable, of high integrity, interested in and respectful of the people they represent. This also raised questions about who the government actually is. A key message to the sisters was the need to prioritize issues to deal with to avoid getting burnt out and inefficient as politicians and feminist activists. This very practical session culminated in easier grasping of advocacy strategies than a theoretical one would have.

On the environment and women…

Is the hullabaloo about climate change and green house gas emissions relevant to women or should we just bury our heads in the sand and continue with business as usual? Should we allow ourselves to be intimidated by the technical jargon (big words like sequetion and resilience) or try and get a basic understanding of these issues? The guest speaker, Ms. Christine Nantongo from Environmental Alert told the sisters not to succumb to these ploys to exclude women from negotiations. They had to wake up and smell the coffee - women are among the greatest victims of climate change through a cycle that aggravates their burdens. 14% of green house gas emissions which affect the climate are from agriculture. In turn, climate change has led to increased floods, droughts, famine and reduced productivity. The disaster is that 83% of agriculture in Uganda is done by women. Many coping mechanisms are in place but are not documented. Leaders must lobby to have these recognized and disseminated and work should be done collectively. This session left everyone converted into “green politicians” and yearning for more knowledge on how to save their communities.

Food for thought: How can we conserve the environment while protecting livelihoods of women?

Sex Under the Stars…..

The last session of the day was strictly for the eyes and ears of the Sisters of the “Women’s Republic”… Unblocking the myths, increasing consciousness about personal care, body, mind and soul connectivity and the centrality of sex, sexuality and women’s bodies in defining spaces, power and oppression. And above all, reclaiming our bodies, our sexuality and unlocking the relationship between sexuality and women’s leadership.

Quotable Quotes Of the Day:

“Language has been used to control and exclude women over time…including the language of sex, of our bodies; our vaginas; and that of our sexuality, orientation and choice…” Anonymous

“Remember - you cannot do everything… You must have a niche, what you a re-known for as a brand and as a Politician”

“When women work together they can achieve anything!”

“Not all voice is visible; there is voice that is silent and is an important message that should be received. Let us all garner our different voices for a collective purpose”