Culture does not grow old hence the need to encourage young women to take up leadership. The question is, as ‘older’ women retire who will take up leadership?

NAWOU in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation carried out a research in two districts; Kiboga and Luweero to study young women’s participation in governance issues. This research was carried out because apparently there is a small number of young women aged 18 – 35 years participating in political governance. The numbers of those participating are not proportional to their population.

The young women who were studied described a good leader as a person who treats people well, acts a role model (understanding of political governance), and is respectable, dedicated and committed.  They also described an ideal leader as one who is exemplary, courageous and educated (can read and write) regardless of the sex.

A number of perceptions were highlighted on women being leaders such as; women are not capable to take up leadership positions, men have always been leaders even at home, women are less respected and that they are supposed to be submissive.

The research highlighted a number of factors that hinder these young women’s participation in leadership such as; limited time to take care of their homes as well as politics, limited motivation to aspire for higher positions, limited encouragement from superiors and elders, cultural and religious based fears (conduct in public life), intrinsic factors (ignorance, inferiority complex and inadequate exposure), the urge for immediate gains, lack of information (illiteracy), fear of losing when they participate, corruption, bribery and they don’t usually get support from their own husbands and families.

Some of the possible remedies suggested to deal with the above hindrances include;

• * Encouraging parents to educate their girls (education liberates an individual).
• * Organise training sessions where girls are trained how to be assertive, public speaking and building their esteem.
• * Allowing increased mobility for girls to get more exposure.
• * Intentional mentoring where they grow up knowing that they too can hold positions previously held by males only (FOWODE has a mentoring program).
• * Need for creativity so that campaign process is not all monetized.
• * And most of all there is need to protect young women from abuse.

NAWOU was encouraged to carry out activities that can help increase the number of young women in political governance such as; interacting with the cultural and religious leaders on the need to involve young women (sensitise them), identifying leadership topics and organise training to build their esteem (including giving them information on the art of the game), and identifying alternatives to bribery.

In a nutshell, it was agreed that education, mentorship and sensitisation are key to building young women leaders who are knowledgeable but also interested in political governance and leadership.

Komuhiimbo Sandra
Intern,
Gender and ICT Policy Advocacy program
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)