President Yoweri Museveni reiterated that empowering women has been a core priority of his administration since the National Resistance Movement (NRM) took power, emphasizing that it was a deliberate ideological decision.
Speaking during a gender equality event themed “Accelerate Action for Gender Equality”, Museveni noted that Uganda has made significant strides in women’s empowerment, leadership, and economic inclusion. His remarks were sparked by Sweden’s Ambassador to Uganda, Maria Håkansson, who acknowledged Uganda’s progress in achieving gender equality and commended its leadership on the matter.
“In Uganda, women’s leadership and economic empowerment have expanded, and legal frameworks have been strengthened to protect women and girls,” Ambassador Håkansson stated, adding that Uganda is among the leading countries in the region in advancing gender equality. She further admitted that Sweden still lags behind Uganda in the percentage of women representatives in political positions.
Museveni welcomed her remarks, calling her “one of the few truthful individuals” and reinforcing that Uganda has been making advances in democracy beyond many European countries. “We have been telling them this for a long time—it was our ideology from the beginning,” he stated.
He highlighted historical efforts in women’s empowerment, recalling that after the fall of Idi Amin in 1979, he actively recruited women into the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA), the resistance group that played a key role in Uganda’s liberation.
Beyond political representation, Museveni emphasized education as a crucial driver of women’s empowerment. He pointed out that Uganda introduced free government education through Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) in 1997 to ensure girls complete their studies. However, he lamented that some local officials still demand school fees from learners, hindering progress.
“We have moved very well, but we could have moved even faster if free education was fully implemented. Many girls would have gone through uninterrupted schooling,” he said.
The President further urged Ugandans to embrace wealth creation programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the Four-Acre Model to transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture. He also encouraged the use of presidential skilling centers, which provide technical skills to young people, particularly women, to enhance economic independence.
As Uganda continues to make strides in gender equality, Museveni reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to accelerating women’s empowerment across all sectors, ensuring that progress is sustained for future generations.
