International Women’s Day

In 2007, I took a decision to be more proactive with respect to addressing issues that impact rural women in country of origin in Ugandan.

Following that decision, I have been down on a humbling journey that has seen me set up an online social enterprise that enables African women that produce handicrafts to access markets as well as a community regeneration charity that focuses on women and girls.

Through the Bridging the Gap workshops in Uganda in 2013 and 2014, I sought to learn from African women on the continent as well as share my experiences.

On International Women’s Day 2015, I find myself in a reflective mood and I am filled with questions such as;

1. What is the point of International women’s Day
2. Why do we need days like -International women’s Day
3. Has it helped advance women’s fight for equality
4. Is it relevant to the African Woman, in particular rural woman

By posing these questions, I am not calling for the International Women’s Day to be banned. I am instead hoping that, we will stop and examine the utility of such a day.

Our quest to improve women’s circumstances should not start and end with International Women’s Day.  The info graph above on the condition on women in Uganda, shows that we need to do more in development terms to even  the playing field

An overarching question for me is whether we are at risk of merely paying lip service with respect to women’s issues in particular rural women. As we mark this day, we should reflect on what needs to be done to improve the condition of women throughout the year. We need to be vigilante and constantly ask the question