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Knowing one’s rights

Project duration: 5 years (2021–2025)

Country: Uganda 

Partner organization: Katosi Women Development Trust – KWDT, Uganda

Many women are marginalized in Uganda, especially in rural areas, and have a hard time attaining economic independence and security. They are often subjected to the authorities’ arbitrariness and to violence. Since they know very little about their rights, they are unable to claim them for themselves.
KWDT has worked on development processes with women groups in rural fishing communi-ties for 24 years. The organization’s goal is to strengthen women and to lead them out of poverty. Key topics include economic empowerment, health, education, and environment.

Despite the fact that significant progress was made with regard to women’s empowerment and access to land and fishing resources, the achievements of the last couple of years are now being threatened by jealousy, defamation and lack of education that have more and more frequently led to prosecution for witchcraft in the recent past. These accusations are directed against women who do not conform to social standards and, being a bit more pro-gressive, were able to build an independent life.

The new project initiated by KWDT includes a training program on human rights for women in rural areas, with a special focus on the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Through “community dialogues”, the women can share their newly acquired knowledge and search for ways, in cooperation with local au-thorities and politicians, to help women’s and human rights achieve a breakthrough in the communities.