Abstract
For African nations “independence” from colonial rule seemed a long-awaited time that would re-establish and/ or introduce democracy. In 1962 Uganda embraced “independence” from colonial rule with both arms. However, practices of poor governance, increased political instability and economic uncertainties slowly and steadily eroded women’s hard work which sustained the nation during the regimes of Idi Amin (1971-79) and Obote II (1980-84). When Uganda finally returned to democratic systems of government, quotas were reserved for women without any acknowledgement of women’s previous participation both in private and public spaces. Though there are now more women in government positions, the system of reserving quotas for women has camouflaged women’s prior struggles when people lived in sheer fear of political leaders and participated out of coercion; and when men fled into exile for fear of their lives leaving women to do it all alone. Uganda’s democracy must not see women’s contributions as virtues of nurturance and care, while men’s contributions are regarded as public and political baselines for democracy. This paper argues that the democratic ways by which women stepped in for the government to provide health care, education, credit, and sometimes roads ought to be adopted in building a dependable democracy.
Recommended Citation
Tushabe, Caroline
(2008)
"The Autonomy of Ugandan Women’s Organizations: How it Matters in Creating and Maintaining a Dependable Democracy,"
Wagadu: A Journal of Transnational Women's & Gender Studies: Vol. 6:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.cortland.edu/wagadu/vol6/iss1/4