EAC to Celebrate International Women's Day 2018

BYSAMUEL NABWIISO 

The East African Community will join the rest of the world in marking the 2018 International Women’s Day on 8th March, 2018. The event will take place at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The International Women’s Day is held annually on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. The UN drew global attention to women’s concerns in 1975 by calling for an International Women’s Year.

The International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on the progress made in women’s rights, to call for change, and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of women’s rights. The theme for the International Women’s Day 2018 is Press for Progress; Planet 50-50 by 2030.

As provided for in Articles 121 and 122 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC, Partner States have undertaken various efforts to enhance the Role of Women in Business and Socio-Economic Development.

The EAC Partner States recognise that women make a significant contribution towards the process of economic transformation and sustainable growth and that it is impossible to implement effective programmes for the economic and social development of the Partner States without the full participation of women.

To this end, the EAC has put the inclusion of women and girls at the center of development programmes with Partner States ensuring affirmative action, constitutional and legal reforms, development of national gender policies; institutional mechanisms for implementation and accountability; economic empowerment measures, and sector-specific policies.

At EAC level the day will be celebrated at EAC Headquiters inArusha but member’s states will he holding their day in different parts of the country according to their choice.

The International Women’s day comes at time when Women in EAC member states like Uganda are facing challenges of human rights abuse raging from raping defilement and abductions which has led to other losing their lives.

Recently Uganda Accountant by the names of Susan Magara was abducted by unidentified peoples who demanded huge amount of Money before they could let her go but unfortunately she was killed by the abductees.

Not only Magara but couple of women in Uganda especially in Wakiso District have been raped and later killed by the goons.

Apart from the above mentioned challenge, most Women in the region are also facing with the problem of Economic rights especially accessing to factors of production such as land this has kept many into poverty because they have no control on land.

However, a senor Gender Officer at the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development told ChimpReports that the government of Uganda through its various programs has supported Women to overcome poverty although a lot is still needed

Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Gender is implementing the women Livelihoods program where Government is extending financial credits to Women groups at cheaper rate interest rates.

Despite all those challenges Ugandan Women are facing, the country will also join the rest of the World to celebrate the International Women’s day which will take in Mityana Municipality Mityana District. The chief guest is expected to be the head of state General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni