Female legislators in Uganda, under the umbrella of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), have joined forces with civil society organizations to advocate for uninterrupted Women's Day celebrations.
This plea comes after last year's disruptions, where several Women's Day celebrations were blocked, particularly those organized by opposition women legislators in their respective districts.
"We are determined to ensure that this year's events unfold peacefully without undue interference from the security forces," said Sarah Opendi, Chairperson of UWOPA, during a joint media presser at Parliament on Friday morning.
The women legislators are concerned that the security forces' interference in last year's celebrations was a clear violation of their rights.
They are calling on the government to ensure that this year's celebrations, which will be held on Saturday at Kyankwanzi, are allowed to proceed without any disruptions.
In addition to demanding uninterrupted celebrations, the women legislators are also calling for increased funding to the Uganda police investigative department and judiciary. "If justice is to be given in time, the government must consider increasing funding to these institutions," said Opendi.
The legislators, together with civil society organizations, are also concerned about the increasing online sexual harassment of women. They are calling for stringent enforcement of existing cybercrime laws to deal with this vice.
"We cannot allow women to be harassed and intimidated online," said Opendi. "We must take action to protect women's rights and ensure that they can use social media without fear of harassment."
However, Bugabula South MP Maurice Kibalya advised women to be careful while using social media, noting that some women release their nude photos for publicity purposes, which is unfortunate.
The women legislators' demands come as Uganda prepares to join the rest of the world in commemorating International Women's Day.
The celebrations are expected to be attended by women from all over the country, and the legislators are determined to ensure that the event is a success.
