The 2025 Africa Regional Conference of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO), themed “Women, Custodians of Mother Earth,” emphasised the pivotal role of women in nurturing families and protecting the environment.
The five-day event, marked by reflections on parenthood, faith, and environmental justice, called on women to be ambassadors of peace and advocates for societal change.
The conference began with a Holy Mass led by Papal Nuncio Emeritus Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, who urged women to emulate Mother Mary as ambassadors of peace.
He emphasised their role in raising awareness about environmental issues within families, stating, “As Pope Francis said, not only in schools, but also in families... the people who are mostly at the center of the active activities of the family are the mother, the wife, and the woman.”
Monica Santamarina, WUCWO President General, reflected on the theme, urging mothers to nurture their children for a better generation.
“We have to renew our commitment to the family, love motherhood and fatherhood, and promote the formation of women so that they may participate fully in building a synodal church and in the whole world,” she said.
She also highlighted environmental justice, quoting Pope Leo XIV’s message for the World Day of Prayer, emphasising that it is “a matter of justice, social, economic, and human.”
Evaline Malisa Ntenga, WUCWO Region of Africa President from Tanzania, noted the conference’s focus on women’s roles in creation and family life, encouraging reflection on God’s intentions for women.
She also addressed challenges like gender-based violence, stressing the need for solutions in regions where women lack a voice.
Uganda WUCWO President, Mary Assumputa Gidudu urged mothers to love and care for their children, emphasising that “children are not for the government, as it is said by some people, but their own.”
Hosted at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe, Uganda, the conference drew participants from over 14 African countries, including Uganda, Mali, Cameroon, Senegal, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and South Africa. The event commenced with a pilgrimage to Namugongo, where attendees reflected on the sacrifices of Africa’s martyrs as pilgrims of hope.