The National Association
of Women Organizations in Uganda (NAWOU) is one of Independent Development Fund’s
(IDF) supported grantees. NAWOU in partnership with Kamuli District Women
Development Association (KADIWODA) undertook advocacy initiatives geared at
empowering the citizens especially women with means and ways of standing up for
their Constitutional and Civil rights. The two years project titled “Promoting
Democratic Accountability as a Mechanism for Human Rights Promotion in Kamuli
district equipped citizens with knowledge and skills on how to hold their
leaders accountable and demand for effective service delivery. Several results
have been registered from this action, for instance;
Mbulamuti
Community Members Demand for Construction of a Borehole.
For a long
time, the people of Buluya parish, Mbulamuti Sub-County had been challenged
with limited access to safe and clean water, and also suffered unfulfilled
promises from the local leaders to construct a borehole for them. Despite several follow ups with the leaders
by the community members, no borehole was constructed until NAWOU intervened. NAWOU worked with Buluya drama group to
develop and stage several skits and songs on access to safe and clean water,
and the roles and responsibilities of
leaders in providing this. NAWOU also
worked with the communities to hold community dialogues with the local leaders
about the same. These actions mounted pressure on the local leaders to fulfill
their pledge. The LC I and II of Buluya
Parish in return followed up the issue with the Sub County Woman Councilor and Secretary for Health.
The matter was later tabled before the District Council meeting and it
was referred to the Area MP who funded the construction of the borehole. The
borehole was constructed and launched in December 2013. Today the community
Mbulamuti is happily accessing safe and clean water with ease.
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| A community activist George Lwigale testing the constructed borehole. |
Community
Members Demand for Rehabilitation of Namwendwa Road
In Namwendwa Sub-County
Namwendwa parish the murrum road to Namwendwa Health Centre was full of
deep potholes and in a bad state- making it almost impassable during the rainy
season. Several times the community in
collaboration with NAWOU’s project monitors complained to the Sub County
leadership – office of the Community Development Officer (CDO) about the
worsening state of this road. In response, the CDO forwarded the matter to the
Sub County Chief, who later presented the matter before the District Council
Meeting. Council resolved that the District Chairman should share this concern
with the area MP Hon. Asuman Kiyingi. With the support of the Area MP, the road
was rehabilitated and is now an all weather road with safety humps.
Conclusively, through the
project, several women groups and community members have been empowered and
have gained confidence to demand for better service delivery from their
leaders. An improvement in the performance of leaders on their roles and
responsibilities in improving service delivery has also been observed.
