The convention on the elimination of all forms of
discrimination against women (CEDAW) recalls that the discrimination against
women, including discrimination in access to food, violates the principles of
equality of rights and respect for human dignity. In order to realize respect,
promotion and protection of gender equality for sustainable household food
security men and women need to be empowered through awareness raising and
capacity building sessions to promote, respect and protect gender equalities among
households of people living with HIV&AIDS (PLHAs). In line with the above, Community Enterprises
Development Organization (CEDO) with financial and technical support from
Independent Development Fund (IDF) conducted capacity building sessions with
the community to empower and also encourage participation of all household members in agricultural activities in
fulfillment of roles and responsibilities during promotion of human rights. This
human rights based approach focused on improving household food production,
incomes, food security and nutrition of farmers and vulnerable groups in Rakai,
Lyantonde, Sembabule, Lwengo and Masaka districts.
CEDO also established advocacy clubs comprised of PLHAs to
continue sensitizing rights holders and lobbying duty bearers to promote food
security among the households of PLHAs. In response to this action, the advocacy clubs in Kabira
and Kasaali sub counties were included on the sub county food security program
under National Agricultural and Advisory Services (NAADS). The same groups were
given planting materials; beans, banana suckers, sweet potato vines and maize.
Related to this, the Lwengo District LCV Chairperson, Hon. Geoffrey Mutabazi after
a dialogue meeting with the advocacy clubs directed the NAADs officials to give
each household of PLHAs 50 plants of cassava and all parishes to pass and also
implement a by-law on household food security, and this was done.
Additionally the project was able to win the
support of Lwengo District leadership and Uganda Cares to increase on the
number of ART/VCT out reaches conducted in the CEDO target communities, as a
measure to save PLHAs from travelling long distances. Three Health Centre IIs
(Nanywa, Katovu, Suubi) were upgraded from II to Health Centre IIIs. And today three outreaches
instead of two are being conducted in the target areas. The logic behind this
action is that the time and transport saved is reinvested in agriculture
production activities- food crop growing.
From all these interventions, the attitude of
men, women, the wider community and other relevant duty bearers has changed for
sustainable household food security. Putting up bye - laws to encourage people to
grow different types of food crops, and, the availability of food crops has
reduced the number of domestic violence cases. One can say a spirit of togetherness has been
built among development actors in advocating for the fulfillment and protection
of human rights with particular focus on food; this is evidenced in the
formation of a food rights alliance committee set up for the realization of the
right to food at household level.
